Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-08-22
origin of the Louisville Riots.
be 7 ouisvilIe .Journal ot the 18th. SAYS


owe have declared that neither the American
party nor natve-born citizens were responsible
for The riots of the 9th of August We repeat
the declaration. We will not attempt 10 deny
that. at sume of the several voting places, there
may have been, upon the day OF election, an oc-
casonal fst-6ghf, that men may have quarrelled
and Knocked each other down, or even that, as
perhaps was The fact in one instance at the Sixth
ward polls, a man may have been even set upon
by two or three or more and badly beaten. But
we assert without tear of successful contradiction
because we know that 1t IS true, that at none OF
the several polls was there any unusual dlstur-
bance or any obstruction whatever offered tG v0-
tiers of either party, greater than has occurred at
almost every election where party lines were
drawn, that has taken place in this city within
the last twenty years, nor even SO great as had
in many instances existed during warmly contest
ed elections between the old Wing and Democrat
ic parties.
.'Whatever minor disagreements and isolated
alterations may have occurred (and even these
we have been assured were very few, they were
incidental to the pushing and crowding of the va
rous voters at the polls aud were not The cause Of,
nor were they in any way connected with, the
shooting and killing and manning ofinnoceut, un-
offending, and unsuspecting American citizens, by
Irish and Germans, in the quiet streets at con-
siderable distance from the polls"
The Journal publishes atfidavIts OF number Of
persons some of whom are foreigners and Catho-
lies, proving that an attack was contemplated on
the American procession previous TO the election
that seventy-hVe or hundred lrlshmen living in
Quinn's houses were provided with guns, pistols,
and knives weeks re-hand that large guam
titles of bullets were moulded on the morning of
election and that the women slept in their clothes
the night before.
In reference to the commencement Of the riot
the Journal says: "A few unarmed, unsuspect-
ing and unoffending American citizens were qui-
city seated at the corner of Tenth and Main street
conversing together, harming no one, Interfering
in no way with any one. These lrlshmen went
from this fort of Quinn's, filled, it subsequently
appeared, with men and arms stationed and ready
at the windows and doorways 10 discharge their
loaded weapons. These men, armed each with a
pair of revolvers, passed through the little knot
of Americans, and without stopping anywhere re-
turned Immediately, rudely pushing against one
of the Americans, and without parley or ceremo-
mony, all three whipped out their pistols and
commenced firing ndscrimipately among the A
mericans The first shot from their picket guard
was the signal for a general broadslde from the
houses along Main street. whose occupants were
evidently waiting for this signal with their guns
in position to commence firing. The scene is de
scrbed by one of the witnesses as presenting the
appearance of "a sheet of fame The streets
fortunately were quiet, and there were but few
persons passing. but every American within sight
was made a target for the bullets Of these blood
thirsty Irishmen. Poor Rhodes was the first vic
tim; he and Dougherty, also MORALLY wounded,
were al Inc time engaged in performing friend
ly act towards O'COnnell, an lrshman and
Catholic. Graham fell about the same time
These then, seem 10 have been the only Amerl-
cans at that time upon the square except those
who were forced TO flee from tie pistols of the
three Irshmen who commenced the attack at the
corner of Tenth street. Simultaneous with this
firing from Quinn's houses, two of the Irish who
happened at the time TO be out of the fort, garri
soned the coffee house at the corner of Market and
Chapel and thence, in accordance with the plan
of operations, commenced firing upon all Ameri-
cans passing by.
at is not necessary here for US to allude TO
the inhuman cruelty and cold blooded barbarity
of the ferocious creature who deliberately step
ped out of the house and finished the murder OF
Rhodes, within sight and hearing of his own home
and the dear ones there, nor need we mention the
fact that there were two men at every window OF
Qunn's houses as testified by Mr.. White, nor
when the houses were attacked by the Americans
crazed, by the inhuman murder of
their friends there were sumo fifty Irishmen with
guns escaped from The back OF these buildings as
stated by Mr.. Lee"