Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1855-08-18

falo Commercial has not only occurred,
but Alabama, too, has proclaimed in
thunder tones to her sister States that
know-nothingism cannot have an exist
ence as national organization.
Account of the Late Election Riots at
louisville, Ky.
From The LonisciAe Courier Of The IN inst. Ia
Wig paper opposed 70 nc Essi5s Issoihings. ! :
We passed yesterday through the forms
of an election. As provided by, the
statute, the polls were opened, and priv
ilege granted to such as were right
upon the goose question. with few ex-
ceptions, to exercise their elective fran
chise. Never, perhaps, was a greater
farce, or, as we should term it, tragedy
enacted. Hundreds and thousands were
deferred from voting by direct acts of
intimidation, others through fear of con-
sequences, and multitude from the lack
of proper facilities. The city, indeed,
was, during the day, in possession of an
armed mob, the base passions of which
were infTiatedto the highest pitch by
the incendiary appeals of the newspaper
organ and the popular leaders Of the
Know Nothing party.
On Sunday night large detachments of
men were sent to the first and second
wards to see that the poll were properly
opened These men the g American
Executive Committee supplied with re-
lquisite refreshments, and, as may be i'm
Tagined, they were in very fit condition
on yesterday morning to see that the
rights of freemen were respected indeed
they discharged the important trusts
committed to them in such manner as to
commend them forever to the admiration
Of outlaws They opened the polls;
they provided ways and means for their
own party to vote they bufed and bull
he'd all who could not show the sign !:
they in fact converted the election into a
perfect farce, without one redecming or
qualifying phase. We donot know when
or how their plan of operations was doe
vised- Indeedwe do not care to knw-
-whan such system of outrage. such
7 periidy, such Jdasturly was conceived.
We only blush for Kentucky that her
soil was the scene of such outragas. and
that some of her sons were participants
in the nefarious swindle.
II would be impossible to know when
or how the riot commenced By day.
break the polls were taken possession Of
by the American party, and in pursu-
ance of their preconeerted game thew
used every stratagem or device to hinder
the vote of every man who could not
manifest to the guardians of the polls
his soundness on the Know Nothing
question.
We were personally witnesses to the
procedure Of the party in certain wards,
and of those we feel authorized to speak.
At the seventh ward we discovered that
for three hours in the outset in the
morning it was impossible for those not
posted to vote without the greatest
difficulty In the sixth ward party Of
bullies were masters of the polls We
saw two foreigners driven from the polls,
forced to run a gauntlet, beat unmerci-
fully, stoned and stabbed. In the case
of one fellow the Hon VIM. TnoMAssoN
formerly member of Congress from this
district, interfered, and, while appealing
to the maddened crowd to cease their
acts of disorder and violence, MIR. Thorn
asson was struck from behind and beat.
His gray hairs, his long public service,
his manly presence, and his thorough
Americanism awaited nothing with the
n n
occurred in the sixth ward, Of which we
have no time to make mention now.
The more serious and dsgraceful dis
turbances occurred in the upper wards.
The vote cast was but partial one, and
nearly. all together on one side. No
show was given to the friends of Mr..
Preston, who were largely in the MAORI
ty, but who, in the face of cannon, mus
kets, and revolvers, could not, being an
l-unarmed and quiet populaoe, confront
the mad mob. So the vote was cast one
way, and the result stands before the
i public.
\ In the morning George Berg, car
penter, was killed near Handbook street.
A German named Fitz, formerly part
| per at the Gait House, was severely ifnot
fatally wounded.
| In the afternoon general row oc-
CURED on Shelby street, extending from
Main to Broadway. We are unable to
ascertain the facts concerning the. dis
Z turbance. Some fourteen or fifteen men
were shot, including officer Williams, Joe
Salvage, and others; two or three were
! killed, and number of houses, chiefly
German cofee-houses, broken into and
& pillaged
About 4 o'clock, when tho vastcrowd
4 \ -S''s's'nvntod by accessions from every part
ofthe city. and armed with shot-guns
muskets, and rifles, were proceeding t
attack the Catholic church on Shelby
street, Mayor Barbce arrested them viii
a speech, and the mob returned to tn,
} FIRST ward polls. Presently a large party
} arrived with piece Of brass ordinance
, followed by n number Of men and bows