Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-06-23
The Liquor Riot at Portland, Maine. A d.
# ditiOnal Particulars. 3 -

..:.a1ss
The Liquor Riot at Portland, Maine. A d
H dftiOnal Particul ars ef3 81
The Portland, Me-, papers bring US
full accounts Of the unfortunate affair IN
that city on Saturday night. gro wing Out
Of the opposition to the purchase Of soine
1000 worth of liquors BY Mayo, Neal
Dow, TO- the use, as liz said, Of the city
agency. Nj. Dow, it is alleged, made the
purchase in New York, on h,s own re.
Is possibility, and BY bringing the liquor,
into Maine, il was con.ended he had vic.
lated the Maine Law, as the transfer to
the city was not made until three weeks
after the purchase, and not until after a
warrant had been issued against him for
the infraetion Of the law. and then only
by his own casting vote i'll the Board oil
Aldermen. While the Aldermen were in
session the liquors were seized by an off.
Ger, aud here commenced the excitement.
quote now from the Portland Argus !:
q Quite a little crowd stood about the door
where the liquors were stored. and in the
vicinity. during the remainder Of the az
ternoon, but perfect quiet and apparent
good nature was observed. Soon after s
o'clock crowd began to collect about the
deposite Of the liquors. in the City Hall
building and gradually Increased until a
little after o'clock when the cry Of fire
was raised, rs we understand, by Mr..
BOWS order, and the bells rang with, =
view Of divertins the crowd from the spot.
II had. however. contrary effect and
greatly increased it. for time, as the en-
CINE companies were brought from both
extremes Of the city to the centre in Mar.
ket square, where the crowd was Assem-.
bl-d. They. however, soon withdrew,
and the crowd began 10 diminish. Fl
Occasionally during the evening, stones
and briek-bafs were thrown against the
door OF the liquor store, breaking the glass
and sashes, aud otherwise sinjuring the
door. This was done, SO iar. as we could
see, by boys. The police inside the rum
shop. however, Immediately commenced
firing through the door into the crowd. q
Al nine O'Clock. Mr.. Dow sent an order
to the arlnory Of the Portland Light guard
for them TO appear under arms. Captain
q. H. Green. captNin. OF the company.
objected to the course Of proceedings
Mr.. Dow came into the srmory, pre-
pared with ball cartridges. aud COM
mandcd the men to load with powder
and balls, zsz zzzss s = ~
About twenty. -four soldiers with Capt.
Green, Lleuts Kendall, Sawyer then
marched down stairs with Mr.. Dow at
their head, being himself armed with
heavy black club. This had the e,iirc. to
rally tae crowd and 10 increase the excite.
men, and i'll feeling. and WHEN ordered
to dispeIse. commenced Kissing aud sroan-
ing.
Capt. Green was then ordered by the
.hayor to order tie company TO fire, aud
the men in obedience to the word took
ann. The Captain. however, hesifat.d.
and asked the Mayor if he should fire.
The Mayor said-"Stop a moment" AND
lhc order was coun,ermanded. The Light
Guard did not fire on the crowd, and came
back into their, nImory. Soon after this
MIR. Dow came into their armory, and
wanted their muskets for the use Of the
Rifle Guard. Captain Green submitted
the question to vote OF the company,
when Mr.. Dow interrupted. saving he
did not request their arms, he demsnded
them. -
The Rife Guard, with Capt. Chas.f A.
Roberts at their head, were then marched
into the armory Of the Light Guard with
out their consent, and took the guns that
had been previously loaded. against the
earnest protestations Of the Light Guard.
Mr.. Dow then asked how many Of the
Light Guard were ready to Join with the
Rifle Guard. Captain Green put the
question to his soldiers, but none Of them
fell into ranks. The Rifle Guard were
then marched down into Middle street. /
Mayor Dow at their head, and marched
in double file into the City shop.
Without = word Of notice to the crowd
OH Congress street, and without showing
themselves to the crowd, Mayor Dow or.
dered the Rife Guard to Gre into Congress
street.
The order TO FIRE was given so suddenly
that no one had any chance to escape the
range Of their guns. Lieut.. Patton Of the
Rifle corps, ran round the emu Of the City
4all to give the citizens notice Of their
danger, but before he could do this the
volIey by the Rifle Guard swept across the
street. by which five men fell.
Gesrge Robbins. rs heretofore stated,
was the only nan killed. He was the
mate OF the bark Louisa Eaton. So
Thos. McCart,. a hostler. aged % year.,
received a ball under his chin, which pass
ed out through his cheek. breaking the
jaw bone in its passage. t-
Thomas Robinson. worthy young
man, 10 years Of age. while sitting on q
bax near ClaPps block. on the opposite
side Of the street was struck BY bali on
the inside of the right ankle. behind the
Joint. the ball SCATTERING the lower end OF
the tibia or large bone If the leg. and pass
ing out at the instep. =---.zsz
Howard pennison. a young man resid-
ing ON Atlantic street. was struck by pls-
tol ball in the front part OF the arm. The
ball penetrated to THE bone, passed round
without breaking it, ard buried itself in
the m uscle at the back Of the arm,
Thomas Mckenny, young man sbout
20 ytass old. was slightly wounded by a
bullet on the head. 4 young man