The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-15
THE PORTLAND LIQUOR RIOT.
The Second Investigation.


The Second Investigation.
On Taesdsy, the first witness called HAa Wan. A. VIA
ship, ASlutsnf Of the Light Guard BE was amongst
those vhe refused TO turn out he spoke TO the Mayor
their guns TO BE- loaded He said:-I turned to the
Mayor and asked him II mot according to al mill.
heads Of the populace first and to command them to
dispense. BE replied; " We know what about,
sirmvs.e consulted the the aw sur" and then took
Dew.
Joshua s. Palmer said he visited the armory OF the
Eght Guards just as they were leaving; he had some
conversation with Sheriff Baker, who stood In the door,
and asked him what ne was going to do with the
pany o. men there some such question. He replied
in effect that he was going to take them into the crowd
and that they were prepared TO do execution their
being loaded with balls. He stated that he passed
through the crowd and nothing in 1t that was dan
gerous; could not recolect seeing any stones thrown
agAinat the building, but several times heard short and
general laugh from the crowd.
Ths Mayor, accom- panied by Aldermen Libby, Brooks
and Q.etcn marched sc the head Of the company and
Bsseks and Carleton had muskets, think Mr.. Libby
had not Am not positive. did not notice whether
Mr.. Dow had musset or not
Captain Green who commanded the Rife Guards, was
next called. He said his msn were marched down to
tbs sidewalk in front Of the Agency on Congress street.
There brought the men TO halt and front face, and
people TO disperse (Gen Fessendenor they would be
nred uPon,'o or they would be dred upon. They did
did not appear to pay much attention to IL but
meaced making loud noise and throwing stones; and
sons OF the stones stuck men stood in line.
Then he said to me- Capt. Green, 6re''-he immediate
pany paid no attention to order from the Mayor
thea ave the word "eseord platoon ready hesitsed
and then turned TO Mayor Dow and said nMass FIRE,
Tor SIS hard to shoot oof citizens" lie THEN sala
Two Of ths men were hurt with stones and had to be
removed. The company, which had dwindled down to
six or seven, was then marched of to NEST tbs Rifle
Guards Capt Green said (apd this is the most import
ant part OF his testimony Il wish here to state
monstratsd against taaing out few men, for II
but Little over quarter Fart OF the company that
were there thought If he had had the Whole company
street at the point Of the ons did not see any ne
csssity for firing on the people with ball cartridges If
there had been sufficient force there.
Cart Roberts, who commsn isd the Rife Guards, was
also examined. He stated that the order to dre in
squads Of four was given BY the Mayor himself and ne
hs csptsn) did not Ell hsr give repeat it. From IT.
teen to twenty guns were fred. No request was made
to him 70 use any other means of dispensing tue crowd
thaa firing upon them; bat they ordered, after
firing to charge the crowd in Congress street One
OF men, while in the room, severely wouaaed BY
o stone, which hit him between TIE eyes kn0ckipg him
down that he required assistance to get home Seve
raj others were slightly bruieed."
Lafayette Wyman deposed that being one OF the Rife
Guards and while marching towards the City Hail. I'M
Neal Bows orders Neal Dow TO the Captain and
said Captain Roberts, are oar men al trne u guess
they are" was the answer; M Dow then said, Men,
when give the ORDER to FIRE, win give 1t through
Captain; when you get ycnr orders from him, want
er m.b law shall rule mere or WI ether your Chi mags
tIate shall rule; marched into the armory Of
the Light Guard where got orders to leave our rifles
for our rifles objected; said / was riHemaD, and
could mot use musket was peremptorly ordered to
take ono, and did ball cartridges were put into my
hand, vita orders to put one ito my gun; had but
just lt into the City Agency whsn the order Was given
BY Neal Dow for the FIRST four to fire. after they had
fred they ordered TO fall back and the next four
to come up and FIRE; in gong from the armoIy to the
City Agency twisted ths flint from my gum that II
sht not 60 off, obliged to put cartridge In it.
az ordered Alderman Carleton the cartridges
all the orders to hrs given by Neal Dow; was in
thu second four that ordered to fire; gun did
natn off md fell hail SJlh wi
discharged was in the crowd all the evening till few
minutes before this, being notified to 60 Into the
merry and efors OF any kind was mace to cispsrss
the crowd.
Account OF the Affair by Neal Dow.
PORTLAND, Mayors Office, June 9, 1865.
To TnE BOARD OF ALDKRMEN -
The undersigned deems it his duty to make detailed,
but succiuot report the Board Of Aldermen thu
events Of June in relation to which many varying
accounts are now in circulation throughout the State
On the afternoon Of that day it became manifest to
all observers that an unusual excitement existed among
mies 10 the Maine Law. A large number o. such per
soma wefe present at the police court room, vhs pro-
commenced to the seizure and destruc-
on of invoice of lie which had been procured
from New York by commit tee Of the Board Of Mayo
and Aldermen by the authority Of that Board for the
supply Of the G Agency which th' Board had deter
1t vss not thought at the time that any movement
would be made by such persons beyond attempt to
destroy these liquors by Que process OF law But late
in ths sitsrnoon Intelligence communicated to the
Mayor end Aldermen thst extensive combination had
been formed and shat arrangements had been made to
assemble mob for the purpose of breaking into the
City Agency, and esroyiug the liquors therein con-
tanned At the time OF this communica zion large
bors OF excited persons assembled around the City
Hall, in which the agency ia located demanding that
the liquors should be brought out.
Tbs MAYOR an! Aldermen did not at that time appre
hend thar any mob would could be raised ia the city
which would be beyond the power of the ordinary po
lice farce 10 aue but early In the evening they thought
otherwise. The City Marshal, with few policemen, |
some Of tae with revolvsrs and of them without
arms directed to enter the room and defend 1t to
the ss. extremity and the est Of the police force were
directed to do ths utmost among the mob to d,sperse
It snd to Identity as many as possible Of the active per-
The Mayor and several of the Aldermen being at the
Mayors Office in the evening, warned by repeated
and urgent messages, that the mob was collecting in
city Messages were then cent to the commanding Off.
GERS Of shs Light Guards and the Rife Guards, and
formal semsnd was made rpoa them for theiI assist,
snce, which, for consideration in money, they had
agreed with preceding nistraton to render
armed police, whenever they should be called upon by
the city government for that purpose.
Those companies called together hastily at their
srmoses, ard visited there by the Mayor and
OF the Aldermen, and formal demand was made upon
them for their services and assistance in queiRg the
mob s an armed police force or as citizens IN arms ac
eordiuy % thsir agreement with the city government
nor caps; and none suitable after many efforts and
much Ssay could be procured in the city
ep,o ed in the effort to procure the necessary NUM-
tons the Mayor and Of the Aldermen repaired to
the sIacry OF the Light Guards situated In the third
story Of the City Hall Tbs members Of the company
were there assembled in force, and appeal was at
made to the captain to form and maren out with
tod that the appearance Of b. company in full ranks
and with determined front and with bayonets would be
sufficient Tie captai thought otherwise, and declined
to expoee h1 copnand to the fury OF the mob without
cartridges. During al this time were heard from below
the fsrocous sounds Of the the CHATTER OF stones
and other missiles the rattle OF broken glass; and the
crash OF breaking blinds, hhutters and doors.
After some delay cartridges were procured, and the
musksts wore loaded when about twenty men only
fell into the ranks with ehouldered arms Again the
captain protested against exposing so small force to
the fury OF tbs mob he did not feel himself justified In
30 doing but the reply to him that half Of them
would Do sufficient II they were brave and true
At the word the marched out, With the cap.
tain and Aldermen Brooks and Carleton and myself ut
their head but OF the number fell out OF ths ranks
on the way down the stairs and through the crowd.
The Sheriff Of the county preceded us In the march,
aud seppipg out INTO the crowd commanded the peo-
perse, assuring them they would otherwise be fired