Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-08-15
Iouisville Elactiou Riofs:

AND ARsoN-TwENTY MEN KILLED.
Prom the Louisville Courier ('Nhig. 9TH inst.
We passed, yesterday, through the forms
Of an electioa. AS provided for by statute,
the polls we're opened, and privilege granted
to such as were fright upon the goose, with
few exceptions, to exercise their elective
franchise. Never. perhaps, was a greater
farce, OF, as VIC should term it, tragedy, en-
acted. Hundreds and thousands were deter
red from voting by direct acts Of intimidation,
others through fear of consequences, and a
multitude from the lack of proper facilities.
The city, indeed, was during the day, in pos
session OF an armed mob, the base passions of
which were infuriated to the highest pitch by
the incendiary appeals Of the newspaper organ
and the popular leaders of the Know-Ne'h-
ing party
On Sunday night large detachments of men
we're sent to the First and Second Wards to
see that the polls were properly opened
These men the g American Executive Com
mittee" supplied with the requisite refresh
meafs, and, as may be imagined, they were
in very fit condition yesterday morning to
see that the rights of freemen were respected.
Indeed. they discharged the important trusts
committed to them In such a manner as to
commend them forever to the admiration of
outlaws! They opened the polls; they. pro-
yided ways and means for their@own party to
vote; they bluffed and bullied all who could
not show the sign; they, in fact, converted
the election into perfect farce, without one
redeeming or qualifying phase.
We do not know when or how their plan of
operations was devised. Indeed, we do not
care to know when such system of outrage
such perfdy, such dastardy-was conceived.
We only blush for. Kentucky, that her soil
was the scene of such outrages. and that
some of her sons were participants In the
nefarious swindle.
1t would be impossible to state when or
how this riot commenced. BY day break the
polls were taken possession of by the Ameri-;
| can party, and In pursuance of their precon-
certed game. they used every stratagem or
device to hinder the vote of every man who
could not manifest to the guardians of the
polls'' his soundness of the K. N. question.
We were personally witness to the procedure
of the party In certain wards, and of these
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 a
party of bullies were masters of the polls.
We saw two foreigners driven from the polls,
forced to run q guantlet, beat numerically,
stoned and stabbed. In the case of one fellow
the Hon. VIM. Thomasson, formerly mein=
ber of Congress from this district, interfered,
and while appealing to the maddened crowd
to cease their acts of disorder and violence
Mr.. Thomasson was struck from behind and
beat. His gray hairs, bis long public services
his manly presence and his thorough Ameri-
canism, availed nothing with the crazed mob.
Other and serious fights occurred in the Sixth
Ward, of which we have no time to. make
mention now Yss.
The more serious and disgraceful disturb
ances occurred in the upper wards. The
vote cast was but partial one; and nearly
altogether on one side. No show was given
to the friends of Preston, who were largely
in the majority, but who in the face Of can
non, muskets and reyolvers, could not being
unarmed and quiet populace, confront the
mad mob. So the vote was cast one way,
and the result stands before the public.
In the morning, as we state elsewhere,
George Berg, carpenter, living on the cor
ner of Ninth and Market, was killed near
Hancock street. A German, named Fritz,
formerly partner at the Gait House, was
severely, if not fatally, beaten.
In the afternoon general row occurred on
Shelby street, extending from Main to Broad
way. We are unable to ascertain the facts
concerning the disturbance. Some fourteen
or fifteen men were shot, including officer
Williams. Joe Selvage, and others. Two or
three were killed, and "a number of houses,
chiefly German coffee houses, broken into and
pillaged. About 4 o'clock, when the vast
crowd, augmented by accessions from every
part of the city, and armed with shot guns,
a.. T.
the Catholic church on Shelby street, Mayor
Barbee arrested them with a speech and the
mob returned to the First Ward polls. Pres
emily large party arrived with q piece of
brass ordnance, followed by number of men
wards the large brewery on Jefferson street,
near the junction of Green, was set FIRE to.
In the lower part of the city, the disturb
ances were characterized by greater degree
of bloody work. Late in the afternoon, three
Irishmen going down Main street, near Elev-
enth, were attacked and one knocked down.
Then ensued a terrible scene, the Irish firing
from the windows of their houses, on Main
street. repeated volleys. Mr.. Rhodes, a riv-
er man, was shot and killed by one in the
upper story, and Mr.. Graham met with a
similar fate. An Irishman who discharged a
pistol at the back of mans head, was shot
and then hung. He. however, survived 5oth
punishments. John Hudson, carpenter,
was shot dead during the fracas.
After dusk, a row of frame houses on Main
street between Tenth and Eleventh. the prop
erty of Quinn, well known Irishman. were
set on fire. The flames extended across the
street and twelve buildings were destroyed
These houses were chiefly tenantcd by Irish,
and upon any of the tenants yenturing out to
escape the flames, they were Immediately shot
down.. No idea could be formed of the nnm-