Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-06-08
Liquor Riot and Blood shed at
Portland.


ion as a calamity to the cause OF Temper
nnce, Law and Order. Although II IS more
than probable that Mayor Dow will be sus-
tanned on the point Of resisting the rioters by
force. !, Is certain that he would have done
better had he longer delayed extreme meas
ures
Portland. June 2.-THs MAYOR AND the
LtouoR L.w.-Anticipating the action OF the
CITY Government on the question, Neal Dow
bought $1,000 worth Of liquor for the City
Agency, which arrived two or three days
since. The City Council not purchasing at
that time, on Thursday night il remained on
his hands, and today some citizens entered a
complaint, and have had a warrant served up
on him for having liquor with an intent to sell.
In the meantime the Board of Aldermen as
scmbled this p. NJ, and purchased II OF HIM.
Some curiosity is felt by citizens as to the
termination of the matter.
june 3.--Second Desputch-.3 Serious
Riot-The Military Called Out One Man
Killed and .Sererai others Severely founded.
About 10 o'clock last evening mob as
sembled around the building occupied as the
City Liquor Agency, and attempted to break
in, for the purpose of destroying the liquor
The police stationed inside were unable "a
dispose Of the mob, and two military com
panies were called out
A, iafnr hour. tho rnnh sncrreded IN
breaking in the door, and then the military
drawn up on the other side OF the building
fred through the shop, killing one man NAM
cd Ephran Robbins, Of Passport, second
mate of the baroue Louisa Eaton, of Port.
lad I'D rx.,rrttnfr covoral ri
severely. A detachment Of the Rifle Guard
then charged bayone,s round the building,
scattering the knots Of citizens, and wound
ing an old gentleman Of seventy, passing the
square on his way home, and who was too
old to run. After a few arrests, the crowd
dispersed. Another man is said TO hove died
this morning.
The Portland Argus Opponent of the liq
uor law says;
There was a pretty strong current Of feel
ing that no great mora or legal wrong would
be done by letting Mr.. BOWS THE city a.
gency liquor into the gutter, (the common
receptacle for the article here, and no doubt
the best one when it is properly got into
ite and it was this feeling on the part Of a
few, and curiosity on the part Of others,
which caused the asscmblage on Saturday
night. The worst that any one OF those as
sembled had in view was the srllling of q
little liquor, which is hardly regarded as
property, and, with those unable TO make the
nice distinctions between beverage and med
icine, is not crime OF a very serious nature.
Whatever of violence there was exhibited
on the part of the crowd, was directed
wholly against this liquor The desire for
IL r. l.
come an epidemic. The position Of parties
however, was singularly reversed the peo-
pie wished TO destroy, and the police, with
Mr.. Dow at their heads, were defending it.
We do not believe, however, If Mr.. Dow
and the military had kept away, that any
serious harm would have been done.
A few panes Of glass broken, and somo
other injuries done TO the door of the liquor
store, would have been all, and the crowd
would finally have quietly dispersed of them
Selves or Il reasonable spirit from any prom
inent citizen would no doubt have dispersed
them at any time during the evening, But
the presence of Mr.. Dow, brandishing his
sword, aud accompanied by soldiers, exas.
perated the crowd to make more violent
attack upon the store. These acts were I'M
lawful and unjustiiabc on the part of those
"m'; ;.,s ioe w mn. s ou' ny u'u NJ ~
Sua !uSSn IaI' ~. W. -, =, 's."y ,ne snuui
have been Of little CONSEQUENCE, comnnred
with human life, which we confess, il seems
TO US, was most wantonly sacrificed in thl,
AZ ~, ssd H.. onnr,do.a,as Iii 49, :,
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Soy
The Portland Advertiser, which is friend,
to the law and 10 the Navor. instides hi
- ,h-h,, -, ~ en-.
'o"''' '"'oos"O"' '"u g"e' '"e 'o''o"i"l
version OF the purchase of the liquors which
"e'e '"o ''0"''O" VI '"' ''O'
As early as the third day OF May, tn
noara o. A,Ier ,s passed so.e hpProPiiIo
nse Of The AGENCY fnr Tho sale Of Iiopors, an