Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-15
TRIAL OF MAYOR DOW.

disturbance IN fortland, are compiled
from the advertiser, by the N. Y
Tribune. The truth Of the case i,
briefly as follows:
The Prohibitory Liquor Law. as il
now exists in Maine. provides for the
establishment by each town Of mum.
cipial agency for the supply Of liquors
for mechanical, medical and sacramen.
tai purposes. In compliance with this
provision, the Common Council Of
Portland on the Sd ult., or a month be-
fore the riot. appointed a Committee,
consisting Of the Mayor and Alderman
to procure the requisite stock for such
an agency at Portland.
It is said the resolution appointing
the committee was passed by the
Mayors casting vote, but we do not
see that this fact, IL it be fact, is Of
any great importance. In the dis
charge Of their Office, the Committee
bought from an importer in this city, a
quantity Of wine and liquor in the
original packages, and had it duly for
warded to Portland. The purchase
was consummated, and the invoice
was m ade in the name Of the City
Agency Of Portland, Mr.. Dow, having
no personal interest in the merchan
disc whatever; but the two chief rum
selling journals Of the town. the ar
gus. and State Of Maine. seeing in the
arrival and presence in the city Of these
liquors. an excellent opportunity to
assail both Mr.. Dow, and the Prohibi-
tory Law, did not hesitate to assert;
that the purchase had been made by
him for his private account, and with
the intention Of selling the liquor for
his own profit in violation of the law,
with whose origin and execution he
has become identified. These asser-
tons they backed up with violent ap-
peals to the passions Of that ignorant
and prejudiced part Of the community
chiefly Irish. as we are told-whose
trade ofrumselling. Mr.. Dow and the
Law had essentially intefered with
To the inhammatury course Of these
journals the subsequent occurrences
are in a great way attributed.
On Saturday afternoon one Royal
Williams appeared at the Police Court,
with two other well-known foes Of
Prohibition, and made affidavit that
Mr.. Dow had these liquors in his pos
session, as they had reason to believe,
with the purpose Of selling them in
the State contrary to the Law. Here
upon the Judge issued a warrant, and
an officer proceeded to the basement
Of the City Hall where the liquors
were stored, and seized them. 1t be-
ing now late in the afternoon the off,
Ger did not arrest the Mayor for trial,
but left that part ofhis duty to be dis
charged on Monday morning.
As the officer took possession Of the
liquor. noisy and violent crowd as
sembled around the City Hall deman-
ding that the liquors should be deliv-
cred to them. This Of course the off,
Ger refused to do. But the crowd in
creasing and becoming more excited. at
ooous u " CtoCks u stuoit totSc VI Poiict-
men, armed with pistols, entered the
room where the liquors were. The
mob had now begun to break the
windows, and though repeatedly warn
ed to desist and dispense by the May
or, who told them that persistence in
the attack on the building would en-
danger their lives. and though the riot
act was read, they continued their hos
tile demonstrations, rushing at the door
with view to break il down and get
at the liquors.
After the first rush upon the door.
which proved too strong to be shivered
by the assault. the police fred their
pistols over the heads Of the assailants.
The reply to this discharge was OF
course a second onslaught upon the
door, which was met with genuine
bullets from the police. But this did
not suffice to dispense. or repel the in
furiated rioters, and at about l o'clock
or after, when the riot had been in full
progress for three hours, and further
delay would have been culpable. a
company Of riflemen were brought up,
the mayor at their head. They fired
in squads Of four. and not more than
three or four such volleys were requir-
cd to scatter the mob and suppress all
attempts to break in the City Hail.
At midnight the whole affair was over.
One man, was killed and seven or eight
wounded.
The Tribune comments on the affair
as follows:
Such are the simple facts Of this af-
fair Is we have them on the authority
Of eye-witnesses, and from the calm
and uninpassioned report Of the Port
land Advertiser. which We transfer to
our columns. 1t does not appear that
the Mayor was in any respect guilty Of
any hasty, injudicious or cruel action
during anypart Of the prcceedings.-
Indeed II the authorities erred ut all.
it was in the lack Of decisive severity
at the outset. The firing Of pistols
over the heads Of the mob seem to have
been an ill-judged measure, and to
have stimulated rather than checked
the attempt to storm the City Hail.
When q riot has got to such pass
that the disposable police force are not
sufficient to arrest and imprison the
ringleaders and to dispense the mass.
IL is not well either to fire blank car
tridges, or 10 shoot over the head Of
the mob.
1t is then time to assert the suprema-
cy Of the law by the sterEest and
promptest means. The necessity is no
doubt the most painful one the magis-
trate has to encounter, butat such cri.
sises nothing except cold lead is merci-
full. II does not appear that this last
resort was employed at Portland u mo-
ment too soon, or that shot was dis
charged beyond what was absolutely
necessary. The authorities did their
duty, no more and no less. They
suppressed the mob. they saved the
City Hall from being broken open and
theproperty from being destroyed, and
they taught the riotous elements oil