The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-08-17
The Louisville Riots-More sworn Proof Of their
Foreign Oiieia.

Gates, proving that the late terrible riots In
that city originated with the foreign popula-
ton. We quote few of them below, in ref
erence to the disturbances in the first ward
having already given a synopsis Of similar
proofs in reference to tho-e in the eighth
ward
Jos. D. Selvsge being sworn states: was rp-
pointed by the Mayor police man for the second
ward polls was sheriff at the polls. While at
the second ward polls about two o'clock, news was
brought there that the foreigners up town were in
arms Ed. Williams and Alex Cross, night. watch
men in the second ward, urged me to 20 with them.
| have been all the season working on public con-
tracts on street. some 60 or 20 foreign laborers,
mostly Irish. Williams and Cross asked me TO go
with them, because they believed / would have
considerable influence with the foreigners.
went with Cross and Williams; when we
reached the corner of Shelby and Green streets,
we discovered q body of Germans, about rs,
armed with guns, congregated at the corner OF
Campbell and Green. ! babe the crowd that &C
companied us 10 remain behind and | would go TO
the Germans and tax TO them. The Americans
remained at the corner of Shelby street, except
Williams and Cross aud myself We went toward
Campbell street. Williams and myself were about
ten feet in advance Of Cross When We came
within some seventy feet of the Germans raised
my hands and begged them, "for Gods sake, 60
60 home and put away their guns" ] said this
several times; while my hands were raised aud
was eXhorting them TO 80 home. some one in the
crowd Of Germans cried o9t 10 shoot a gun was
raised and received the contents in nv lace, neck
aud breast; reeled against fence ard was then
shot in the back and legs Sene q or Is guns
were fred at that Jiun Waiaass vas wounded in
the head and legs dayfHk ,A5s Aytas, The Amcri
cans then rushed Gp Greea ssress and the general
melee commenced pas s,iasesAes sasrnei. aud
did not see any fire srsas saaas ,Ae Aser,oans
at that time. This VAS The Aea,naioe NJ sAe diIi
cultles at that point The Germans we're scattered
and pursued in every dircciioa. What happened
Afterwards am unable 20 state.
J. n. SEWAGE.
Sworn TO and subscribed before me, a notary
public, this Sth day of Aug, 1855.
L. A. WHITLEY,
Notary Public.
We were present at the time of the attack upon
Sewage and Williams, and corroborate the above
settlement EDWARD WILLIAMS,
ALEX. C. CROSS
AARON RAY.
Alexander G. Gross states that on Monday the
9th inst the day Of election 10 Louisville he was
at the Second ward polls when boy, say ~ or IA
year old, about two o'clock, P. NJ. came to him and
complained that he had been badly treated by
large number OF foreigners on Green street. above
Shelby. He said that he had started TO water his
horse, but had been driven off by them. Mr.. Ed
ward Williams WAS present at the time the boy
came TO him, and they concluded TO see Mr.. Sci
vsge who acting as sheriff at the second war
polls and get the benefit OF his advice before they
took any step. They saw Mr.. Sewage, and II was
agreed upon that he should go along. We went to
the place pointed out 10 US by the boy. When got
to point at Green street where it is intersected by
I'LL. l.. Al.
of voting they discovered large number of for.
eigDers, some with muskets some with pistols
some with bowieknves, some with rakes, and others
with scythes, which they hourished over their
heads. When we got within from 30 100 feet from
the front fthe crowd Mr.. Sewage raised his hands
in a supplicatiug position, and begged the crowd
to desist from any hostile action. While Sewage
was thus engaged afisnt saw pointing his
gun toward Sewage. Afiant spoke loudly to Sci
wage, telling him to "look out" He supposed
Selvage had not seen his danger About the mo-
ment he spoke to him the shot, the first gun
he heard of being shot on that day. Sewage was
shot in the face and the breast and he staggered
be turned his back on the crowd and was shot / n
the back the shotltakng effect almost all him.
He bled prolusely. He states that at the time
Selvage was shot Edward Williams was standing
within two or three feet OF him. Williams turned
rapidly around with the intent witness supposed
to catch Sewage as he fell This action turned
Williams around from the crowd, and as he turned
another gun was shot and the contents Of the gun
were lodged all over his back. He then drew bis !
pistol and Will ans drew his pistol, and they all /
(SelVage without arms) started toward them. They |
started off in hurry-some up Green and some |
along Campbell. They (the foreigners) would stop |
and then fire. Selvage's son coming about the
time when S. was shot, was also wounded by sever
81 shots Further be says that when approaching
the crowd of Dutch and Irish, they a one horse
wagon with two three men in it quietly passing
down Green street, when getting near by and 10
the midst of the crowd, they were stoned and bes-
ten by nearly all of the Dutch crowd.
After the facts above stated had transpred,
party Of Americans, hearing and seeing the firing,
came running up in pursuit, and the firing and
fighting became general in the neighborhood.-
Many shots being fired from the doors and windows
along the streets Of this neighborhood at the Amer
leans they through the streets in pursuit Of
different parties of foreigners
ALEXANDER c. C. ROSS
The foregoing statement having been written in
our presence, has also been carefully read 10 US,
aud we concur in the statement OF facts, having
been eye-Witnesses Of them.
EDW. WILLIAMS,
sE AARON RAY,
I u SElVACp