Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-08-18
The Louisville Riots

The Courier. from which we copy, was
strong know-nothing Journal until With
a few weeks Of the election, when it CAV
oiiense to the Order BY opposing their can
didate for Congress.
From the Louisville Courier
We passed yesterday through the form
Of an election. As provided BY the statut
the polls were opened. and priv ilrae
granted to such as were fright upon III,
goose" with few exceptions, 10 exer
else their elective franchise. Never
/ perhaps, wasa greater farce--or as ",
should term it, traredv--enacted. Hun
dreds and thousands were deferred from
voting BY direct acts Of intimidation, 9th
ers through fear OF consequences. and q
multitude from the lack Of proper facilities
The city, indeed, was, during the day, in
possession of an armed mob, the base pas
>ions of which were infIriated to the
highest pitch by the incendary appeals of
the newspaper organ and the popular lea
ders Of the know nothing party.
On Sunday night, large detachments of
men were sent to the first and second
wards TO see that the polls were properly
opened. These men, the "American Ex-
ecutive Committee" supplied with reaui-
SITE refreshments, and as may be imagined
they were iii very fit condition on yesier-
| day morning to see that the rights Of free
men were respected Indeed they dis
charged the important trusts committed to
them in such manner as to commend them
forever to the admiration of outlaws! =
They opened the polls, they provided
ways aud means for their own party to
vote, they butIed and bulled all who could
not show the sign; they, in fact, converted
the election into a perfect farce, without
one redeeming O. qua'iiiing phase.
We do not know when OF how their
plan OF operations was devised. Indeed
we do no, care 10 know when such sys.
TEN of oulrage-sueh perfidy-sueh das-
taidy-was conceived. We only blush
for Kentucky that her soil was the scene
OF such ou,fages, and that some Of her
sons were participants in the neiarious
sWindle.
II would be impossible to know when
or how this riot commenced BY day
break The poilswere taken possession Of
BY the American party, and in pursuance
OF the pteconceIted game, they used eve
ry siiatagem Of device to hinder the vote
OF every man Who could not manifest to
tie guardians oil the pools his soundness
on the k. n. question. We were person.
ally witness 10 the procedure Of the par
~ III certain wards, and of these we feel
authorized 10 speak. Al the seventh ward
we discovered that for three hours in the
outset III the morning it was impossible
tor those not .posted to vote, without
party of DULLES were mastrrs Of the
polls. We saw two foreigners driven
from the polls, forced 10 run gauntlet,
bea, numerically, Stoned aud stabbed In
the case OF one fellow. the Hon. VIM
Thomasson. formerly member Of Con-
gress from This district, intertered, and
while appealing to the maddened crowd
to cease their acts of disorder and violence
Mr.. Thomasson was struck from behind
and beat. HIS grey hairs, his long public
service, his manly presence, and his thor
ough Amerieanism, avsilrd nothing with
the erazei mob. Other and serious fights
occurred in the .ixh ward, of which we
have 10 time to make mention now. :.
The more serious and disgrscefsl DIS
turbances occurred in the upper wards
The vote cast was but a partial one, and
nee:ly altogether Oh one side. No show
was given TO the friends of Preston, who
were largely in the majority, but who in
The face OF cannon, musket, and IsyOlvers,
could not, being an unarnied and quiet
populace, contreu! the mad mob. So the
T.. dos fi,s nd "a N dc
before the public.
In the morning George Berg, carpen-
ter living Oh the coiner OF 9Th and Mar
ket, was killed near Hancock street. A
German named t'itz, formerly a partner at
the Gulf House. was severely, il Not fatal
~. beaten.
In the afternoon a general row occur
red Oh Shelby street, extending from Main
10 Broadway. We are unable to ascertain
the facts concerning the Disturbance
SOME fourteen OF fifteen men were shot
including officer Williams. Joe Selyage,
aud Others. Two or three were killed
and number of houses, chiefly German
coffee houses, bioken into ard piliaged.-
about 4 O clock, when .he vast crowd, aug
mented by accessions from syegy part OF
| the city, and armed with shot-guns, mus
kets and rifles, Were proceeding to attack
the Catholic church on Shelby street,
May or Barbee arrested them with a speech
and the mob returned To the first ward
polls. Presently "A large party arrived
with piece Of brass ordnance. followed by
number Of men and boys with muskets.
In an our afterwards the large brewery on
Jefferson street; near he junction Of Green
was SET fire to.
In the lower part Of the city the 9isiur.
Dances were characterized by greater de.
gree Of bloody work. Late in the after.
noon three ltishmen going down Main
street, neas eleventh, were attaked, and
one knocked down. Then ensaed Ter.
rlbe scene; the Irish firing from the win
lows of their houses on Main street repea.
ted volleys. Mr.. Rhodes, a river man
was shot and killed by one IN the upper
story. and Mr.. Graham met with SINH.
lar fate. An Irishman who had disc har
ged pistol at the back ola mans head
was shot aud then hung. He, however,
survived both punishments. John Hud-
son, carpenter, was shot dead during the
| | aeaS.
| After dusk, row Of frame houses on
Main street, between Tenth and Eleventh
/ a - t.. N.