The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-06
THE LIQUOR RIOT IN PORTLAND.
JHR MMFlRY FIRING uPoN THE CITIZENS
ONE NAN KILLED AND SEVEN WOUNDED,
The Author Of the Maine Law Attempt
ing to Sell Liquor.
Neal Dow, Mayor Of Portland, to be Indi cted
for Manslaughter.
REWsPAPER OPINIONS.

HEWsPAPER OPINIONS.
Vsem the Portland Argus (Anti Maine Law), June A.
with deep regret that we are compelled 70 record
the proceedings Of Saturday night when ended In Ia
nuh syd The shedding Of blood rhsy are reprosch
ssd stain upon the fair reputation Of our ci. Upon
xAen rests the responsibility Is not for to decide
The whole matter viii be legally nvestig ted and the
sesponsbiliiy Of shedding blood wi trust be made
ssnstances, that should refrsia from expressing
any opinion upon this point and we proceed 10 sta
the facts a. near as we can learn them the order
It win be remembered, that on Saturday morning we
sailed the attention Of the City Marshal and Police
been purchased in Yosk and brought here for SALE
and suggested 10 them the duty OF sezrg them These
hqusrs Is,,6co WORTHY, Neal Dov had stated one
Il the Aldermen he bad bOngbt en- his own Individual
responsibility, and had ordered them TO be brought
here and stored in the city This being apparently in
penalty, on conviction, OF iniprissnm for thirty
days aad rendering the quors subject to sezure and
police court, and Judge Carter issued mis- for
Sue seizure Of the liquors. but whether for the
NM. Dow We have sos learned. Judge Carter, how.
ever, instead OF giving this warrant to officer who
vas ready to MAKE immediate service, put 1t in the
hands Of Deputy Mirshsl Ring, who, for some cause
Dnediately disappeased, and could not be fvnnd.
Meantime The Board of Aldermen suddenly SUM-
DeDsd to meet for the purpose it alleged Of et
agency, which WAS established on last Thursday night
By the casting vote of Mr. Dow though the liquors
been together while, Deputy Ring appeared ana sezsd
ne liquors. upon the warrant.
Quite little crowd stood about the door where the
liquors. were stored, and in the vciety during the
nandsr Of the atterpoo but perfect quiet sppa
nt good pa,ure was observed soon after o'clock
crowd began to collect about the deposit OF the
In the City Hall building, and gradually increased until
little after nine O'Clock, when cry OF FIRE raised,
suns With view ., avertnr the Gro I'd from the spot
bad, however, contrary effect, and greatly increased
It, for time as the engine companies brought by
the bs from both extremes of the city to the centre in
wa,iet Square, where the crowd wssssssembled. They
Aevsver, soon withdrew, and the crowd began to dim
Occasionally during the evening" stones and brickbsts
were thrown against the door the liquor store break
ing the glass and sasbes and otherwise ipjuring the
deor This was done, so far could see, ny boys
The whole affair was the merest boys play, cone in
The most apparent good nature and with tas pos
seemed to be there without any other purpose hon curl
esty TO see what might be dore and those who tn
We missiles were without leaders, or apparent power to
is our decided opnion-and We have not met an in.
t<Egent who witnes sed the proceedings Of the
evening that Goes not concur with us-rhat efficient
police officer, with dozen good men, could have easily
dsperted the crowd any time PRIOR to baif past niue
O'clock Soon aftor ten O'Clock the crowd bad mate
rally dmin'shed and seemed rapidly dispersing when
M Dow, accompanied by Capt Green and part Of the
light Guard appeared upon ibs sidewalk the north
ssde OF the City Hall The crowd were warned to dis
Hsase Bias appearance, sword in hand, with soldiers,
1t once charged the temper OF the multitude. Th.y
" the PROCLAMATION to esperse.
Mr. Dow then gave the order, "Frst section hrel''
The order not obeyed, ard the crowd thea threw
missiles. part Of the company started TO escort Mr..
Dow toward Midoe street, spd the remainder immsdi-
sty returned to their armory in the third story of the
city Ball building. At the time Mr. Dow gave the
order to fire. Capt Green refused 10 give it,
dsrstand the ground that he els Thick the cir
constsnces authorized it, the company were standing
charles Association in Clapps biloxi, aud their fire
wcad have taken effect II at all upon hs people the
nf uharn ans. ,.ek
from their hail. and who entirely unconscious that
any such procee dDg was called for contemplated.
We have this part from gen teman who had Just
tIem the hall where there had been three hun
dred during the evening" and had stepped
the ss,eet near to Mr. Dow, when to his astoDshmsnt
the order 10 fire was given by Air. Dow
After Captain Green's company had retired the brick
bss flew thicker and stronger aNd the police who
b guard tbem commenced firing pistols charged osly
with powder. A sort Of sham 6ght thus kept up
between the I'D, which had become more de
mined IN its character, ard the police unit, eleven
o slsck, when Mr.. Dow, with q portion Of the Rifle
Guards under Capt Charles W. Roberts descended from
the Light Guards armory. and with the musAets OF the
Light Guarda 10 the south side OF the City Hall. The
doors Of the liquor store then thrown open and the
firing commenced by Mr. Dows orcer through the store
upon the crowd in the street the other sde Of the
building
One man. George Robb ms, second mate Of the
bark LOUISE Eaton, was shot through the body
and almost instantly KILLED. The bali entered his
right siee, between the fifth and sixth rios passed
through his body, cutting of the great aorta 1.-THE
artery through which the blood flows to the lower
extrem.ies) and escaped between the fifth sixth
rib the left side. Robbins very near the door
when the shot fred and immediately fell into the
arms OF a man cloee by The BODY conveyed to the
Office Dr. Clay where it remained through the night
and in the nornpg having been viewed by the coroaer
removed TO the deceaseds boarding house. Fore
street. whence it will probably be buried TO day We
cannot learn that he had relatives In the city but 1t
sato be leaves mother in Deer Isle report current
that he to have baen married yesterday young
Thomas McCarty, he.tl.r, aged ~ years received a
ball under his chin, which passed out through his cheek
breaking The jaw bone in ITS passage.
Thomas Robinson, worthy young man, 10 years Of
age, in the employ OF Messrs. Feraeld Co., while sit
tang on box near Clapp's block the opposite side
of the street. by ball on the inside OF the
right behind joint the bali shatterlng the lower
end Of the tba large bone Of the leg passing out
the instep The inner maleour, or sam bone,
putaed by DR.. J. X. Lord sand amputaton OF tbs foot
may yet be necessary.
Howard Dennison, young man residing Atlantic
street, struck by pistol ball in the front part OF
the The ball penstrsted the bone passed round
without breaking II and buried itself in the muscle ut
wound dressed by DR.. Lord.
Thsmas McKenney, a young man about twenty years
sld was slightly wounded by onllst ON the head. A
young man by the name OF Frank Milhken, received
blow from a brick bat in the face, making severe
wound also apprentice OF Mr.. Felt, aud young
bufiets
John A. Poor, Esq, his way home froc his office,
passed in company With two other gentlemen in front
a. the Cspp and Deerng Block and before reaching
Ppeble street. bullet passed through his hat but did
injury There several other similar hair bresdth
escapes. After firing for while the soldiers charged
through the streets made several wAnton
and ruce arrests though none were attempted in the
early part OF me ng when they ough to have been
bsyonet wound on the hip, while trying get
sut Of the way as fast as he could.
Such briefly the facts In ard to this melancholy
affair a. nearly we get at them The whole mat
ter VIII unoerso searching legal investigation, and
fern an accurate Judgment in the premises.
An TO the principal causes which produced this uu.
n nnuh pa In the Tim NJ fha