The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-08-15
From the Louisville Courier, "a Wing paper.
THE ELECTION RIOTS.
TWENTY MEN KILLED !

We passed yesterday through the forms
of election. AS provided by statute, the
polls were opened, and privilege granted
to such as were fright upon the goose"
with few exceptions, to exercise their
elective franchise. Never, perhaps, was
a greater farce, Or as we should term it,
tragedy, enacted. Hundreds and thou
sands were deferred from voting by direct
acts of intimidation, others through fear
of consequences, and multitude from a
lack of proper facilities. The city, in
deed, was during the day, in possession
of an armed mob, the base passions which
were infuriated to the highest pitch by the
ineendiary appeals of the newspaper organ
and the popular leaders 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 refresh
meaats, and as may be imagined they were
in very fit condition on yesterday morning
to see that the rights of freemen were re-
spected. Indeed they discharged the i'm
portant trusts committed to them in such
manner as to commend them forever to
the admiration of outlaws! They opened
the polls; they provided ways and means
for their own party to vote; they bluffed
and bullied all who could not show the
sign; they in fact converted the election
into perfect farce, without one redeem
ing or qualifying phase.
| We do not know when or how their
plan of operations was devised. Indeed
we do not care to know when such sys-
tenn of outrage-such pertidy--such das-
tardy-was conceived We only blush
for Kentucky that her soil was the scene
of such outrages, and that some of her
sons were participants in the nefarious
swindle
1t would be impossible to state when
or how this RIOT commenced. By day
break the polls were taken possession OF
by the American party, and in pursuance
of their I,rcconcerted game, they used
every stratagem or device to hinder the
vote of every man who could not mani
fest to the guardians of the polls" his
soundness on the K. N. question. We
were personally wit.11ess &c lie lie procedure
! Of the party in certain wards, and Of these
we feel authorized to speak. At th'
Seventh Ward we discovered that for three
hours in the outset in the morning it wa
impossible for those not "posted +" to vot'
: without the greatest difficulty. In tn
Sixth Ward party Of bullies were mas
ters of the polls. We saw two foreigner
driven from the polls, forced to run
gauntlet, beat numerically, stoned ant
stabbed. In the case of one fellow tn
f Hon. VIM. Thomasson, formerly mem
Der of Congress from this district, inter
fered, and while appealing to the madden
! ed crowd to cease their acts of disorde
i and violence Mr.. Thomasson was struc
: from behind and beat. His gray hairs
ID his long public service, his manly presence
! and his thorough Americanism, availe
nothing with the crazed mob. Other an
serious fights occurred in the Sixth Ware
of which we have no time to make mel
o tion now.
y The more serious and disgraceful di
turbances occurred in the upper ward
n The vote cast was but partial one, an
). nearly altogether on one side. No sho
!, was given to the friends Of Preston, wh
o were largely in the majority, but who
II face Of cannon, musketS and revolver
, could not, being an unarmed and quiz
. populace confront the mad mob. So ii
i. vote was cast one way, and the resu
stands before the public.
i In the morning, as we state elsewher
George Berg, carpenter living on tt
- corner of 9th and Market, was killed ne;
- Hancock street A German named Frit
- formerly a partner at the Galt Hous
= was severely, if not fatally beaten.
- In the afternoon a general row occu
- red on Shelby street, extending from Ma
- to Broadway. We are unable to asce
i tain the facts concerning the disturbanc
=, Some fourteen or fifteen men were she
: including officer Williams, Joe Selvag
- and others. Two or three were kille
= and number of houses, chiefly Germ;
COHee houses, tUFOkeu iHtO anu piiiaSe
.. About O'Clock, when the vast crow
- augmented by accessions from every pa
If of the city, and armed with shotgun
- muskets and rifles, were proceeding
of attack the Catholic church on Shell
10 street, Mayor Barbee arrested them wi
m speech, and the, mob returned to t
- First Ward polls. Presently large pa
y ty arrived with piece of brass ordnane
IA followed by number of men and bo
with muskets. In an hour afterwards t
:. large brewery on Jefferson street, near
: junction of Green, was set fire to.
In the lower part of the city, the di
te turbanccs were characterized by great
ry degree of bloody work. Late in the I
nd ternoon three Irishmen going down Ma
st street, near Eleventh, were attacked, al
n one knocked down. Then ensued a tt
es rible scene, the Irish firing from the wi
n dows of their houses, on Main street, !
ch peated volleys. Mr.. Rodes, river ma
is was shot and killed 10y one in the upp
IT, storv ond O. Mr. Graham met with a 81,