Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-08-09


gives the details of Know Nothing villanies
which were yesterday perpetrated in Lon
isvills
LOUISVILLE, Aug. 7, 1855.
EDITORS SENTINEL 1t Is with feelings of
deep modification that 1 sit down to detail
the horrible scenes Of yesterday. If what
| witnessed is fair specimen of Americans
ruling America" then the elective franchise
is mockery and liberty an empty delusion.
The Know Nothing black-legs and profess
sional gamblers, who are all members of the
order, had bet largely on the result of the
election. To win their bets by fraud and
violence, hundreds Of armed DULLES were
transported to the City. Their plans were
concocted in the Knowing Nothing lodges
Their signs and signals were all understood,
and during the terrible day, they were faith
fully aud promptly executed.
On Monday morning, at O'Clock, the place
of voting in the LIST and 9Th Wards, which
are the strong Democratic precincts, were
taken possession Of by the Know Nothings.
A few of the old Democratic citizens in these
Wards were permitted to vote in the morn
! ing, but all Others who were unable to give
the signs, were rudely thrust from the polls.
This state of things prevailed to greater or
less extent in all the Wards. If an Irishman
or German attempted to approach the polls,
he was driven back with bloody missis.-
Native born American citizens, who were un-
able to give the proper signs and signals,
shared the same fate. To entitle citizen to
the privilege of a voter, he must, to use the
Know Nothing slang, be fright on he goose
question !'
By ten o'clock, the city was under the con-
troll of a lawless Know Nothing mob, neither
life nor property was safe. AT this crisis,
Hon. VIM. P. Thomasson, form erly Wing
member of Congress from the city, and a
gentlemen Of high character and standing,
mounted the rostrum and implored them as
good citizens to desist from such course
He had however spoken but few moments,
when the Bnow-Nothing signal for blood
was given, and he was instantly knocked
down by club, in the hands of somo assas-
sin who approached him in the rear. About
this time Col. Preston, the anti Moth
ing candidate for Congress, appeared at the
fst which is the large Democratic ward,
composed chiefly of German naturalized citi-
zens, and requested his friends not to attempt
to vote. He stated to them that the polls
were in the hands of Know Nothing DULLES,
that his friends could not approach the polls
in safety, and advised them to retire peacea-
bly, to their homes and submit to disfranchise-
ment rather than endanger their lives. The
result was that out of $500 votes in the city,
only 1900 were polled Two thousand DEM
acratic voters were by violence deprived of
the right of suffrage.
In the afternoon, fight occurred ia the
first ward, which ended in the discharge of
fire arms and the death of several persons
The Know Nothing mob then commenced
tearing down the business houses and private
dwellings occupied by German citizens. A
rush was then made for the Catholic Church,
and the cry IRE their Damned, popish den,"
rang out The Mayor appealed to them
and the mob desisied They then made a
rush for the large Brewery owned by Ger
man citizen, and after tearing out the inside
and distributing the beer, they fred the
building, and it was burned to ashes. The
Know Nothing fire companies appeared on
the ground but did nothing except to carry
off the beer and ale casks But the most
terrible and heart rending-scene occurred in
the lower part of the city where the Irish
population principally reside.
About six O'Clock in the evening the Know
, Nothing DULLES, armed to the teeth with
: muskets and large brass cannon, under the
control of Capt. STONE, proceeded to that part
. of the city. Every Irishman that made hi:
appearance was assaulted and beaten. The
5 groceries in that vicinity were broken in
their contents scattered over the streets, and
the liquors divided among the thirsty crowd
f A general fight ensued, shots were fred from
9 houses that We're being stoned, and a number
4 on both sides were killed and wounded.
g The buildings on both sides of Main Street
: between 10th and 11th, were fired. Ever,
II Irishman who showed himself was shot down
n Here followed scene which neither tongu
o nor pen can describe. My heart sickens a
! the recital.
= Men lying dead in the street. women whl
n carried out the bedding and household good
n were assaulted, and their agonizing cries fc
is mercy were met by hooking groans Of de
d. rision. I saw poor Irish woman with a
J. infant clinging to her neck, trying to save he
= bed, kicked across the street, and her be
y burned. The Know Nothing fiend crying i
ls derision to her, worship the Pope wi
you?'-- We'll learn you that Americans aoiU r,t
il AnseSica." 1t is impossible to tell the mum
d, Der Of killed, one man was hung, and fiy
lg burned alive.
Is About ii O'Clock the signal was given
u demolish the Democrat and Times printir
u Offices. A rush was made, but PrentiC
I'LL thinking it was time to stop, appealed
IS them to desist, which they did after burstir
O. the windows and burning the sign of Il
~ Times Office.
:" At about IL o'clock move was made
!. the German part of the city, and as retire
:, s;ckened with the scenes Of the day, larl
'e fire was raging in that direction. | have n
"' learned, this morning, the result of their d
g ings This is specimen of americans r
ling Americap' fit isto prevail, then the
!" is no security for life, liberty or property
During the scenes Of bloodshed, and riot
- the 9Th ward, no attempt was made by {
Know-Nothing Mayor to arrest the mob,
III. -, =, ~