Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-02

then ordered him to leave the premises, which
/ he said he would do. After considerable equivo-
cation, he told me he had a key that would unlock
all the buildings, except my office and the engine
house, and that there was window in the en-
| CINE house that he could open. got the key
from him, and proceeded to unlock all the build
ings and locked them up in his presence, and or
dered him to open the engine house for me; he
ana so. then went to the carpenters shop, the
Key OF which had in my possession, and got a
hammer and nails, and nailed up all the doors Of
the buildings to which they had access, and
directed him to tell them what had done, and
If they broke them open that they did it at their
peril. then left the building. That evening,
about dark, Frere came TO my house, and told me
that the buildings were all broken open; also his
watch-house, of which the key had never been
out OF his possession, and that they had put other
locks on; he stated that there were four or five
strangers there, and when he told them he had
GENE to 60 on duty, they told him that he was
not recognised as Waterman any longer. Hill
ton told him that there were to be six watchmen
ON that night-a portion of them Of the police,
and portion of them the auxiliary guard; that
they were armed to the teeth, and that if he at
tempted to exercise any authority, there would
be blood spilled; he also told him that John L
Towers, the mayor Of the city, had sent word for
them to tell me that if came over there and
acted as private citizen they would not modest
me, but if attempted to exercise any authority,
or enter any of the buildings, he would have me
arrested.
Under these circumstances, / directed the watch
man to 60 home that night, as there could be no
use in his exposing himself against that number,
but to go there on Sunday, and keep an eye
on their movements. This morning / consulted
two ofthe members of the board, who advised me
70 60 to my post as usual, and remain, unless
force was used, and, if SO, under circum-
stances to make any further resistance than was
necessary to establish the fact as they neither
wished me to sustain any personal injury or to
do anything which could be tortured into an act
OF aggression on my part. Accordingly, the
night watch and myself went to the building
about IL clock, and found the Office filled with
persons, among them Mr.. Briggs, the captain of
tho day police, the captain Of the Auxiliary
Guard, and three police officers that knew
whether any more were officers not, cannot
say-together with crowd of probably twenty
or thirty outside of the door, of all sorts and
sizes. After entering and taking seat, told
them that had received message, stating that
tho mayor intended having me arrested, if at
tempted to exercise any authority as superinten-
dent, told themI was the superintendent of that
building: all the property on the ground was in
my charges that | was responsible to the board
for its safe-keeping; that intended to exercise
the control of the place, and that l would not
suffer any one to interfere or exercise any au-
thority, and that if they wanted to arrest me to
do SO. The captains Of the police and guard
both told me that Mr. Towers had given them
no orders at all; that Mr. Briggs had called this
morning at the police office, and told them that
he had understood / was to come with mob to
the building at 10 o'clock to take possession. /
replied that they could see how much truth there
was in the report, as was there with no one but
the night watch, and that had not come on the
ground since this trouble began without finding
from six to dozen loafers banging about ready
for the chances.
MIR. Briggs stated that he was the superinten-
dent and that he repeated every word / had
stated in relation to the exercise of authority as
such. then repeated that the only way they
could get clear of me would be to show some |
legal authority or take possession by force; that
would sooner see the matter settled then than |
suffer it to 60 on, as | was certain it would end
in boodshed; that had positive orders this morn
ing to make no further resistance than was neces-
sary to constitute forcible removal and if they |
thought proper to take hold of me and put me
out would go quietly, and report the facts to
those for whom was acting. After some delay |
ii was proposed to me to postpone the matter |
until three o'clock this afternoon, in order that
the two boards might be consulted. | refused to |
make any arrangement, or recognise any right |
to have any board consulted. told them had |
my orders, and | gave them notice before the
police officers that would, before left the build
ing, take my keys and unlock all the buildings |
and if found the locks removed and others on | |
would take stone-hammer and break down the |
doors, and if any of the gang about attempted to |
assault me would shoot them, as no matter what |
aggressions they made if the officers were absent
they wonld swear anything against me, but that |
the officers were men of truth and would do me |
justice. After some further delay, Mr.. Briggs
ordered me out. l refused He then took hold |
of me and pushed me out. According to my
orders ] made no further resistance, but left the
premises. What further remains to be done is |
for you TO say.
The above is fair and correct statement Of the |
matter to the best Of my recollection. The words |
may not be exactly the same in some instances,
but the substance is exactly what occurred.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
VIM. DOUGHERTY,
Superintendent W. N. Monument