Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-06-15
The Portland Riot.

The Portland Advertiser. among other
like particulars, states the following, which
seem to warrant fully the extreme measure
Of the Mayor:
" For nearly two hours the City Marshal,
wi.h six or eight Of The police, remained M
the loom where the liquors were kent, eS-
posed 10 the insulting jecrs and tiis danger
Gus missiles of the crowd. llis men were
placed on either side Of the door for Their
own protection, and were distinctly ordered
mol % fire until there should be an attempt
10 ch'cr the room. I'm the meanwhlle,not only
the Marshal repeatedly cautioned the crowd
~ dosi-i, but members OF the police depart
meul went among them, stating that the
Manhars police corps were armed aud would
surely lire, and advising and ordering them
to dispense % their homes.
The glass and door were broken through,
the police were wounded with stones IN sew
eral instances, and n pistol o. puskei icds dis
charged at them from The croief, HEFoRK the
T first order TO fire was given, which was 10
fire over the heads Of the crowd. since tho
event, more than f.r0 bushels Of stones
some of them weighing ~ re than treniy
pounds-haye been gathered IN nc nom
where the police were, and which we're
thrown in by the crowd before the ARRIVAL OF
the Rifle Guards. Ia addition to the above
warnings, before the police began TO ire,
sinillr and reiterated warnings were gwen
by Mayor Dow and Sheriff Baker. Before
the firing, also, serarai aresis toere mad, IN
the crowd, IN some cases Of which toe al
rested persons were rescued by their con-
iederates, and in others the individuals we're
taken of and are still IN custody"
I The .4cqnitai Of Neal Do,r. - The Port
/ land Advertiser publishes the decision of Mr..
Carter, the Justice before whom Neal Dow
was tried for violations Of the liquor law. u
was as follows;
From the whole evidence, the Court
find that these liquors were ordered by n
committee chosen by the Board of Aldermen
for that purpose--lhat they were ordered by
the City Agency and tor lawful sale-that
they were sent marked and invoiced TO the
City Agency--ihat they were placed IN a
room which had been appropriated for the
City Agency, and found IN the possession Of
the City Agent, legally appointed previous
20 this complaint. From these facts the
Court decides that they were not kept by
the defendant with an latent to sell IN viola
ton Of law. ami that be IS not guilty Of the
charge made against him IN the complaint.
II is ordered, therefore, that he be dIseharg-
60, ana tltt lte liquors selLtu W lue tii'''
be returned to the City Agent, from whom
they were taken"
The Inquest in Poriidnd-CoroDer hun
ball held an inquest over the body OF JOHN
Robbins, on Monday. The Jurors were
Daniel Winslow, foreman, Dr. o. l.. lIargih
/ ]. NJ Heath, DR.. John Lord, VIM huse.
ABAgR1 lhhv ~" ''' ---i
"John Robbins came 10 his death by a
| gunshot wound n musket, pistol, or revolver
ball shot through his body by some person
unknown to the Inquest, acting under the
authority and order Of the Mayor and Alder
man of the city Of Portland, in defence OF
the city properly from the raysges of an ex-
cited mob, unlawfuy congregated for that
purpose, near the City Hall, on Saturday
evening June 2, 1855, OF which he. the said
John Robbins, was found to be one"
The Portland Rioi.--A new Coroners
Jury has been summoned at Portland, by
Gen. Wendell =. Smith, at the request OF
the Committee OF Investigation, TO inquire
into the death of young Robbins. On Sa-
turday they examined witnesses IN regard to
the cause of his death, and the evidence a
creed with that before the former jury. They
will meet again today. The Portland papers
report that order Teigns."