Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-08-22
From the Lousville Courier, 7th inst.

From the Louisville Courier, 7th inst.
LOUISVILLE RIOTS.
We passed, yesterday, through the forms ol
an election. As provided by the statute, the
polls were opened, and privilege granted 10
such as were "right upon the goose" with
few exceptions, to exercise their elective fran.
chise. Never, perhaps, was greater farce, OF
as we should term it tragedy, enacted. Hun.
dreds and thousands were deferred from voting
by direct acts of intimidation, others through
fear of consequences, and multitude from the
lack of proper facilities. The city, indeed, was
during the day, in possession Of an armed mob
the base passions of which were infuriated to
the highest pitch by the incendiary appeals OF
the newspaper organ and the popular leaders oi
the Know Nothing party.
On Sunday night, large detachments of men
were sent to the First and Second Wards to sec
that the polls were properly opened. These
men, the "American Executive Committee" sup
piled with the requisite refreshments, and as
may be imagined they were in very fit condition
on yesterday morning to see that the rights OF
freemen were respected. Indeed they discharg-
ed the important trusts committed to them in
such a manner rs 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 buffed and bullied all
who could not show the sign; they in fact con-
vert0d the election into perfect farce, without
one redeeming 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 system of outrage
such pcrfidy-such dastardy-was conceived
We only blush for Kentucky that her soil was
the scence of such outrages, and that some OF
her sons were participants in the swindle.
1t would be impossible to know when OF
where this riot commenced. By day.break the
polls were taken possession of BY the Ameri-
can party, and in pursuance Of their preconcer-
ted game, they used every stratagem or device
to hinder the vote of every man who could not
manifest to the "guardans of the polls" his
soundness on the Know Nothing question. We
were personally witnesses to the procedure OF
the party in certain wards, and of these we feel
authorized to speak. At tho Seventh Ward we
discovered that for three hours in the outset in
the morning it was impossible for those not
"posted" to vote, without the greatest difficulty
In the Sixth Ward party of bullies were mas
ters of the polls. We saw two foreigners driv.
en- from the polls, forced to run a gauntlet, beat
numerically, stoned and stabbed. In the case
of one fellow the Hon. VIM. Thomasson, for.
merly member of Congress from this district
interfcred, and while appealing 10 the maddened
crowd to ceose their acts of disorder and vic.
lence, Mr.. Thomassonfwas struck from behind
and beat. His gray hairs, his long public ser.
vice, his manly presence, and his thorough
Americanism, availed nothing with the crazed
mob. Other and serious fights occurred in the
Sixth Ward, of which we have no time to make
mention now.
The more serious and disgraceful disturban.
ces occurred in the upper wards. The vote cast
was but partial one, and nearly altogether on
one side. No show was given to the friends oil
Preston, who were largely in the majority but
who in the face of cannon, muskets and reyoI'
vers, could not, being an unarmed and quiet
popuace, confront the mad mob. So the vote
was cast one way and the result stands before
the public.
In the morning, rs We stated elsewhere,
George Berg, a carpenter living on the corner
of 9Th and Market, was killed near Hancock
street. A German named Fitz, formerly part
ner at the Gall House, was severely, if not ia.
tally beaten.
In the afternoon general row occurred or
Shelby street, extending from Main to Broad
cerning the disturbance Some fourteen or fif
teen men were shot including. officer Williams
Joe Selvage, and Others. Two OF; three were
coffee houses, broken into and pillaged. About
1 o'clock, when the vast crowd, augmented BY
accessions from every part of the city, ano
armed with shot-guns, muskets and rifles, were
proceeding TO attack the Catholic church or
| Sholb d. tod fhopn trftt
a speech, and the mob returned to the Firs
with piece of brass ordinance. followed by {
number of men and boys with muskets. In ar
hour afterwards the large brewery on Jefferson
street near the junction of Green, was set firs
to.
Int the lower part Of the city, the disturbance:
were characterized by a greater degree of bloc
dy work. Late in the afternoon three lrlshmer
going down Main street near Eleventh, were at
tackled, and one knocked down. Then ensuec
terrible scene; the Irish firing from the win
dows of their houses, on Main street, repeated
voileys. Mr.. Rhodes, river man, was sho
and killed by one in the upper story and Dir
Graham met with a similar fate. An lrshmar
who discharged pistol at the back of man:
head, d,,was shot and then hung. He however
survived both punishments. John. Hudson, :
carpenter, was shot during the farcas.
After dusk row of frame houses on Main
street between Tenth and Eleventh, the proper
ty of Mr.. Quinn, we'll known Irishman, was
set on fire. The flames extended across tht
street and twelve buildings were destroyed
These houses wero chiefly teuanted by Irish
and upon any of the tenants venturing out tc
escape the flames they were Immediately shot
down. No idea could be formed of the number
killed. We are advised that five men ,oere roas
ted to death, have been so badly wounded BY
gun shot wounds that they could not escape
from the burning buildings.
Of all the enormities and outrages committed
by the American party yesterday and last nigh
VIC have not time now to write. The mob hav
ing satisfied its appetite for blood, repaired tc
Third street, and until midnight made demon
strations against the "Timss" and "Democrat'
Offices The furious crowd satisfied itself, how
ever, with breaking few window panes, ano
burning the signs Of the Times Office.
AroLoGEr1c.-Threats rapeadly made during
yesterday evening, and last night, that the mot
would attack our Office, created such stampede
among our printers, (many of whom by The way
are Know Nothings,) they could not be induced
to work. We are consequently unable TO give
all the news we have collected this morning
and must throw ourselves on the clemeney o.
our readers.
The Democrat has the annexed:
LOUISVILLE DIsGRAcED.-No respectable mar
can think of the scenes, of yesterday, wihou
shame. We had farce, or rather n tragedy
instead of an election. A complete system o.
| terror and blood was established by the Know