Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-05-02
wHIsKEY INsItRRECTIoN.

At Chicago. week before last, the rum and
lager beer dealers resolved ona demonstration
to oyer-awe the Court and prevent the en-
forcement of e city ordinance. raising the
price of license to three hundred dollars.
A procession of forei gners oftbe lowest class,
arine ed with bfadgeons andhesded with drums
and flies, marched TO the frent Of the building
where the Court was in session, and began
whooping, yelling, beating their drums, and
denouncing the license law The Marshal OF
the city soon appeared, ana ordered them TO
clear the street and sidewalks and disperse.--
He was met by positive refusal. few po-
licemen coming TO his assistance, he again or
dered the street cleared, and proceeded to ar
rest some of the ringleaderS, who were bidding
him defiance, and haranguing the mob to stand
their ground. This was the signal for melee.
The Marshal and several OF his aids were, IN
the first rush, knocked down and severely bea-
ten a large number of citizens came TO their
assistance, and sspitched in,' some with their
canes, others with their fists. A posse OF day
watchmen. constables and deputy sheriffs ar
rived very opportunely, and the fight became
general. Men fell every moment. In some
places two or three Of the rowdies could be
seen beating one policeman; in other parts OF
the crowd as it swayed backwards and for
wards, stalwart 'sstar'' would be Knocking
down the rummies right and left, having half
a dozen about his feet at once.
After sharp struggle of five orten minutes
the Law and Order men gained the battle
The ringleaderS of the rioters were rapidly
seized and rushed into the jail, which stood
close bv the battle field. A large number of
yauouished beat retreat into drinking sa-
loon near by In there the Marshal and his
posse rushed and seized half a dozen OF the
rioters, q short fight ensued, bloody heads and
bruised faces emerged and were marched
across the square into prison.
tb,cf iChf
sons were injured-Some severely, one repor-
ted fatally Twenty arrests were made. FOR
a few hours all was quiet. During the after
noon the report spread that the free whiskey
boys were organizing and arminS for another
demonstration. And sure enough, about 4:3O
PM large procession, chiefly Germans,
| came pouring down Randolph street, from the
an orth Side,'; and halted infront of the Court
House, on the former battle ground. Some
| fifty of them were armed with musSets, the
remainder with pistols, knives and clubs.
In the meanwhile the Marshal had sworn in
twenty special policemen, and was pretty wcii
prepared to give the whiskey boys warm re-
ception. AS soon as they blocked up the side
| walks, he ordered his police TO clear them, and
the second fight Immediately began.
| Bludgcons swung in the air. and descended
on men S heads. The crowd fought, roared
| and swayed to and fro, on a much larger scate
| than at the first fight. Every few seconds the
| sharp crack of musk ct loade ed with buck-shot,
could be heard, and in an instant after the
l-person firing it would be knocked down by the
police and dragged off to Jail. Several OF the
Shots took effect, and policemen were woun-
/ ded We saw one OF the 'sstars" shot IN the
side while engaged in hand-to-hand hight
with large rioter The miscreant that shot
him dropped his weapon and fed. A citizen
pursued him, and after sharp race came
close up and poured the contents of his revoi-
yer into the towards back, who fell, and was
then dragged off to Jail. The musketeers were
soon beaten, captured, or dispersed, while the
remainder of the rioters scattered in all. dIrec
tions- Four of the police were wounded b!
fire arms, two of them seyerely-perhaPs NOR
tally. One had his right arm shattered, ano
since amputated. A citizen had his thumb
broken by stray sing. lawyer, while SIT
ting in his office was struck on the side of his
head by a buck-shot which glanced around
one section of the skull, tearing up the scall
to the bone. A large number of persons were
injured by blows on the head. arms or body
Forty or fifty arrests were made, and the offen
ders deposited in prison TO undergo trial
The riot was quelled, and peace restored afte
about thirty minutes fighting. The crowd tina
was attracted to the scene of hostillties mum
bered many thousands.
During the evening it was reported that an
. | other demonstration would be made by tht
| rowdies. 4 portion of the Military was or
dered under arms; and towards nightfall they
were marched up to the Court House Square
and then detailed off as sentries, and posted
at the corner of Wells, Madison, Clark ano
Lake streets, at the distance of block iron
the Square a loaded cannon planted OF
Randolph street, and all persons were forbid
! den to penetrate within the guarded space
Some companies were held in reserve for emer
gencies and to relieve the guard. The street
were thus watched throughout Saturday nigh
and all day Sunday. Crowds were not permit
, ted to assemble near that portion of the cit
which was thus placed under martial law, IN
: riot was completely quelled, and the ringlead
f ers were imprisoned or intmidated.