The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-08-14
STATEMENT OF AN EYE-WITNESS.

We nd in the indianapolis Sentinel the following letter
from Louisville, Kentucky written by gentleman who
was present during the dreadful which he describes
LOUISVILLE, Aug. 7, 1855.
EpIroas srsrsEL: is with feelings OF deep mortif
cation that sit down detail the horrible of yes.er
day Ii what witnessed fair specimen of " Americans
ruling America then the elective franchise is nookery
and liberty empty deluson
The know nothing backlegs and professional gamblers
who all members of the ORDER had bet largely She
suit Of the election To win their bets by fraud and violence
hundreds of armed DULLES transported to the city
Their plans concocted in know-nothng lodges Their
signs signals all understood and during the ter
riblc day they faithfully and promptly executed
On Monday morning at O'clock the places of voting in
the It and sh wards which the strong democratic pre-
cncts were taken possession Of by the knownothngs
few old democratic citizens in these wards per-
Inod to vote in the morning. but al others who were
bic TO give the signs rudc thrust from the polls This
state OF things prevailed to greater or less extent in all the
wards. II lrishnan German attempted to approach
the polls he driven back with bloody missiles. Native
born American citizens who unable to give the proper
signs and signals shared the fate To entite citizen
to the privilege of voter he must to the know nothing
slang, be .'right he goose question"
BY o'clock the city under the control of awles
know-nothing mob-nether life property SAFE At
this crisis Hon. VIM. T.. Thomasson, formerly wing
Der of Congress from the city, and gentleman OF high char
and standing mounted the and mpored them
good citizens to desst from such He had how
ever, spoken but few moments when tho know nothing
signal for blood given and he was instantly knocked
by club in the hands OF ASSASSIN who
him In the About this time COL Preston the anti
knownotbng candidate for Congress- appeared at the rs
which ia the large democratic ward, composed chiefly Of
naurazed citizens, and requested his friends
attempt He stated to them that the polls 10
the hands OF know nothing bues that his friends could
approach the polls in safety, and advised them TO retire
peaceably their homes and submit to Acknowledgement
rather than endaDger their lives The result that Of
500 votes the city only 1890 poled Two thou
democratic voters by violence deprived Of the
right of suffrage
In afternoon fight occurred in the first ward. which
ended in the discharge Of firearms and the death Of several
persons The know nothing mob then commenced tearing
the business houses and private dwellings occupied by
German citizens rush then made for the Catholic
church. and the cry FIRE their damned Popih dem rang
The mayor appealed to them, and the mob sessted
They made rush for the large brewery owned By
German citizen and after tearing out the inside and dstrib
ung beer they fred the building ashes
The knownohing fire companies appeared the ground
but did nothing except to carry on the beer and ale ck
Bat terrible and heart-rending occurred in
the part Of the city whore the Irish population pgnc
pay reside
About six o'clock in the evening the know nothing bue
armed tho teeth with muske and large brass cannon
under the control Of Capt Stone proceeded 10 that part Of