Washington telegraph., 1855-08-29
IFrou1tf Louisville Journal .Aus. 1871
Huntsville Riots--Their Foreign Origin.


ST. So of the riots We have promised cur readers
.n-.resent to them the proof that these outrases
f,s first committed by foreigners, that guns were
IS. Sred by foreigners, that the first bloodshed
y. p the work of foreigners and that the Amer
- had given no prcvocation whatever for the
mission OF such dreadful crimes
'CsIti6cates and affidavi;s to this effect have
- in upon US. We find it impossible for US
P-Hblish at one time one-half of those we have.
II are obliged to select from among them what
= - dsen sufficient for our purpose. We publish
- such only as relate to the riots in the Stb
- ard reserve those referring to the LIST ward
* for tomorrow
JTs have not room to give a complete ANALYSIS
!. 4bsse affidavits but it will be seen that they
= ar the most part the strorn statements of re-
..abIe and reliable men. w no were eyewitpes-
= the matters to which they depose Some
r.Seu, are statements npoa oath of foreigners and
C,-IaIscs. who lived in the immediate neishbor-
- q. the scene of the riot, and some actually
-srs great sufferers thereby.
rn,T, the testimony OF Mrs. Caroline Wall
srsose husband, an lrishman and Roman Cath
Y. was in all probability among those killed in
0:,ns hOuses.l it appears that for some weeks
-.voas to the election the Irish in the neighbor-
E.,I where the riot occurred had been procuring
- and preparing for a fight. and that on the
S,.--jay night of the American torch-iicht pro-
..-s;ou She had heard these 1rishmen say that
-Ir rreTe led to belters that the procession would
= snail 5y those pLo opposed the Kno,c Nothings
.E,t she saw many OF them with arms, and heard
I'm saw that they intended TO attack the procession, =
Joseph Hucker, German ard Catholic who
Ersi IN one of Quinn's houses (which were burn
sIl savs there were sereH.y-fve one hundred
5-sIzaea living in that row, AID they had MANY
-s.Ors of their country men; that, during two or
.Erss weeks preceding the election, he saw many
them often with pistols and guns and heard one
oftben. who had several pistols, say, on the Sat
nav before the election, that he was rcady; that
- bad seen Quinn carrying arms into his house.
aai that Quinn had insisted upon his (Hucker's)
v..ing. although Quinn knew that he (Huckerl
US not entitled to vote
James F. Bickham saw the Irish, eight OF ten
n number, on the morning of the election mould
irg large quantity of bullets in the cellar of one
At these houses, and on the same morning from
Is to o'clock Thos- W. Flarell saw numbers
oftLese Irishmen, armed with pistols and bowie
knives passing in and out FROM the houses of this
row. These men had begged Mrs Wallis hus-
land TO receive arms in his house. The women
tzd slept their clothes the previous night so as
!, be ready TO leave upon the shortest notice and
Mrs. Ruby Dodd, and Elizabeth Dcdd and Mar
gaTet Dodd, her daughters, corroporate all these
statements as to the preparations that had been
made by the Irish in the neighborhood of Main
and Eleventh streets.
Mr r. H. Lee states that there was but little
or 10 fighting at the eighth ward polls during the
6zy and that the foreigners were not at any time
Saven from the polls.
All the other Geponents concur in their history
Of the commencement of the riot 4 lew unarrii-
el unsuspectins American citizens were quietly
SEATED al the corner OF Tenth and Main street con-
veT>Iag together, harmIng no one. interfering In
70 way with an one- Three Irishmen went from,
this fortOf QGlnR's, filed as it subsequently ap-
pared with men and arms. stationed and ready
al the windows and door-ways to discharge their
Ieaied weapors- These men. armed each with a
pr Of TevOIveTs- passed through the little knot o
Americans, and without stopping anywhere re-
tuned Immediately, rnde!y pushing against one OF
the Americans and without parley, OF ceremony
ali THEE whipped out their pistols and commence
ei fHug IadiScrImInately among the Americans.
The FIST shot from their picket guard was the
sisna. for Z general broadside from the houses
along Main s;reet-whOse occupants were evil
dently waiting for this signal with their guns in
position to commence firing. The scene is des-
cTIbed BY one OF the witnesses as presenting the
spleaTance OF "a sheet OF fiame' The streets for
tGIztely were quiet ant- there were but few per-
sons passing. bat every American within sigh.
ws> made target for the bullets of these blood
thirsty lTishmen- Poor Rhodes was the first VIC
tenn he and DoUsher;v. also mortaliv wounded
were a the time engaged in performing friendly
act towards q C0nnell, an frishusan and a Cath
Gle Graham fell about the same time These
thea seem to have been tee only Americans al
nat time upon the square except those who were
to!ced 20 Lee from the pistols of the three Irish
men Who commenced the attack a: the corner O
Tenth street Simultaneous with this firing iron
QlanS houses two OF the Irish who happened a
TIE line 10 he out OF the tort saIsoued the coffee
house at the corner of Market and Charel anJ
taence in accordance with the plan of operation
commenced firing upon all Americans passing by
Il l. not necessary here for us to aIiude to the
Thurman cruelty and cold blcOJed barbarity OF the
ieEOciOus creature who deliberately stepped out o
tae house AID finished .hemurder ci Rhodes, with.
N sight and hearing oi his own home and the deal
ones there nor need we mentioned the TACT thai
there were two men at every window of Quinn:
houses as testified by Mr. White nor that W her
the lOuses were attacked by the Americans, in
iuFIated- crazed- by the iahuman murder OF theil
iT-sads, there we're some fifty Irishmen with gun:
escaTed nom the back Of the sc buildings stated
b. liT. Lee
There Is the testimony, let every one read i
esTeiuiir and ponder upon it No candid man car
GO - without coming = the conclusion that the
attack vas made BY the Irish upon unoffeI,.,ins
La'lve cItlZens without any provocation and sftel
al 'ae Vating was over At the polls and after the
E-S' IN tie First Ward had been suppressed: thai
Tie attack was tae only cauze and the commence.
u51it d the rot and That il haG been previously
psnned and determined uFon among the IEish al
'e'Iss IS ioos before as the Saturday PREVIOUS
lesfiHOHy Of tie Riots in the Eighth Yard
William Sowders. being sworn. states: About
O'Clock on Monday afternoon August 9th. wa:
sis'llg with three others on the curbing on Tenth
s:ree; IL front of Geafi & Weyds at the corner o
ien'n and Main; there were three or four small
Oos from 10 70 - years old sitting upon the curb
ABOUT ID ieet from US on Tenth street. While
slItlns thus three lEishmen came from the norti
s'oe OF Main, between Terth and Eleventh. and
passing Us, went about hall way between NaiI
and Market. on Tenth, when they turned and
came back; as they passed the boys, in coming
Tack- one of the boys made some remark, and the
IrlSnmen Immediately drew out revOlvers anC
commenced firing upon the crowd, while we were
SUI! quietly sitting on the curb. | sprang up and
run down Main street, toward Eleventh. As
approached Chapel street. shots were fired from
several of the windows of the houses in Quinn:
low, on the north side OF Main street. / saw a
Hah down on the pavement whom | afterward;
1und sund out was Theodore Rhodes | turned UT
CuaPel street, as ! came to the corner of Cha pei
sld Market | met two Irisimen whom believe
% % oe two OF those who had commenced firing at
:. .Ie corner OF Tenth and MAN, they had pistols in
tH-ir hands; they into the coffee-house at the
sner .Clner OF Chapel and Market streets and fired
~ .~ice as they went into the door. As I passed
0rrar-- --,1lx