The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-08-11
THE CITY IN FLAMES.
CANNON BROUGHT OUT.
SEVEN MEN SHOT & TWO HUNG.
FIVE MEN BURNT TO DEATH.
THE WAY TT COMMENCED.
Polls taken Possession Ofby the
X. N's---NOne but the tunitiated
allowed TO vote
Citizens driUen from the Polls by Stones and
Brickbats-Ion. Wm. T5masson, for
merly Member Of Congress, knock
ed OUer and bsaten for endeav-
oring TO check The Mob.
An entire Square demolished
Sickning Details.

Am entire Square dcmOlishcd-
Sickning Details.
FROM the Lou!syi lie Courier otshe7th.l
We passed yesterday through the forms
ofan election. As provided for by the statute |
the polls were opened, aud privileges granted
TO such as were "right upon the goose, with
a,few exceptions, to exercise their elective
franchise. Never, perhaps, was greater
farce, or, as we should term it tragedy, en-
acted. Hundreds and thousands were de-
tered from voting by direct acts of intmida-
ton, others through fedrs of consequences,
and multitude from the lack OF proper fa-
cilities. The city, Indeed, was, during the
day, sin possession ofan armed mob, the
base passonspf which, were infuriated to the
highest pitch by the mcendiary upeals Of the
newspaper organ and the popular leaders Of
the Know Nothing party. -
On Sunday night large detachn1ents Of
men were sent to the First and Seco nd
Wards to see that the polls were properly
opened. These men, the American Executive
Committee, were supplied with the requisite
refreshments, and, as may be imagined, they
were in Il very fit condition Oh yesterday
morning to see that the rights of freemen
were respected. .uIndeed, they discharged
the important trusts committed to them in
such manner as to commend them forever
to the admiration of outlaws. TheyOpened
the polls; they provided ways and means
for their own party to vote; they bluf1ed and
bullied all who cotld not show the sign: they
in fact, converted 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 a system Of
outrage, such perfidy, such dastardy was con-
ceived. We only blush for Kentucky that
her soil was the scene of such outrages, and
that some of her sons were participants in
the nefarious swndle.
Itwould be impossible to state when CT
how this riot commenced. BY day-break
the polls were taken possession of BY the
American party, and, in pursuance of their
preconcerted game, they used statagem of
device to hinder the vote of every man
, who could not manifest to the "guardians
Of the polls" his soundness on the K. N.
question. We were personally witness to
the procedure of the party in certain wards,
and of these we feel authorized to speak.
, In the 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 a party of buIies were master
7 of the polls. We saw two foreigners driven
from the polls, forced to run gauntlet, beat
numerically, stoned and stabbed. In the
case of one fellow, the Hon. VIM. Tomas
) son, formerly member OF Congress from
this district, interfered and while appealing
to the maddened crowd to cease their acts
of disorder and violence: Mr.. Tomasson was
struck from behind and beat. His gray hairs,
his long public service, his manly presence
and his thorough Americanism avaiied moth
ing with the cfazed mob. Other and seri-
Gus fights occurred in the Sixth Ward, oI
which we have no time to mention now.
The more serious and disgraceful disturb
2nce occurred in the upper wards: The vote
: cast W4e hut 1artial one; nearly altogether
! On ore side No show was given to the
friends Of Preston, who were largely in the
majority, but who, in the face of cannon,
mQskets and reviewers, could not, being an
armed and,qHint go2vlaae, coaironl tha mad
mob; 40 the vote WAS c6@c aneway, and the
result stands before the public,
! In tie morning as We state elsewhere Geo,
Berg, carpenter, living On the corner @!
Ninth and Market, gas killed ue2r Han
COCK street. a German, nagQcd Fritz. f0t-
merry partner At tie Cali House, was Sc.
verely, il hot fatally heaten
In the afternoon general res ccHGl'cd
on Shelby street, extending from Main IT,
Broadway We are unable to ascertain tne
facts concerning the disturba ice. Some
fourteen or fifteen men were shot, including
officer Williams, Joe Selvage and others
houses, chiefly German coffee houses brok-
en- into and pillaged. About four o'clock,
when the fast crowd, augmented by ascess.
ion from every part of the city, and armed
with shot guns, muskets andri1es, were pro-
ceeding to attack the Catholic Church on
Shelby street, Mayo~Barbee arrested them
with speech, and the mob returned to the
First Ward polls. In an hour afterward the
large brewery on Jefferson street, near the
junction of Green, was set fire to.
In the lower part of the city the disturban'
i. ces were characterized by greater degree
OF the bloody work. Late in the afternoon
. three Irishmen going down Main street, neal
Eleventh were attacted and knocked down
Then ensaed terrible scene, the irish fir
ing from the windows of their houses, or
, Main street repeated volleys. Mr. Rhodes
D river man, was shot and killed by one il
the upper story, and MIR. Graham met will
similar fate. An Irishman who discharg
:, ed pistol at the back of a mans head wal
shot and then hung. He, however, survived
q both puDishments. John Hudson, a cRrpen
ter, was shot dead during the fracas.
: After dusk, arrow of frame houses on Mair
r street, between Tenth and Eleventh streets
)! the property of Mr.. Quinn, well.knowI
Irishman, were set on fire. The flames ex
ended across the street, and twelve building
o were destroyed. These houses were chief
t ly tenanted by Irish, and when any of thu
: tenants ventured out to escape from tht
flames they were Immediately shot down.
No idea could be formedgof the number kill
= ed. We were advised that foe men wer
roasted to death, having been wounded by guI
shot wounds they could not escape the burr
ing buildings.
g Ofall the enormities and outrages com
8 mitted by the American party yesterday ant
+ last night, we have no time now to write
b The mob, having satisfied its appetite fol
p blood, repaired to Third street, and unit
Q midnight made demonstrations against thu