Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-16

The Louisville Riots.
We copy FROM the Louisville journal number
Of anidayts in regard to the late riot ia the Eighth
Ward Of that city. Those relating 10 the riot in
the First Ward have not pet been received.
Many of these afidayits are made by Irish Cath
olics, and these like the others concur in laying
the blame Of commencing, the riot on the foreign
population. As the Journal well remarks
| few unarmed, unsuspecting, and unoffending
American citizens were quietly seated at the corner
of Tenth and Main streets conversing together,
| harming no one. interfering in no way with any
one. These lrshmen went from this fort OF
Quinns, filed as it subsequently appeared with
men and arms, stationed and ready at the win
dows and doorways TO discharge their loaded wea-
pons These men, armed each with pair OF re-
yolyers, passed through the little knot OF AmeH-
leans, and without stopping anywhere returned
Immediately, rudely pushing against one of the
Americans, and without parley or ceremony all
three whipped out their pistols and commenced
firing Unfortunately among the Americans. The
first shot from their picket guard was the signal
for a general broad-side from the houses along
| Main street-wh0se occupants were evidently
waiting for this signal with their guns in position
to commence firing. The scene is described by
one of the witnesses as presenting the appearance
| of "sheet OF fame"
The streets fortunately were quiet, and there
were but few persons passing, but every American
within sight was made target for the bullets OF
these blood-thirsty Irishmen. Poor Rhodes was
the first victim; he and Dougherty, also mortally
wounded, were at the time engaged in performing
friendly act towards O'Connell, an Irishman and
Catholic. Graham fell about the same time
These, then, seem to have been the only Amer-
cans at that time upon the square, except those
who were forced to fee from the pistols OF the
three Irshmen who commenced the attack at the
corner of 10th street. Simultaneous with this
| firing from Quinn's houses, two of the Irish who
happened at the time to be out of the fort, garri
soned the cofee-house at the corner of Market and
Chapel and thence, in accordance with the plan Of
operations, commenced firing upon all Americans
passing by.
| 1t is not necessary here for US to alude to the
inhuman cruelty and coldblooded barbarity OF the
ferocious creature who deliberately stepped out of
the house and finished the murder Of Rhodes, with
in sight and hearing of his own home and the dear
ones there, nor need we mention the fact that
| there were two men at every window of Quinn's
| houses as testified by Mr.. White, nor that when
the houses were attacked by the Americans inf,i-
| rated, crazed, by the inhuman murder Of their
friends, there were some fifty Irishmen with guns
escaped from the back Of these buildings stated
by Mr. Lee.
There is the, testimony, let every one read it
/
do 80 without coming to the conclusion that the
attack was made bytke Irish upon unoffending M
tive citizens without any proyocation and after all
the voting was over at thepolls and after the riot
| in the First Ward had been suppressed; that the
attack was the only cause and the commencement
of the riot and that II had been previously planned
and determined upon among the Irish at least as
| long before as the Saturday previous. ..
| TESTIMONY AS TO THE RIOTS IN THE EIGHTH WARD.
William Sowders, being sworn, states About
5 o'clock on Monday afternoon, August 6, / was
| sitting with three others on the curbing on Tenth
street. In front Of Graft & Weyds, at the corner Of
Tenth and Main there were three or four small
boys, from 10 to 10 years old, sitting upon the
curb, about fifteen feet from US, on Tenth street.
| While sitting thus, three Irishmen came from the
| north side of Main, between Tenth and Eleventh,
| and, passing US, went about half way between
Main and Market on Tenth, when they turned
and came back. As they passed the boys, in
coming back, one Of the boys made some remark,
and the Irishmen Immediately drew out reyolvers
and commenced firing upon the crowd, while we
were still quietly sitting on the curb. ! sprang
| up and ran down Main street toward Eleventh.
As approached Chapel street shots were fired
| from several of the windows Of the houses in
Quinn's row, on the north side Of Main street.
saw a man down on the pavement, whom after
wards found out was Theodore Rhodes. turned
up Chapel street; as came to the corner of
Chapel and Market / met two Irishmen, whom
believe to be two of those who had commenced
firing at the corner Of Tenth and Main. They had
pistols in their hands. They ran into the coffee
house at the corner of Chapel and Market streets,
and fred twice as they went into the door. As /
passed they slammed the door and commenced
fastening up the hcase. / ran on until | met
some Americans who had been summoned to the
spot by the firing They went toward the house
at the corner of Chapel and Market. As they APP
preached the coffee-house several shots were fired
at them from the upper windows Of the coffee
house. The Irishmen in the house screened them
selves with the blinds of the windows, and fred
from behind them until the blinds were dashed in
by rocks thrown against them. The house was
broken open, and the two Irishmen were captured.
| did not see the proceedings in the house.
WV. SowDERs.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 9Th
August, 1856
l.. A. WHITELEY, Notary Public.
Michael OConnel on oath says: reside on the
corner OF Chapel and Main streets, Louisville, and
keep there grocery store. On the 9th of August
instant, in the afternoon, Theodore Rhodes, and
David Dougherty came to my grocery they were
my acquaintance and friends They informed me
that there were drunken men going about this part
of the city, and had better close my grocery. /
did so at once; as closed the doors they left and
went on the sidewalks; "a they left my doors
some fired from the opposite side of the street
from the house Of Mr.. Mcdonald, a very clever
man, and who ] believed knew nothing Of it.
Rhodes fell when the shot was fred, and died soon
after. Dougherty was also shot, but did not see
that. Dougberty and Rhodes were both quiet and
perfectly sober. They neither did nor said any
thing TO give offence to any one. They were peace
able and clever, welbehaved gentlemen. Rhodes
had just shaken hands with my wife at the door
before he was shot Immediately and at once, after
Rhodes was shot, about seventeen shots we're fred
from the same house in quick succession. The
shots took effect in my house. and are now to be
seen by any one one of than struck me in the
right leg. When these shots were fired, saw no
disturbance, and heard of none, and there was not
the slightest for IL, that can Imagine, and
but for these shots believe there would have been
no difficulty or disturbance; at any rate they were
the beginning, and, am sure the cause of what
Afterwards occurred. ! am an Irishman and a
Catholic. MICHAEL OCossELL
Subscribed and sworn to August 8, 1865.
0. II. STRArTAN, Notary Public.
l, Joanna 0Connell, wife Of Michael 0'Connel,