Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-04-12


riot occurred, occasioned BY the Gle
mans of the Eleventh ward taking POI
session of the polls and prerentin
Americans from voting. Several Amer
cans were severely beaten by the Ge
mans in the early part of the day, an
the news reaching the Americans
other wards of the city. general rus
was made for the scene of action.
was soen ascertaiaed that there ha
been fraudulent voting, and little Dutc
boys had been allowed to thrust hands
full of tickets into the ballot-box. Th
Germans about the polls were whippe
BY the American party, after which tn
former concentrated on Jackson hill
where they fired cannon, which wa
taken by the Americans as a banter 70
fight, whereupon they made rusl
and captured the artillery with the swor'
of the commander of the gun squad
and the trophy of victory was drawn t
the Eleventh ward polls. The follow
ing account of the destruction of th'
ballot-box, we copy from the Cincinnati
Commercial:
About Eve o'clock a rush was made
by about thirty men, closely followed BY
perhaps three hundred more, for the bal
lot box. Mayor Snelbaker had taken hi.
position in front of the box, and we saw
him for some time struggling to checl
the mob, and heard his voice command
ing the peace. But he was roughly
handled, his clothes being torn, and
several rude blows inflicted on his per.
son. A dense crowd pressed about the
door-a tall man made several desperate
efforts to pass those who were en-
deavoring to protect the box, and final
ly leaped upon the table where the box
was placed, when there was a great
sound of splitting wood, occasioned by
the crushing of the chairs and tables
general shout, and some fifty persons
rushed in, or were forced into the en-
gine room. In moment the ballot box
was thrown out with considerable force
striking a man on the shoulder, who
stood about one third of the distance
across the street. 1t then reached the
ground, and was Immediately assaulted
by large number, who stamped it to
fragments and scattered the tickets far
and wide.
In the Twelfth ward where Illegal
voting had been allowed and the for
eigners had possession of the polls, the
American party entered the engine
house, and snatching the tickets, poll
books and tally sheets, thrust them into
the stove, where they were consumed;
they then run up the American flag over
the tower of the engine house, and after
giving it hearty cheer retired.
Since writing the above, we have re-
ceived the Cincinnati Columbian, which
the fullest account yet come to
hand of the election riots in that city.
1t says:
THE FOURTH WARD.-In tie Fourth
Ward, there was not quite so exciting
lime of it as some people expected to
zee. This is known as the "Algerine"
Ward, is large one, pretty densely
populated with Irish, and has usually
.iven large Democratic majority
With one or two late exceptions the
.dopted citizens have had it all their
wn way.
There had been pretty extensive
Preparations made to re-assert their an
lent prescription on yesterday, secure
he judges, and control the polls. It
7as well understood that the degraded
rish population, melted by the Cow
oys, were to appear in full force
hey had "been advised to refrain from
rinking and keep quiet" and if the
lnow Nothings undertook to rule the
oils, to put 'em through. But they
Missed a figure or two in their calcula-
ons. Some of Sans boys got up so
arly that they "didn't go to bed at
H." and were constantly on hand like
Jay d Martins blacking. At the time
( opening the polls, there was a pretty
ood sized crowd of Americans looking
n, and very much larger one of for
igners and Cowboys. When the
ldges were nominated, the Americans
efused to recognize the voice of the
oreign born, until they should be proved
S citizens; and when the would-be |
Judges made a rush for the inside, they
Tere quietly hustled over the railing.
Here an Irish patriot man drew a |
colt" with "we'll have the polls or
ight." "Talk enough" was the re-
Oinder; "we'll keep the polls or die"
ccompanied with the extraction of a |
ormidable looking bowie-knife.. Now,
our Irishmen understand "shindy"
veil enough, handle shillalagh "beau-
fully" and easily fall back on first
principles in the shape of paving, but
,owie-knives and pistols don't grow in |
he hedges, and the peasantry are rather
fraid of the animal. All went well |
Intil two or three attempts were made
{ illegal voting, and one "adopted"