Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-11

turbulent and maggnant Of the whole tribe.
Yet we shall not permit political prejudices,
or rather opinions, to affect judgment in re-
spect of the parties to the riotous proceedings of
which we speak. We publish below the accounts
Of both sides.
From the Louisville Courier, August I.
The Terrible Election Riots In Louis
Vile.
We passed yesterday through the forms of an
election. AS provided by the statute, the polls
were opened, and privilege granted to such as
were Fright upon the goose, . with few excep-
tons, to exercise their elective franchise Never,
perhaps, was greater farce, or, as we should
term it, tragedy, enacted. Hundreds and thou
sands were deferred from voting by direct acts of
intimidation, Others through fear Of consequences
and multitude from the lack of proper facilities.
The city, indeed, was, during the day, in possess
sion of an armed mob, the base passions of which
were infuriated to the highest pitch by the ncen-
diary appeals of the newspaper organ and the
popular leaders of the Know nothing party
On Sunday night large detachments of men
were sent to the first and second wards to see
that the polls were properly opened These men,
the american executive committee, - supplied
with requisite refreshments, and, as may be ina
gined, they were in very fit condition on yester-
day morning TO that the rights of freemen
were respected. Indeed, they discharged the
important trusts committed to them in such man
ner as to commend them forever to the admra-
ton of outlaws They opened the polls; they
provided ways and means for their own party to
vote; they buffed and bullied all who could not
show the sign; they in fact converted the cleo
ton into perfect farce, without one redeeming
or qualifying phase.
We do not know when or how their plan of
operations devised Indeed, we do not care
to know when such system of outrage-such
perhdy, such dastardy-was conceived. We
only blush tor Kentucky that her soil was the
scene of such outrages, and that some of her
sons were participants in the nefarous swindle.
1t would be impossible to know when or 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 every stratagem or device TO hinder
the vote of every man who could not manifest to
the guardians of the polls'' his soundness on
the Know nothing question. We wese-persea--
ally witnesses to the procedure of the party in
certain wards, and of these we feel authorized to
speak. At 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 party Of DULLES masters of the polls.
We saw two foreigners driven from the polls,
forced to run a gauntlet, beat numerically,
stoned, and stabbed. In the case of one fellow
the Hon. VIM. Thomasson, formerly member
of Congress from this district, interfered, and,
while appealing to the maddened crowd to cease
their acts Of disorder and violence, Mr. Thomas
son was struck from behind and beat His gray
hairs, his long public service his manly presence
and his thorough Americanism, avaed nothing
with the crazed mob. Other and serious fights oc-
CURED in the Sixth ward, of which we have no
time TO make mention now.
The more serious and disgraccful disturbances
occurred in the upper wards. The vote cast was
but partial one, and nearly altogether on one
side. No show was given TO the friends Of Pres
ton, who were largely in the ma ority, but who,
in the face OF cannon, muskets, and revolvers
could not, being an unarmed and quiet populace,
confront the mad mob. So the vote cast one
way, and the result stands before the public
In the morning, as stated elsewhere, George
Berg, carpenter, living on the corner of 9th
and Market, was killed near Hancock street. A
German named Fitz, formerly partner at the
Gait House, was severely, if not fatally, beaten.
In the afternoon general row occurred on
Shelby street. extending from Main TO Broadway.
We are unable to ascertain the facts concerning
the disturbance. Some fourteen or fifteen men
were shot, including officer Williams, Joe Sell
wage, and others. Two or three were killed,
and number of houses, chiefly German coffee
houses, broken into and pilaged. About four
O'Clock, when the vast crowd, augmented by ac-
cessions from every part of the city, and armed
with shot-guns, muskets, and rifles, were pro-
street, Mayor Barbee arrested them with n
speech, and the mob returned TO the First ward
polls. Presently a large party arrived with
piece of brass ordnance, followed by number of
men and boys with muskets. In an hour after
wards the large brewery on Jefferson street, near
the junction Of Green, was set fire to-
in the lower part Of the city the disturbances
were characterized by greater degree Of bloody
work. Late in the afternoon, three Irishmen 90
ing down Main street, near Eleventh, were at
tackled, and one knocked down. Then ensued
terrible scene, the Irish firing from the windows
of their houses, on Main street, repeated volleys
hr Rhodes, a river man, was shot and killed by
one in the upper story, and Mr. Graham met
with a similar fate An Irshman who discharged
n pistol at the back Of n mans head was shot
and then hung. lie, however, survived both
punishments. John Hudson, carpenter, was
shot dead during the fracas
Alter dusk, row Of frame houses on Main
street, between Tenth and Eleventh. the property
OF Mr.. Quinn, wel-known Irishman, was set
on hire. The flames extended across the street.
and twelve buildings were destroyed. These
houses were chiefly tcnanted by Irish, and upon
any OF the tenants venturing out TO escape the
flames they were Immediately shot down No
idea could be formed Of the number killed. We
are advised that fire men were roasted 10 death,
having been badly wounded by gun-shot
wounds that they could not escape from the
burning buildings.
vi all the enormities and outages committed
by The American party yesterday and last night
we have not time now TO write. The mob hav-
ing satisfied its appetite for blood, repaired TO
Third street, and until midnight made demon
STATIONS against the Times and Democrat Offices
The furious crowd satisfied ITSELF however, with
breaking few wndow-panes, and burning the
sign Of the Times Office.
AZ one O'Clock this morning large fire is rag
ing IN the upper part of the city.
Upon the proceedings Of yesterday and last
night we have no time nor heart to comment
We are sickened with the very thought of the
men murdered, and houses burned and pillaged,
that signalized the American victory Yesterday.
Not less than twenty lcorpses form the trophies
Of this wonderful achievement
From The Louisville Journal Of Tuesday, Ia Uhie
paper and The Knor nothing organ in Lottisrile.)