The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-04-28
Otta(ua frte Cra0er
OTTAWA, APRIL rs, 1888.
The Chicago Riot.

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The Chicago Riot.
The bolt has again fallen upon Chicago,
and she has been dsgraccd by another riot.
The seed so proluscly sown byhCrpress and
politicians after the Douglas and other out
RACES last summer have terminated, and are
producing their natural fruit. The present
riot, however, seems not to have originated
with the "most respectable portion Of her ci-
items" and and So instead of being CLOSED
over as "pcaccablc expression Of popular
Indignation" the Chicago press puzzled to
find words in depicting its atrociousness, and
if the extent of the affair is TO be measured
by the amount of ink and paper expended
upon it, the great Wilkes riot, of London,
or Porteus riot, of Edinburgh, must have
been small affairs compared with it, We are
happy, however, to find, on wading through
the columns Of details, that the affair was
less serious than one would be led to sup
pose from the amount Of fuss made over 1t.
1t appears the city council, a month or
two ago, adopted an ordinance, fixing the
licenses of all liquor selling establishments at
5000. This was, Of course, more than the
smaller and less arstocratic and respectable
sort were able to pay, and they took out no
licenses, but kept on selling lager beer and
bad whskey in defiance Of the ordinance.
They were thercupon hauled up and fined,
when they combined together and raised a
purse to bring regular suit to try the con-
stitutionality of the ordinance. The case
was argued before Judge Ruckcr, and it was
announced that on Friday of last week he
would give his decision. From some foolish
impulse or infatuation, number OF Ger
mans conceived the absurd idea that they
could somehow influence the decision in
their favor by marching through the streets
with drum and fife, and making sort OF
military demonstration around the court
house on the day the decision was be CIV
en-. They accordingly did so on Friday, but
Judge Ruckcr being out of town, they were
informed the decision would not be given
until Saturday. So on that day the demon
stration was repeated, and they collected in
such numbers on the sidewalk outside the
square as to block it up, when the police
undertook to order them off The order was
sturdily resisted, and the police in attempt,
ing TO enforce it battcd few Germans on the
head with their clubs, when slight sprink-
ling Of a row ensucd, in which four or five
Germans and two policemen came Oft hors
du combat iIalfa dozen Of the obstrcperous
Germans were arrested, their drum was de-
molishod, and one gentleman, who under
took to make a peace stump speech was
knocked from the top of a hack and uncere
monously dragged to Jail.
OF course, at these proceedings the blood
of all Germany rose to fever heat, and rcti
ring to the north side, they held meeting
- or two, when it was determined to march il
force to the court house and release thcil
captured companions Of the morning
About o'clock they organized in column
to the number of 800 or 400, armed will
guns pistols, clubs, &C., and started for thu
south side But their progress was arrested
by the mayor ordering the draw bridges t.
be opened, and after addressing them, they
generally dispersed. Shortly after, howev
~ r,od cans crossed tn
bridge, and with arms proceeded to TN
court house square. There they were con
frontcd by about as many armed policemen
who ordered them of, when the German
deliberately evclled their pieces at the polio
and fired. One policeman had his arm shat
tered and several lockers on were wounded
on the opposite side of the street. The Ger
mans then turned to run, and the police
men, maddcned to fury, pursued them. A
fierce hand to hand fight followed, in which
one German was killed and a number badly
pomelled. In few minutes, however, thu
police were victorious, and then another
large number of arrests we're made. Tit
fire and military companies were then calico
out, guards placed around the square, thu
mayor surrounded with a formidable bod;
guard, cannon placed in the street, ant
what with these and other warlikc demon
STATIONS, of course order was speedily re
stored and permanently ensured.
And thus ended the riot, but by no mean!
the war of words that has grown out of it
On Tuesday, so hot had become the dispute
all around, that peace meeting was deemed
necessary, and accordingly one was called a
the South Market hall at o'clock. Some
four or five hundred Of "thc most respecta
bic citizens" gathered in, when resolution!
were adopted commencing the courage of tn,
police, dcprccating lawlessncss, &C., ant
then some speeches were made. The frs
speaker was DR.. McVickar. The DR.. depre
Gated in the strongest terms the violent man
ifestations of Saturday, and undertook t.
trace them to their true cause, in doing
which he told some home truths He said
The spirit of violence which had led mer
in this city to sanction and approve the VIC
lent and,insulting burning in eiligy of til,
Executive of this State, naturally produced
disregard Tor law and order. The same
turbulent spirit which had led men to forget
what was duo to law, order, and self re
spect, and to insult and offer outrage to {
distinguished aud honored representative o.
this State, at North Market Hall, naturally
produced this deplorable result.
This remark was greeted with storm o
Kisses and other signs Of dsapprobaton, ant
loud above all other discordant sounds, wa.
heard voice exclaimng-"Ycs, and W,
will do that same thing again.
The Doctor, turning deantly upon hi:
assailants, responded, that he uttered bis
own sentiments; he had not uttered ont
word which was unbecoming his character
either as gentlemen or citizen, and HI
should scorn and despisc the offered insult
come from where it might.
The Dr., with occasional Kisses, was al
lowed to finish his speech. But he was fol
lowed by Mr. Scammon and others, whC
undertook the difficult task of defending one