The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-04-26
Arros, ILL.,. Sunday Evening.

ALIQNs 1U.a 0uaiuot 1tCalhSst
-sss April I3, 1856.
READERS HERALD OF FREEDoM 81
have just returned to my room from
visit to the grave of Rev. E. P. LOVE-
JOY, who was. murdered in this city on
the night of the 7th of November, 1887,
while engaged with others in the defence
of his press.
Imay be allowed to briefly narrate the
leading incidents in Mr.. Lovejoy's his
tory, knowing the information viii be
valuable to our younger readers, and
serviceable to older ones inthewsy of re-
freshing their memories on an important
Grain the history of this city.
Mr.. LovEJoy was a native of Msssa-
ehusetts. and in 1897 arrived in St. Lou
is. where he engaged in teaching. He
remained in this employment until 1882,
when he visited Princeton College, n.
j., where he remained until April, of
1888, when he was licensed to preach
the Gospel, from the second Presbytery,
of Philadelphia. After preaching for a
time in Newport, 3. l., and in New
York city, he received the offer of mate
rials to establish a.religious newspaper in
ST. Louis. The offer was accepted, and
on the e2d of November, 1888, the first
number of the st. LOUIS OBSERVER was
issued. we have read many of his
leading editorials since stApping here,
and little or nothing that reasonable
man could oppose, although he was free
to speak upon slavery as an evil, and de-
Tended the Bible from vile attack upon
it, which represented the book as en-
dorsing the institution. Having animad-
verted rather severely upon mob which
broke into the Jail of st. Louis. and took
a mulatto, by the name of Mcintosh,
who was incarcerated there for murder,
and burnt him to a stake, the popular
will got very much incensed against
him and finding he could not be pro-
tectsd in his person or property there,
and having been invited to remove to
Alton, ILL.,. with his press. he consented,
with many misgivings, to do so; not,
however, until violence was committed
upon his property in st. Louis, by the
tearing down of his Office. His press
and fixtures arrived in Alton on Sabbath
morning, the 21st of July, 1885. On
the following Monday morning. before
light, FIVE OF six rowdies, finding thepre
on the levee, broke it in pieces and threw
it into the Mississippi. On the same
day, public meeting of the citizens
was held, and unanimously agreed to
make good the loss. On the 9th of Sep
tember, 1886, he got out the first num-
Der of the Alton Observer, which was
published regularly until the 18th OF
August, 1887. On the 2lst of August,
press, type and fixtures were destroyed
by mob; and though the citizens were
looking on. they did not interfere to stop
the outrage, because the cry of abolition
ism had gone out againstthe editor. An
attempt was made on his life, but his
GOODNESS saved him, and he was allowed
20 go home TO his family.
The editor drew up an appeal to his
patrons, and received sufficient aid to
procure another press, mostly from the
people of Quincy and Alton. Ill. This
arrived on the 21st of September, dur.
| ing the absence of the editor. That
night it was nobbed and throwninto the
river-making the third press thus des.
troyed for him. Several Intellectual at
tempts were again made to take his life.
but each time, by some fortunate in
tSIpOSltiOHS Hc was saF6U.
Mr.. L. Immediately ordered another
press on his own account. Public feel
ing was high against the Observer and
Mr.. Lovejoy. Resolves were passed.
and threats were made. After some
doubt as to the propriety of establishing
his jonrnal in Alton again. and in a pub.
lie meeting, after stating his rights, guar
anteed to him as freeman, and showing
how he had been pursued like par
fridge on the mountains" and feeling he
was quite as safe in Alton as elsewhere,
closed by saying, 81" I die, l have de.
termlned to make my grave in Alton"
The fourth press arrived on the night
of the 9th of November. 1897, and was
stored in the large stone warehouse of
Messrs. Godfrey 4 Gilman. Here it
rsmaiaed until the following night, when
. mob "bslched forth from the drunkeries
and coffee-hOuses," about ten O'Clock,
who were met by some thirty persons,
including Mr.. Lovejoy. who had COL
lected in the warehouse to defend the
press. The building was three stories
high, with windows only on the ends.
An attempt was made by the mob to
force themselves into the building. but
was repulsed. Attempts were made by
the Mayor to reason with them, but all to
no purpose. They iirsd into the win
doNs, and received q shot from within,
which killed one man, and sounded sew
eral others. Ladders we're then brought,
and > person sscended to the roof and