Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-30


away from the polls the first time. he went up
The city on official business; that business was TO
MAKE application to the Secretary of the Navy for
the marines. MIR. Ellis asked the witness ON
wndt dutnorlty he had, (at the time lie ordered
the polls to be opened, assumed 10 order them to
Dc opened The Question was objected to by the
OsiTlct Attorney, and the point was disc ussed at
some length by MIR. Ellis; the District Attorney
question out
w Witness stated that he never gave an order to
the Judges to open the polls; he knock ed on the
WINDOW, and learned from some of the crowd that
the Judges Were not there. his purpose being to
let The Commissioners of Election know that
there was force enough on the spot to allow the
citizens the right to deposite their in safety
after the marines came back to the CITY Hall be
did nothing to the crowd in connection with the
riots In the Fourth Ward; at that time some man
came into the City Hail and told witness that a
man, who seemed to be excited or drunken, was
making an infiammatory speech TO the crowd in
front OF the City Hall steps; witness went imme
diately out with the Marshal, DESTROYS that the
remainder OF the day should be peaceful and
qale,' ana saw man who appeared to be ex-
cited, either by passion, intoxication, or in
SANITY, addressing the crowd; witness went to
MN and expostulated with him and with the
crowd, entreating and begging them to disperse
anu go 10 thelr homes witness then went to
the steps and addressed the crowd telling them
TO dlsperse, and saying that If they did not
ne might have to order the marines to fire;
the people dispersed; only one person was har-
ranging the crowd; the marines did not make
any movement, not the slightest; their arms were
theh stacked; after remaining there some time
they were marched to the railroad depot, and
from there to the Barracks; IL was between o and
I'D O'Clock in the morning that witness first heard
OF the riots in the Fourth Ward; il was nj that
time that witness first heard of the presence i'm
the cry VI the Plug Uglies; witness was not in
formed of the number; did not hear correctly how
many Were there till three days afterwards during
the day witness head man say that he heard a
gentleman OF this city say To friend that there
&c In hn finn
Waid to-day-that forty good and true men had
arrived in the city that morning from I!atimore:n
capt. BaIgott came to the MAYORS Office with the
information that the Plugs were in the city, and
rloting at the Fourth Ward polls; he accompa-
MED that Information with a request, suggesting
that the Mayor call out the military; witness in.
formed him that lac knew of no military to call
ont; got into an open baTouche, and with the caD-
tain of the auxiliary guard proceeded to the polls;
saw the crowd yelling, and vocifcratnu and
creating great disturbance; there were three or
IoIT hundred people most of them around the
polls; witness saw that the polls Were closed and
asked where the judges Were; he had never re-
ceiVcd aify complaint from the judges; didn't get
ont OF his carriage drove within a very few feet
OF the polls had sent the police all out To ditter
ent stations in the morning; asked the Chief of
me auxiliary guard, how many men there were
There were but fifteen police in the city; told the
chieI OF the auxiliary guard, to get all his nen
together: did not attempt with that force to ma ke
an effort to maintain the peace; had authority
to swear in extra police; had asked friend to ask
the city councils TO pass an act providing for the
pay OF special police; his friend did So but il was
voted down, and consequently witness could not
employ special police. MessTs. Norwood and
Dom their services and acted as extra
PoiceI they we've all witness did not 20 bac to the
polls after going for the order for the to be
called out till he went there with the marines; he
did not order the marines there until he himself
saw brass six-pounder being drawn towards that
place by band OF riOtOuS and lawless men; he
went there with them, TO restore order; order lad
not been restored when witness got there with the
marines; no one had said that order was restored
or pretended that it was, but on the contrary
several persons had been to the Mayors office in
the mean while, and said that the city was the
scene of a great disturbance and riot; some one
came with Information OF a riot in the Second
WARD shortly after that, information was re-
ceived that there was n fatal riot in one of the
PRECINCTS Of the Seventh Ward; witness consid-
cred that the brass six-pounder should not be
used by gang of lawles, rioters and peace dis
turbers, to break up the election and prevent the
peaceable citizens flom voting, without being
there with sufficient force to protect these voters
witness did not feel bound, when there with the
marines, to obey the demands Of gang of des-
perate and laweSS persons, who said that the polls
should not he opened till they Were taken away:
witness kneW that the law compelled the COM
miSsioners TO keep the pois open from o'clpck
IN the morning till sunset witness found the polls
closed; tried TO open them, and was inSultPd and
JeeTed at by the crowd; the Judges were not there
there was Il shout of triumph from the crowd
when witness retired from the window to 20 to-
again, and by that time the marines had come up
and halted opposite the polls; witness attempted
To address them, but the noise and excitement
was so great that witness could not be hsard
witness did not consider it necessary TO resort
To Strenuous means until after many pistol
shots had been fired from the crowd at the
marines, and marine near witness was shot and
wounded severely by one Of those shots witness
was standing on the pavement near the sheds Il
little south OF the Northern Libefties market
house, the shots fired at the marines came from
near where witness was standing, and about the
common witness was afraid to attempt to arrest
any of the parties if he could have identified any
OF the persons firing, on account of the Ii lat which
must VI consequence Ell sue; witness did not know
Thai there was any innocent men ut that point /;
supposed them all 10 be partcip pants in he riot
else they would not have been there; the parties
were crowded around the gun on all sides except
III front; thei" wa one in front OF the gun but
marines the marines were ordered by Captain
Tyler to take the gun; witness did not see any
cOlored persons killed heard that there WAS the
papers so stated heard that Colonel WILSON was
wounded; a nlan named Hughes was wounded :;
knew hlIh well; he was notorious man. and
lived with a mulattO woman in the First Ward
he died; witness knows this; lie saw the place
where the Know Nothings hold their meetings in
the First Ward draped in mourning after lac died
Mr.. Bradley here announced that hr could not
90 on with the cross examination until he could
obtain the affidavit of Mr.. Goddard from the De-
paIt!ncGt-SO the cToSS-eXamnation of the Mayor
was discontinued, and Mr.. Key in the meantime
called
Thomas c. DOM sworn lis magistrate and
was on the day OF election, a special policeman:
had no instructions as to what part of the city to
be stationed, and considered it his duty to be at
the first precinct OF the Fourth ard OH that day;
went there about O'Clock that morning. at which
time the polls were opened remained there all
day until after the maI ines went away from there;
stood at the fence near the window TO assist old
persons ia getting up TO the window to deposit
their votes; was inside the barricade and could
not sec out into the street all the time hut did see
part OF the timei about, or near O'Clock, up 10
which time the voting had been going on quietly,
witness remarked to friend that the election
was going on finely, and that he was delighted
to see so little indication of a disturbance; lust
after that witness heard noise, and on looking
around saw body OF men marching along by the
polls, and heard some one say that they were
Plug Uglies, from Baltimore; they Were making
loud demonstrations and remaI Ks, which were
calculated to create a disturbance; Mr. Burkhead
one of the Auxiliary Guards, came to witness
and asked him 10 leave his place at the window
and come out into the street, as the Plugs were
there, and he anticipated row; witness left and
wen: out into the street near Capt Goddard, who
was making every effort to suppress the riot; he
had no weapons, but was holding his hands up
and entreating the crowd of men in the street IN