Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-02


the Third district police, under warrant issued
by Justice Daniel Smith, the oath Of j. W.
Birch. The charge was suspicion of shooting,
with intent to kill, Jerome Taylor, on the 2sth
of September. 1857" The case was ruled Tor
trial at O'Clock. but the Justice, 10 allo" the
prosecution time to produce all their witnesses,
waited some time before the case was opened
Daniel RatcliEs, Esq, appeared Tor the defence,
and the following testimony was submitted
J. w. Bireh, sworn for the United States
Don't belong to the Northern Liberties Fire Com
Pany, but my baIkeeper does wanted TO 20 10
Philadelphia, and subscribed TO 20 with them;
took my barkeepeT's uniform and went out that
night to drill; when we went down Four-and-a-
half street and got to the Avenue, some halloed;
don't know what il was; but Keenan, our mar
shal said . hush boys then some stones were
thrown and the firing of pistols commenced;
when got TO the Third street corner, saw Ben
Beveridge at the window Of the Washington
House; he fred pistol five times out OF the
Cr0SS-,zdmiHsd-Itw was a window Of the cor
Der house, window near the corner, other peo-
pie Were there, but saw Beyeridge shoot into the
crowd; know the first pistol in the riot was
fred from the Four and "a half street corner,
south side; one fred before me; don't know
Taylor; one with me fire pistol; / was
in the dfth rank back; had turned down toward
the Capitol, and was about % feet from the flag
way when the firing commenced; ran down the
street and passed the music; il was about eight
OF half past eight O'Clock; I saw a light in the
house; was standing in the middle Of the avenue;
did not see the pistol. but il was a pistol saw
him point his arm and saw the fash from IT,
q. III
that Beyeridge was not in the house, would you
admit that Won Were mistaken!''
Answer-"NO, Was not mistaken; you may
prove what YOU pleaSe.H
Have known Beveridge for years; don't know
that I his arm the whole time but saw
him fire the whole five; other people were pass
Ing throughout the rooms there was a light in
the house, Beveridge was standing in front OF
the light in the house; If you can prove that ]
was mistaken will give up; don't know that it
was a three-stOTy house il was the story above
the stores didn't notice a balcony; could distin-
guish his face the light reflected his back
ths man was standing 1t the window; don't know
whether the gas was lighted on the avenue
not; persons were passing backward and foG ward
in the room; didn't take my eyes of him till
got an Opportunity TO get on the pavement; saw
The following statement was taken by the
Justice at Taylor's residence:
Jerome Taylor, sworn--As the Northern Liber-
ties Fire Company was just turning Four and-a-
half street into the avenue towards the Capitol
crowd came out OF the tavern OH the southeastern
corner Of Fonr-and-a- half street and avenue;
they halloed 80 Oh, you states Hose 80 and 90 Oh.
YOU Regulators - there were stones thrown from
that side frst there was pistol fred. but / can
not say from what side; | was so much excited
at the time that supposed there some
tyvepty thirty shots nrsd from that coTner-the
southeast corner of FOur-and- Il half street and
the avenue; there was great many stones thrown
and firing from both sides when started to run
towards Gilman's drug store, and I stopped To
see II there was any one ] knew rs l stopped
received ball with my back turned toward the
Washington House; / was in the centre of the
street; the house from which l suppose ] was
shot 10 situated between FOur-a IA half street
and jackson Hall; did not see Beveridge there
Al all; | cannot state positively which side Of
Jackson Hall the kOase from which suppose
was shot was lOcaiedi it seems to me that the
house was located about the middle of the square,
and had balcony in 'front.' ] saY persons shoot
ing from the windows but | ea1ROt say from
Sxazt house; know Beveridge when see him.
CoPfaIH Darling, affirmed for defence-Was
sitting ia room at the Washington House
reading; 4 heard noise, which sounded like
powder crackers; &! afterwards heard the cOncus-
sion Of a pistol and went out; 1 saw a rushing
about Jackson Hall; a young man, who was
wounded in the leg, passed. he vas loading
pistol about so long measuring at least u inches
on a cane he was cursing his partners for leavr
ing, and was trying TO rally them; stones were
thrown in III windows; went and had the doors
closed, for the safety Of the house; know that no
pistols were fred, or stones THROWN, from the
house; Benjamin Beveridge was not in the house.
and his wife was very uneasy on that account;
saw him come in after the affair was over; il a
pistol had been fred in the house, could not
have helped hearing il.
~ Thomas, swoTn-I was in bed and was
aroused by the firing Of pistols; my room Is on
Third street; looked out Of the window and saw
crowd in the street; some were cursing others
for leaving; | saw Captain Darling, but did not
head; drew back, ana NV wife being by, made
her at down below the window; the rooms de-
seTibed by Birch Were all occupied by gentlemen
OOandess; no pistol was fred from the Third II.
windows; pistols Were LTed, while my head was
out Of the window, by persons in the street.
Mr. Ussf swO--.-Was sitting in the office;
heard the noise, and went down; benjamin. Bev-
ef1dge was not la the house, and at the request Of
his wife went ont and found him. half an hour
after, on the Avenue; the house was locked up
before the nT1ng commenced in the street there;
no one could get in, IRE and retreat, before the
house was locked; ] am \ stranger here, and
don't know the companies.
Thomas Pagan, swOrn.-1 was at work ia the
shop near by and heard the noise, and went to the
avenue; the riot increased; retTeaed down the
street, and met Mr Brverdge near the alley in
h6 WIS mt vii .tHia, Hriu
began met him at the alley; both went in
and got behind gate, and we staid there till the
melee was over; after we came out some random
shots were fled on the avenue
r. AcGGTTGH, swOTn.-The paTading party
made the first assault by throwing stone al the
party On the corner. and the first pistol was Ied
by man ia uniform; was with Beveridge but
hot when Pagan
Judge Granger, sworn Was sitting i'm his
room, the window Of which is almost imme-
dlateiy over the one referred TO by Birch; Bev-
eridge's wife WAS very much distressed because
OF has absence during the riot; there pistol
after all was over On
&. Thomas, sworn.-Before the company came
down numorr Of Us were gat hefed at the corner,
(about twenty OF us } and we made ND our mi nds
that II We were attacked to go into them; Beyer-
idge came up and told 20 away and not say
anything to them, and IL the crowd was not there
there would be no sPreri he said riot would do \
US more harm than good; after a while we agreed
10 say nothing to them, and all went away except
about seven; another came up and made eight;
WIN my OO"u OuI-dBO-d- udiI ndllOlnS
. Oh, you NOdhern Liberties. Oh, you Union
Oh, you Plugs, where's your unterrited Democ-
Tacy now ~ ! said was no Plug, but was Reg
ulaiOTi they then commenced throwing stones at
us, and then fred at US; three Of our party re-
turned the fire, and they bEeke and run, and COM
menced the melee in that way; Beveridge had
been trying TO keep all quiet long before they
came down
Mr.. Magss was called, but his testimony
amoyBted to nothing
CHpf- John Mills. swOrn.-Fixed the time of
the not IL "a O'Clock, a. Le calling the roll
OF the auxiliary guard; sent the men to that sec
tiOn ediately; and when he had registered
two persons who bad been brought in he fol-
lowed down; II was but a very few minutes but
the NJ ht was over, and persons were only stand
ing la squads asked the guards where the rioters
were, and they said IL was all ended, and the
crowd dispersed; he then asked for the 90 States
hose house" they showed him, and he went to