The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-18
LOCAL NEWS.

ON the first OF june and presented them IN 'ii I'M
bodied fon asked that the report should not be mme
datey made public for the that the eiecon-ro
cases. soon to be tried might be thereby affected The
court replied that II was due the request of the jury
that the report should be read in court but that he
did not feel authorized to have II kept secret and that
when upon the record of the court il would necessarily
be open to the perusal of the public.
In Difference TO the wishes of the Grand jury ex
pressed the court might have RETAINED from the
publication of the report had it not appeared In an at
ternoons city journal
The Grand Jury having completed their labors for the
present of the criminal court and the judge OF tina
tribunal having specially directed their attention to the
riots in the city of Washington on the first day OF June
last deem to be duty which they not less to the
peace and good order than to the acreness OF
the ballotbox present the following summary OF the
principal disgIacefu events of that day
1hey have examined upward of one hundred and TWEEN
tyve witnesses in relation to the general subject OF the
riots and noted the testimony from which appears
the fact that at the first precinct OF the Fourth ward polls
the ballotng proceeded quietly until few minutes past
nine o'clock in the morning when party OF twelve or
fourteen persons, designated 'rp-raps or plug ug-
lies, from Baltimore, came ON the ground
They marched above the polls, clear of the citizens,
drom eighty to hundred of them,) who in line,
were proceeding toward the window each voting in turn
Having reconnoed the premises the party OF strangers
left the for short period and then returned with
increased force of their partsans also from Baltimore
together with number of persons who reside in this city
That they coming to Washington with evil nten
tons the Chief of Police and the Captain Of the Auxiliary
Guard had to suspect several days prior to their
rival But this apprehension removed by subsequent
information received by the mayor However deta n
ment of police repaired to the railroad station on the
morning of the LIST of june and there witnessed the
rival Of the Pctmore party The object OF proceeding
thher was sed in evidence to- scan closely the APP
pearance of the strangers SO that should they commit
breach of the peace, they might be readily identified
1t is proper to remark that the exciting causes of the
riot and subsequent bloodshed in the Fourth Ward
in the opinion Of The Grand Jury, be ascribed mainly to
the presence of these strangers who joined by large
number of disorerly persons of this city at the
polls At that time aep. to arrest them must have
been Intellectual owing to the inadequate force of the
lice then and there prescnthe board Of common coun
Gil having refused to pass bill authorizing the mayor to
increase the police force If he should deem 1t necessary
Cor the purpose of preserving order 1t is in evidence
that the strangers and their companions armed with
p Is and other deadly weapons, which were displayed
with view to intimidate peaceable citizens from voting
at the polls.
This body of men divided themselves into two parties
going inside to the fence, near the window and the
other remaining outside of the voters The latter section
soon became troublesome, abusing men III the line
threatening them and loudly boastg, with Others that
they could whip any of their opponents At this point
of the disturbance, they threw stones Some of them
protested against foreigners voting and declared that
elsewhere they would be debared from such privilege
The cry of flight frequently reiterated from the
ranks of The rioters Ramonssrance with them vain
and while justice of the peace engaged in the laud
better feelings, he struck with brick upon the
breast otherwise assaulted Other respectable citizens
seriously wounded by the discharge of firearms, and
missiles thrown both by the Raltimoreans and their
friends who acted with them.
The latter encouraged their visiting brethren to make
the attack Fifteen twenty of the parties mpatently
that they would Ego in and not wait any longer
when stones again thrown and pistols discharged
by them. BY the combined movement and impetuous
charge the line of voters broken and in the general
alarm the commissioners of election fed, deeming il
| A.: I'LL.
for the larger part naturaIsed citizens Driven away
of them did not return. According to credible wit
nesses, the aim Of the rioters avowedy against
those whom they designated Foreigners and whom
they would not permit to vote But it is proper to
thai this hostility not extended to those of American
BIRTH though Of politics opposite to their own The riot
es having gained their object in the Fourth Ward gave
three cheers for their victory These disturbances
CURED between nine and ten o'clock in the morning
Information of these sgraceul and riotous
communicated TO the mayor OF Washington At that
time there only policeman and six
beers Of TIC Auxiliary Guard at the Fourth Ward precinct
these driven away. The mayor visited the scene
and, having ascert@ined the true condition of affairs
forthwith called upon the President OF the United States
and requested him to order out the marines for the pres
ervaon the peace In accordance with representations
made, first verbally, and aftcrward in writing, and
under OATH the President acquiesced the ground,
assumed, that the civil force insufficient to repress
the otous proceedings against the despera, and supe
rior numbers of the dsturbers Of the public peace. Ac
cordngy official orders were Immediately despatched
to the Gaison requiring the marines to repair to the
City Hail. and that they report to the mayor for duty
When it became known at the navy yard that the ma
rines had been ordered out, sxpounder or hedpece
taken from the Anacostia enginehouse by party OF
and boys avowedly for hostile purposes and with
which to operate against the military. The persons hav
ing it in possession drew it to the first precinct of the
Fourth Ward before the marines reached that neighbor
hood and from twenty to twenty-five minutes anterior to
that time. The mayor returning to the polls demand
ed that they be opened but several persons inteposed
saying that they should not until the marines
moved while another person was at the same time ha-
ranguing the excited crowd. The mayor attempted to
address Them and to inform them that the marines
not there to attack but to protect citizens in their rights
But he salued with cries of Drive him off ~ Turn
him out and other similar expressions
The marines, their arrival were tainted by The "
otes, and provoking language made use Of with
view to rrtate and insult them During these proceed
ngs message sent by the party In possession of the
cannon, saying that If the officer in command did not
abandon his position they would fire upon him 1t WINS
then that charge made upon the gun by the first
platoon Of the first company of marines. and after two
of the marines had been wounded by the rioters. 1t was
taken without boodshed. Just before this was accom-
plished attempt made to fire It, The discharge of
thrown by the rioters they from the cannon
and until then did the marines fire their muskcts in
the direction of their assailants.
The mayor did not give the order to fire. did either
of the officers in command according the testimony
elected and the marines may have mstook order
to that effect the words 'Why dont you fire p the Ian
guage uttered by person unknown to the witnesses
INTERCEPTED that point The marines numbered nine
Nv tbey all