Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-06-05
TeRRIRIF ELECTION RIOT In WASHINGTON
r. g TROOPs ORDERED OUT.
several Persons Killed aud wounded

1robar of persons We take the following detail
from the Star of Monday
;D, a general fight occurred, 10 which several hum
dTod men and boys engaged, Unfortunately
II seems that some forty fifty Plug uglIes came
down from Baltimore this morning to ASSIST our citl'
zens in the election today. After floating AROUND lOr
so,uetim without efectDg anything OF no'c' lhey
nitcbed upon The fourth ward fist precinct as helng
HE most eligible scene for their operations. ng
Zine of voters were standing in the street. extending
for some distance from the polls ana composed prIh
r;DalIv of anti-kpoW nothing voters. The rugs as
;e,od h1 etveraI large squads of Chunkcrs and Kip
Rors of opr own city, endeavortd 10 break into this
line " crowding but not succeeding in this they
left the scene of action to concert more hostile meas
uTes.
After a short time they returned largely reinforced
in numbers, and with revolves, stones, bIys' orlck-
bafs &C. they mqde a concerted onslaught upon the
voters terrible scene ensued, IN when the
entire crowd participated. Stones and pistols were
RAPIDLY discharged, and men were trampied TO the
Garth beaten stamped on, ard severely wOundsd-I
Among those injured WAS r. B. Owens, fourth ward
commissioner, who had his wrist badly sba tered by
a pistol ball A Kofer received a spent ball III his
forehead, which stunned him. hut inflicted no serious
injury. CAPTAIN Goddard was, with several onceTs
Oh the grOuad and The captain did good service with
his long aims and heavy fists III queling the ARRAY
He was Sc, eIely struck several times, tut got OF
without any serious damage.
An lrishman was so dleadfully mutilated that his
features entirely 1ndlSngulS aDc; and his head
and shoulders covered with blood The polls
were torn down by this imported gang of Baltimore
villains, the pavemen!s strewn with stones,
cIubs and other missiles. Several of The ringeaders
were arrested and taken to the guard house, amongst
others, a your q man by the name of Johnson.
The buildings in The eghbohood were damaged,
the doors and windows being broken in Oh all s' as
In the skirmsb Mr.. Geo. D. Spencer received a Sc
we're blow in the face
An old named Cassidy, granite cutter re-
ceved bullet wound over the left ear the ball for
tunately, however, glanced and did not penetrate
the skull He taken to the residence Of DR..
Palmer who attended TO the wound.
MIR. Matthew Emery severely injured by
blow from a stone In consequence Ct the disturb
aDCes there general closing Of the stores and
places of business quite early in the morning.
At the first precinct of the fourth ward the officers
did all in their power prevent the riot placing
themselves between the bPlligerens and the voters in
the line, with Captain Goddard at the head, who de-
manded the peace, when they rushed masSe,
and with an mpetuosity which nothing short of
military force could have withsood and although
the police fought like heroes, they forced to
abandon the field to the possession of these hired
mscreants.
such and exhibition of murderous instruments as
the party carried sufficient 10 the peaceably
disposed to keep as far from them possible. One
was armed with large blacksmitE's sedge
another with horse pistol of large dimensions an
other carried miscellaneous assortment Of 1evoIvers,
bowie Knives bilies, iron bar, while fourth
rled, beside side pocket filled with convenient
stonLe, brickbats &c. large billet of oak wood of
sufficient weight 10 fell OK These weapons we're
as thick as mulberrIes IN season. the parties bran
dlshing them about in menacing manner, The
horror OF all those who Lot like themselves,
participants in these disgraceful scenes.
Mayor Magruder Immediately sent the following
communication accompanied by certfcates) to the
President, asking that company OF U. marines
should be ordered out for the purpose of maintaining
the peace.
MAYORS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, June l, 1857.
) the President of the United States:
Sir Upon the represen aiOn of creditabe citizens
that band of laweSs PERSONS most of them not res
dens Of this city, have attacked one OF the polls al
which the annual election is now in progress, and
after manning some twenty good and peaceable CHI
zens, have driven the remainder from the polls, have
dispersed the commissioners of election and threaten
further violence any attempt to carry the cleo
ton respectfully reques! you to order out the com
pany OF United States marines in this city, to
maintain the peace thereof, the civil authorities
finding themselves unable 10 do 0 with the means at
their disposal, and there being other United States
8odi4rs at your command in his city have ins
med personal inquiry into the matter, and find that
the weapons used various kinds of firearms.
clubs, knives and stones, and the facts stated in
the enclosed certificate are us and true.
w B MAGRUDER, Mayor.
The President forthwith gave the requisite Or
ders.
Our Baltimore visitors were about 4 O'Clock, good
enough to pay visit 10 the second ward polls, wear
Ing the X n. ticket as badge and shouting for
Dixon" as rallying cry. In few minutes their
inevitable revolvers out, and some thirty or
forty shots were fired in quick succession in the
neighborhood OF Eleventh st. and The avenue
In the atfay, young man, residing on Thirteenth
street, between and |, named John Ouzely was
shot in the knee bout this time some of the solid
men, of the ward were seen emerging from their res
denCes armed with muskets as If they had some
notion OF going upon cunning expedition. Tle
Plug Ugles seemed to think the second ward air was
getting insalubrious, and they left IN body, p,oha,
bly, with the design Of regulating" of the other
precincts
Soon after the aft ay at the second ward detach
ment of the delectable Plug Uglies made their ap-
pearance the second precncil of the fourth ward,
and succeeded for while in driving away the voters
from the polls. They were finally driven off by the
oflcers of the police in attendance, and they then
rallied under the cry OF 'o the seventh ward :" in
which direction they proceeded.
AT one o'clock noisy crowd of boys and men
passed up Pennsylvania avenue from the direction of
The fifth ward, dragging after them small brass
gun. Where they got It we are unable 10 say, but
It was said they intended TO use it 10 defend them
selves. Immediately after two companies of United
States marines, commanded by Captain Tyler went
10 the City Hall, and reported for service 10 the
mayor.
Shortly after / O'Clock, P. M. the marines (wo
companies, 10 men IN alb arrived on the ground,
ns precinct Of the fourth ward, under charge of Cap
IAN Tyler, and accompanied by Magruder The
opposition had in the meantime procured brass
cannon, and statonedi at the Northern market house,
which they made their headquarters.
After the Mayor had addressed the crowd, stating
mat the soldiers were brought there solely to main
sain the public peace of the city, which had been
aIagrantly violated the marines moved upon the mar
AethOuse 10 take possession of the cannon, amidst