Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-07-24
The washington Election Riots.

Jury summoned to inquire INTO the selec-
ton riots that occurred in Washington
city on the LIST of June last. We hope
this report will convince those Know-No-
thing presses of Virginia and elsewhere
who have attempted to screen their breth>
rem OF the Plug Uglies and Rip Raps. and
tina. we shall have no no, def9poes of those
rowdies.
"The grand Jury, having completed
their labors for the present term of the
Criminal Court. and the Judge of that tri-
bunal having specially directed their at
tention 70 the riots in the city ofEWash-
ington on the FIRST day of June last, deem
Il TO be duty which they owe mot less to
che cause Of peace and good order than
to the sacredness Of She bsllot-box to
present the following, summary OF the
principal disgraceful events Of that day {:
/" They have examined upwards Of one
hundred and twenty FIVE Witnesses in re.
la.ion to the general subject of..the riots.
aud have noted the testimony; from which
appears the fact that at the first precinct
Of the fourth ward polls the bsllosing pro-
ceeded quietly,uutil aifeH minutes past
nineio'cloch in:ths morning When,a par
~ of twelve or fourteen persons, designa-
ted as Rip, Raps' or Plug>U glies.' from
Baltimore, came on the ground.
They marched above the polls. clear
of the citizens. (frofh eighty to one hum
dred of them. who, in line, were pro-
ceeding toward the window, each voting
in turn. Having reconnoitred the premi-
ses. the party Of strangers left the scene
for short period, and then returned with
an increased force of their partlzans, also
from Baltimore, together with number
Of persons who reside in this city. That
they were coming to Washington with
evil intentions the chief of police and the
captain Of the auxiliary guard had reason
to suspect several days prior to their ar
rival, but this apprehension was removed
by subsequent information received BY the
mayor. However, a detachment OF po-
lice repaired to the railroad station on the
morning of the lst Of June, and there
witnessed the arrival of the Baltimore
party. The object of proceeding thither
was, as stated in evidence, to scan closely
the appearance Of the strangers, so that,
should they commit breach of the peace,
they might be; readily identified.
~ 10 p4OpOI W 4OL1dth tuht LuO C<ACI-
ting causes of the riot and subsequent
bloodshed, in the fourth ward may, in the
opinion of the grand jury, be ascribed
mainly to the presence Of these strangers,
who were joined by large number OF
disorderly persons of this city at or near
the polls. At that time an attempt to
arrest them must have been Intellectual,
owing to the inadequate force Of the po-
lice then and there present-the board Of
common council having refused to pass q
bill authorizing the mayor to increase the
police force if he should deem it necessa-
~ for the purpose of preserving order
1t is in evidence that the strangers and
their companions were armed with pistols
and other deadly weapons which were
displayed with view to intimidate peace
able citizens from voting at the polls.
''This body of men divided themselves
into two parties-one going inside, to the
fence, near the window, and the other re-
naming outside OF the voters. The lat
ter section soon became troublesome
abusing men in the line, threatening them
and loudly boasting with others that they
could whip any of their opponents. a
this point of the disturbance they threw
stones. Some of them protested agains
- foreigners" voting and declared tina
elsewhere they would be debarred from
such privilege. The cry of fight
was frequently reiterated from the ranks
of the rioters. Remonstrance with then
was vain, and while justice of the peace
was engaged in the laudable effort to en-
force order by calmly appealing to thei
better feelings, he was struck with bricl
no wi okl,n 0eeo,,1koI
Other respectable citizens were seriously
wounded by the discharge of firearms
and missiles thrown by the Baltimorean
and their friends who acted with them.
"The latter encouraged their visiting
brethren to make the attack. Fifteen o
twenty Of the parties impatiently sWor
that they would Ego in" and not wait an,
longer. when stones were again throw
and pistols discharged BY them. By tn
combined movement and impetuou
charge the line Of voters was broken, anC
in the general alarm the commissioners o
election fed. deeming il unsafe to con
tinue at their post. The voters in th'
line were, for the larger part, naturaiizec
citizens. Driven away, some Of them die
not return. According to credible wit
nessess. the aim Of the rioters was syoWet
against those whom shey, designated al
Foreigners" and whom they would MOI
permit to vote. But it is proper to say
that this hostility was not extended &
those of American birth. though of poll
tics opposite to :heir own. The rioters
having gained their object in the fourth
ward. gave three cheers or'their victory
These disturbances occurred between nine
and ten o'clock in the morning.
Information of these disgraceful and
riotous occurrences was communicated tc