New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-19
RIOTOUS DISTURBANCE.
MAN BUN OVER By A TRAIN OF CARS
THREATS TO TEAR UP THE TRACK.
DISPERSION OF THE RIOTERS.
Eleven Of the Leaders Arrested.

Irshmsn at the corner OF Fory-htth street and
Eleventh avenue, killing him almost instantly. The
accident became known, aud in little time some
fifty or hundred of the Irish residents in that neigh
borhood gathered abou. the body and loud in their
dtnunciations of the Hudson River Railroad Company
Thus the excitement raised and participated in by
and another they added to the crowd
Word having been sent TO the Twenty Precinct
Ststion.IouSe that had been run over and killed
by Of the down trains, and that the body of the
man was lying upon the track, Officers Burd, Snider
and Odel repaired with al dispatch to the spot for the
purpose Of removing the remains 10 the House
to await the action Of the Coroner in the premises.
Forcing themselves through the crowd, now n-
creased to about two hundred and fifty persons, they
were about removing the remains, when two three
salwar Ifshmen ordered them to stand back and told
them that they should not remove the body. The
officers were further told thGt if they did not leave
they would be torn to pieces The police told the
rioters to mind their bu.ness, and attempted by all
reasonable persuasion to dsperse the crowd bit not
one would move. Fearing that the excited crowd
might put their threats in execution the three officers
concluded to leave, aud seek for help. Repairing TO
the Ststion-House with all possible haste, they re-
ported the case TO Capt. Coulter, who Immediately
teegrsphcd to the Nineteenth and Twentieth Precincts
for help. Having after the lapse Of half an hour
So got together about thirty men, Capt. Coulter
marched TO the of the disturbance, bat, prepata
tory 70 taking any violent action, drew his men in line
on the Eleventh avenue, between F0rty-fif and
Forty sixth stIeets lie then went among the rioters
and demonstrated with those who seemed to be the
ringlesders ard told them that il necessary that
the body should be removed to tue GtioniiOuse,
that fair investigation should be made in the matter
and they could obtain all the redress that they desired
The Captains remoIsIance was, however, to ne
purpose. The mob, which Iow numbered between
two and three thousand, were growing very violent.
Tie rngeaders told the Captain that was Of no use
taking; that there were not policemen enough in the
City Of New York to drive them away; aid that L the
tore. then present didn't clear out every man OF them
would be thrown into the river The rioters further
threatened TO tear up the tracks of the railroad. Cap
tain Coulter came to the conclusion that torcbe
would be ssay to disperse the mob aod accord
Dgy returned to the spot where he had let his force
At this time there a train from Poughkeepsie
waiting Just above the of riot to come to the de-
pot but it impossible to move on in consequence
Of the crowd that blocked up the street. The Captsn
told his men that the street must be cleared AMI the
body taken TO the Staon-HOuse. The police force, in
solid body, then marched toward the crowd amid yo.
ley of stones and brckbatS and by the free of their
clubs drove them to the right and lett The rioters
fought mady but tn" police maintained their ground.
In little time eleven Of the ringleaders were appre
lerded eyed to the Station House and placed 10
cells.
The track was soon cleared when the train that had
been waiting moved on, each car moving singly, and
being drawn by horses. The cars were greeted With
voey of stones which broke al the windows, but for
tunately did no injury to the occupants. The engineer
then attempted TO the locomotive down, but met
with strong opposition. Several large stones were
hurled at lin, but lie lodged the missiles, and sac
ceeded in keeping his engine in motion.
The poNcs finally secured the body OF the deceased,
aid conveyed it to the Stacn-House, to await the
action of the Coroner but up to the closing Of business
the case was ot attended to.
The prisoners were yesterday taken before Justice
Kelly at the Jefferson Market Police Court and upcr
the following affidavit committed to prison for exar1i.
nation:
Lawrence Austin of the Twenty second Precnt Po-
Ice being duly sworn deposes and says tn 81 on the
18th day of March, 1853 in company with Officers
John Stuart, George +. Boyd Henry s. Phillips, 10.
seph Coddreel, George Muzer, Archibald Taylor,
Henry Parlin, Charles Whtmore, Henry w. Stevens,
Thos Boids, Michael Snider Wm Walkley, Edward
McCalty and Thos. Bowles of the said Twenty
Precinct and Robert B. DunLison, arrested George
James, James Stubs, Patrick McGowsn, NICHOLAS
Darln, Robert Casgrove. Patrick Daden Michael
Riley, James OReily, Martin Fitzpatrick, James
aunn and James Tut now present, under the follow,
lug circumstances viz; That they riotousy assembled
themselves together on the corner Of Forty seventh
street and Eleventh avenue, armed with stones and
other missiles; and n a riotous manner assaied aud
attacked depOnelt and the withln-named policemen,
10y throwing stones at them, stopped the railroad cars
and conducted themselves IN riotous and dlSordery
menLer causing breach Of the peace. Deponent fur
thcr says that Officer James l. Odell of the Twenty
second George j. Forbes of the Twentieth Precinct,
and other officers whose names are unknown TO depo-
neut, were seriously injured by being struck with
stones aid other missiles thrown and used by said
rioters.
Ihe unfortunate mans name was Thomss Finch
shoemaker Hewss al lrshman by birth. and % years
OF age Il appears that the train due A. 81 clock
was passing Ffty.fcuth street Finch snr,nc 70 get
upon the uain winch wss under considerable speed,
and was knocked down and over by the fourth car
and Instantly killed. His body presented A horrd
spectacle, beicg literally cut to pieces cloth wa.
thrown over the remains, and the BODY soon ,-,,a
Ell by several infuIiated ard women tb. cr,,,d
iIcTt asiDg rapidly uhtl numbered over 800 all of
hom were loud III their ienuncaiions OF the Railroad
Company.
Several complaints were made that the cars had no
r Int to be running st the rate Of forty miles Al hour
but the fact is aat the train moving very slowly
BE this as i: may however, the accident from al
accounts was the result OF Finch's own indiscreton
and il is by that he was somewhat in liquor
@. the time.
The officers most injured by the stones and other
uissles thrown BY the iRtvgised crowd were PoIce