The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-03
SCENES AT THE POLLS.
THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

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THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
SERIOUS DISTURBANCE IN THE FIRST wARD-SoL-
DlERs FROM aovERSoRs ISLAND ATTEMPTING TO
VOTE But PREVENTED BY THE CRowD-THE MAYOR
AND FIFTY POLICEMEN ENDEAyoR TO GET FOUR OF
THEM TO THE PoLLs-DEsPERATE BUT USsUCCEss-
EUL EFFORT OF THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE TO ACCOM-
PLIsH THAT OBJEcT-RAcE OF THE FOUR SOLDIERS
ACROSS THE BATTERY, PROTECTED BY THE POLICE
AND PURSUED BY THE MoB-How THEY WERE PRE-
VENTED FROM GETTING TO THE POLLS IN TIME TO
v0TE-sRvERAL BRUISED HEADS, BLOODY NOSES
AND BLACK EYES, But NOBODY SERIOUSLY IN
JURED.
All the wards Of this district with the exception OF the
Fret, were unusually quiet. In this locality. however
there considerable trouble and for time il
feared that there would be serious riot appears that
. body Of soldiers numbering about thirty altogether,
and who at present stationed Governors Island
bad determined TO their privilege citizens and
vote IN the First ward within the boundaries Of which the
island is situated Who they intended 70 vote for is
known perhaps only TO themselves; but tho walbridge
party say that they had agreed TO deposit their bal
lots for sickles They also took the ground that
the soldiers had NO right 70 vote at all in the
First ward while the other side contended that
they had perfect right 10 do so, Governors Island
= within the limits OF the First ward II further stated
by the wabrdge party that the sickles men had en-
gagged steamboat 10 bring them over to the city, and as
they resolved prevent them from voting they as
sembled in great numbers on barge Office pier where
4 was understood the soldiers were 70 land Whatever
truth there may been in the report that the soldiers
had agreed TO vote sckles IL is fact that there was
steamboat at the barge office p1, about half pas three
and it's also fact that there about thirty Of the
soldiers from the island board Of her. But the Wal
bridge party possession of the pier and they were
determined that they should not effect landing there
Al this time about Ave hundred persons assembled,
and as the crowd had mos, ecllgerent aspect was
feared that there would be serious riot Mixed up with
the wabrdge men number Of sckes adherenss but
they a small minority As the boat approached the
pier the soldiers assaed with groans an told that
they had right TO vote in the First ward that they
we're sckes and that they had better 30 back again
10 the island As any attempt land in face OF such crowd
might been attended with serious consequences the
soldiers wisely concluded await the arrival police,
when !, was thought they would be able 70 get TO the
pos The officer stationed At this point unable TO do
anything BY himself reported the condition Of affairs 10
che Captain Of the Fret district al the station house,
Franklin market A detachment Of eight men, under
seYscans Dege were Immediately sent 70 the Of the
disturbance, where he found the pier completely occu
ped by the crowd while the beat lay out distance
m the river The police forced their way on 20 the per
and endeavorcd TO dispcrse The p"opc-a rather difficult
matter with small force. AT one period the police
themselves were In some danger, and one ofhcer was
nearly thrown overheard, whether by accident or
design We are however, unable 10 say. While the police
were cndeavorng 10 get them OF the PIER the steamboat
was observed In the act of urpo II TO 60 up the North
river vhcn q cry was Immediately raised that the sol.
d~rs we're about be landed the other edo OF the
esasen Island ferry station. grand rush imme-
ansely made for the point .ndlcated as tho place
cf landing, and in few minutes the pier was com.
plesey deserted. But n. the police happened to bo in
~ xkc afso and
roughly handled by the crowd they found necessary, at
shs stage Of tho proceedngs bring their clubs into
oustion, and il is almost unnecessary 10 add that
they used them with considerable effect upos the
heads Of the rioters. Sergeant Dcgc was by this
time aware that II he would put stop 70 me dis
turbancc and protect the soldiers In their right 10
vosc would be necessary 10 have larger police
force He accordingly tecgrarhed for reserved force,
and Ia duo time detachment OF sixteen men from the
Tfnrd ward station house arrived the ground. This
made force of twenty four but in addition 10 this there
we're about dozen Of the barbor police and requsion
having also been made upon the police headquarers the
Mayor applied to the Commissioners Cor detachment o
forty or sy The presence Of these afterwards found
90 be unnecessary but the Mayor himself sccomps
pe By ten or twelve detectives Tue arrival Of these hap
pcned at most oppor,une moment for the crowd were,
a. we have said treating the police rather roughly and
although none Of them had received serious injury yet
cut aud bruised They resalaied, however,
with enfcd force and tina, part Of the crowd which came
In collision with thcm of decidedly the worst Among
the crowd Alderman Wilson, who, is said, took
sc,ive part preventing the landing Of ,ie soldiers
ny the time the Mayor reached the Battery the crowd
had increased TO about sx hundred and the aspect Of
affairs looked very threatening said that the rva
factions were armed Nth pistols and knives but vet
nobody was either shot stabbed although IL SCENE
impossible 10 quell the disturbance without loes NJ life
now became apparent that any attempt Of the set
.isrs 10 force landing would result serious aday
shcy abandoned the attempt and directed their course
brooklyn, where they landed -Four Of the most re
,olutc determined, however vote and crossed
over the Hamilton ferry Cor the purpose but
sbe crowd anticipated them, and on their arrival
erected them with perfect storm of groans aud
vocifcrafions. AS the mob had evidently made IN
shor minds that not even this small complement
,f the force ffom Governors Island should reach
,he rolls they pressed around them as they le
che Jerry boat and commenced jostlng and shouderuQ
sbcu about. The Mayor now appeared with his squad
and told the soldiers that they must run for they cx
ectcd to reach the voting place in time His squad
were ordered "a protect them in their race across the Bat
scry 10 No 90 Greenwhch street, where they expected
a. dcposit their ballots about twcnty minutes
81 Ave when they commenced the race. and as there
remained but exactly eighteen minutes before the polls
,,sed no tlme b. lost Away they went a. fast
sba, cg could carry them in sIragh line tor No. ",