The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-14
THE ELECTION IN THE EIGHTEENTH
WARD


WARD.
Inc following statement of the way in which
things were managed in this ward, at the election
on Wednesday, has been received by us from per-
fectly responsible and trustworthy source, and we
publish it as an appropriate pendant to the account
furnished by our reporter yesterday:
In the 18th ward, the judges of election apparent
~ considered themselves the servants of the Gamer
lean Council, and left all preliminaries to the
olrecuon OF the Executive Committee" This
committee decided the place of holding the polls,
and had the election at the point where ''The Ran
ters" most 40 congregate, and which is understood
to be their headquarters. The COMMITTEE" also
maze mac an other arrangements, which merely
the taking OFT the shutters from the window where
the voting was to be done, and the taking out Of
the lower sash, which two operations rendered it
impossible for the window to be closed how much
soeyer the Judges might at any time desire it.
No barrier railing or gangway was put IN to IA
eilitate the access to the polls or the egress from
them. The voting progressed quietly and rapidly
the Keformers voting largely in the majority till
about noon: At this time Gregory Barrett with
crowd of Grip Raps' appeared and by move
ment manifestly preconcerted with the 'Ranters''
and 'Mt Clare Club, took possession of the polls.
IN The ralIying cry was "clear the gangway,' and
the plan, evidently, to intimidate BY noise and
d buster, and to carry the Reform men from
the vicinity of the polls by main strength
rather than to injure them by blows, and the
project was to considerable degree success
made by Barrett and his gang upon two Young
lawyers, Geo. h. Gather and A. L. Knott and both
OF them were severely beaten The polls were
taken possession Of with cheer upon cheer for their
candidate, and as about this time he came up and
voted for himself he was greeted with three cheers
The ehallengers of the Reform party were violently
hustled and carried from the polls, and not able
subsequently to resume their places. From this
Time hardly naturalized citizen was allowed to
vote, ana many others were driven from the polls
or assaied with needles and avis as they ran the
guantlet of the ruffans who stood in front of the
WINDOW e Inc polls were scene of the utmost
CONFUSION and disorder, although there was not a
great amount actual violence in the shape of blows
Francis Page, Esq, ofthe firm of Geo. Page & Co.
was thrown down, trampled on, and severely kicked
laee, breaking his nose and greatly disfguring
MIN, ana several others were maltreated with more
or less severity. Prominent among the rioters and
disorderly were two clerks from the office of Geo.
T. Sangston, Clerk of the Superior Court. depu-
" warden OF the Jail, conductor upon the west
eTn emo OF the City Passenger Railroad and certain
other sub-otcials are said to be implicated in the
rotous disorder that prevailed through all the lat
ter part OF the day. Of course the professional
pullies and roWdies were at all times in force. A
part OF the police did their duty courageously and
manfuly Among them should be named Sergeant
Stansheld, Ofhcer Frazier, No. 207 Understood to
De named Brown, and two or three others whose
names or numbers could not be ascertained
w th1s reporter; At the same time the
police force was wholly Inadequate to the preser-
vatlon OF order part of the officers on the ground
sympathized too strongly with the rowdies to use
any earnest, energetic efforts to subdue them and
Nelson Holland, and others of that stamp after be-
ing arrested and taken from the ground soon re-
turned and were quite as riotous as before They
were allowed to shout and hurrah, and hustle and
crowd in wantonness the legal voters They raj
hed to the cry OF go you little feowsI' and had as
a standard a small stuffed imape which thev die
played as the head of their band at one time march
ing IN very formidable numbers in regular order,
singing their war song, up to the very polls with
out molestation, taking possession, voting them
stuffed att hand the judges received the ticket.
There was no fairness from the beginning. The
majority Judges appointed both the clerks of the
election, following no doubt the orders of their
masters, the ''Ranters," and fixed the polls at
house which was understood to be A perfect arse
nal for use in an emergency, and His Honor the
Mayor on being appealed to refused his interven-
ton. They then declined to have any railing or
fenced gangway in aid of the police: their room
was so arranged that its window could NOT he closed
and II other efforts to suppress an honest vote had
tailed, had no means for preventing its suppression
alter the manner adopted in the Goth ward. The
Americans" took possession of both sides of the
wlndow-allowed the Reform party no challenger
ana inundated by shouts and buster and threats;
ana When IN day was over were loud and open in
thelr threats OF vengeance against many of our
most respected and prominent citizens.
Another correspondent furnishes the following
cumulative evidence of the same state of facts:
EIGHTEENTH WARD.
The polls of this ward held Hons street near
Schroeder; the judges John Bradswood John P
Brotherton, and L. F. Refsnyder. Capt Brown had the
direction of the police in this ward The voting here was
carried on quite rapidly the police forces keeping the
pOls clear and allowing every voter opportunity
approach and deposite his vote Before noon fight
took place between two of different politics and
both were arrested and confined in the Western station
house. ~ 0
Everything in this ward was quiet and orderly
until about noon, when a crowd of men, with Greg
DRY Barrett at their head made their appearances
and instantly cleared the window and took posses
SION The police for the moment were unable to
meet the emergency, and several persons were
very badly beaten;-their numbers were such as to
induce several gentlemen to go to the Mayor for
aid Mr.. Swami Immediately repaired to the
ward, but portion of the rioters had left and the
balance became quiet the moment he reached the
ground. After receiving the plaudits of the crowd
ne retired, and in a few minutes'not less than
dozen persons were driven away-some with their
coats torn off, others badly beaten. One gentle
man, large machinist in the ward, was Knocked
down and kicked in the face until his nose was
badly broken, and others notified to leave the pols
as a.; the police would be unable to protect them
This state of affairs continued off and on until the
polls closed. WV