The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-12-16
How the North Behaved In a n
Insure ctiOn--Interesting Re-
EainiScenCeS

The Abolition eulogists, and Republ-
can apologists and sympathizers of John
Brown and his murderous scheme for the
instruction of negroes and the murder of
innocent women and children, have pro-
voked the New York Express, to revive
the following "reminiscences in The history
of Gotham-it was the negro plot OF 1871.
The city of New York then con tanned about
5000 inhabitants, Of whom only 1900
were slaves. 1t says:
"On the 18th of March, fire occurred
in the fort, which consumed the Secreta-
rvs Office and the Dutch Church. About
week later, another, though inconsider-
able fire occurred, and, within two or three
weeks later, some half-dozen more, most Of
them, however, only the burning of Chin
news. These frequent fires, together with
a prevalent belief that great deal Of pet
ty robbery was carried on by the negroes.
with the aid of certain white men, gave
rise to a general uneasiness, which soon
increased to panic This was greatly
heightened by proclamation offering re-
ward of hundred pounds for the discoy-
cry of the incendiaries. The reward was
too tempting to be long resisted. An in
dentured servant womansoon after obtain
ed her freedom and the hundred pounds,
| by pretending to divulge /. plot formed by
her master, low tavern-keeper, named
| Hughson, and three negroes to burn the
city and burn the entire white population
This information was like spark among
timber. The rhoze population aocs hrown
into a parorysna Of rage and fear The
military paraded The streets almost continu
ally. The accused parties were arrested
aud hurried to the Jail, and the utmost
rage against the negroes indamed every
breast. So intense was the panic, that the
most unreasonable and contradictory state
ments were greedly caught up, and the
least suspicious circumstances were con-
structed as plain evidence against the &C
| cused.
In a short time one hundred and fifty
four negroes and twenty suspicious whites
were lodged in prison. The following is
the way the lawyers behaved on the occa-
sion:
There were at that time only eight law
yers in New York, all of whom volunteer
ed their services to the Government, and
assisted by turns in the prosecution, leav-
ing the miserable prisoners without the aid
ofcousel. TO obtain the required evidence
upon which to base a sentence, pardon and
freedom were offered to any who would
turn Kings evidence, and by this means
any amount of testimony, to almost any
fact, could be obtained. While there was
no one to say single word to the accus-
ed, the lawyers We'd with each other in
scurrility, in heaping abuse upon them, in
which they were outdone by the judge,
when he came % pass sentence. Many
purchased their own lives by confessing
their participation in crimes of which it
was afterwards proved they knew nothing
and accusing others; and, strangest of all,
some confessed at the stake their guilt,
who knew nothing of the things with
which they were charged.
This is the result:
As the result of this bloody delusion,
thirteen were burnt, eighteen hanged and
serenity transported. The public blood
seemed now to be somewhat satisfied, and
the frenzy began to abate; a reaction at
length ensued, and the persons remaining
in prison were set at liberty.