Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-08-22
Riot at Concord, New Hampshire
A Newspaper Office Destroyed.

The riot at Concord, New Hampshire, on
Thursday, was serious affair." The return
ed soldiers of the First New Hampshire
regiment took otiense a. certain expressions
in the editorial columns of the Democratic
Standard a paper which has steadfastly op-
posed the Government and denounced the
war. a company of the soldiers procured
copies OF the paper, read extracts to an ex-
cited crowd and presently revolver was
fired, the ball passing into the building oc-
cupied by the Standard, narrowly escaping
some women employed in sewing machine
shop on the second floor. The publishers
Of the Standard, four in number, thereupon
appeared at the windows, armed with re-
volvers, guns and axes One of them very
imprudently reached forth Colt revolver,
shook it, and told the crowd they were well
prepared, and should defend themselves to
the last extremity. Those who composed
the mob answered with CALCULATIONS like the
following: ''Fire, you traitor lyon rebel
and Secessionist fire if you dare At
this time the City Marshal appeared and read
the riot act, & with great difficulty prevent
ed the soldiers from ascending the stairway.
John NJ. Hill, ESD, and several prominent
citizens endeavored to calm the excited pop
ulace, but with no effect; they then went
up to the Office and told the publishers that
if they would give up their arms they would
endeavor to protect their persons and pro-
perty. They agreed to this, but before any.
thing could be done the soldiers were at the
head of the stairs, and all parleying was at
an end. The rioters attempted to enter but
the door was bolted, and they commenced
staving out the pannels; firearms were then
freely used inside, and several of the crowd
were wounded one in the arm, another in
the hand, while bullets passed through the
clothes of number. The firing was dis
tinctly heard in the street, and thousand,
filed the way to long distance above and
below the building.
The publishers escaped into the attic by {
ladder, and the rioters took possession.
The work of demolition was now commenced
in good earnest; types, desks, paper of al
kinds, and in fact everything which is useC
about printing office, came tumbling dowr
upon the sidewalk in fearful manner
Bonfires were Immediately kindled, and the
relics of the Secession press were throw
upon the burning pile, while the soldier
gathered around the smouldcring ruins, ant
gave vent to their joy in the widest acclama
) tions. After the fires had somewhat abatet
, and nearly everything had been consumed
) the City Marshal went into the Office anC
. prevailed upon the rioters to go into thu
street.
/, The passages in the Standard which ex
| cited the ire of the soldiers were as follows
One article stated that the men would be al
. lowed to change from one company or regi
| ment to another in order to get clear o
t obnoxious or incompetent officers, and close,
: by remarking that
This may be the case with certain North
: ern New England regiment, a portion o
s which actually mutinied against the aboli
ton Colonel who commands it, before leay
;. ing for the seat of war A number Of hi
men having demanded a furlough to yisi
. their friends over Sunday, were refused
r Whereupon they formed into line an