Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-09-12
The Murder Of O'Brien.

To show the devilish malignity of the par
ticipators in the late riot in New York, we
copy the subjoined account of the murder Of
O'Brien: t.1 a.
The mob made rush at him, and in an
instant he was knocked down, trampled un.
der foot. and the heartless, cruel mob were
upon him. His revolver was taken from
him; bis sword was broken into; fragments,
and every Ass that could get withiA reach s.,
every club that could be brought to bear;
every brick or stone that could be thrown
with true aim; every heel that could hit the
head Of the unfortunate man, were put into
requisition. In moment he was beaten in.
sensible, which fact is the only consolation
left to his friends, for the cruelties and indig-
mites offered afterwards to his body, had
they been endured by being capable Of feel
ing, would have been too horrible for be-
lief f.
Having been struck to the earth, he was
seized by hundred hands and dragged into
an alleyway, out of the sight of his wife and
children, and also almost in sight of his
troops, who, of course, had no idea of the
atrocities being perpetrated on their COM
mander, and there he was beaten and kicked
and dubbed for hours. The first blow was
struck this officer about 2 P. M.,-hc did
not die till P. NJ. All the intervening time
he was surrounded by the crowd, who refused
to permit any one to render him any assist
ance, and when humane druggist went to
him and gave him drink Of water. the mob
entered his store and gutted it from end to
end.
For all these hours this man lay there.
watched over by some Of the mob, and
whenever groan, or sigh, or heavy-la-
bored breath gave. token of life, there was
always a ready foot to kick his bleeding
head, or ready hand to dash his head
against the paving stone. And this where
his wife and children could almost see him
and hear his groans. At about 6 p. NJ, or
perhaps before, Father Clowry, clergyman
Of the Roman Catholic Church, who had
witnessed the whole scene, vainly endeavor-
ing to prevent the deed of violence, entreat.
ed permission of the mob to administer to
the dying man the Sacrament of Extreme
Unction. He argued to them, The man is
already dying; he can never recover You
have done your worst; now pray let me re-
move his body, and render to him last Offices
of our church" The answer was, "You
can do your Office here, and we will protect
you in it, but no one shall remove the man
from where he lies" Finding all further re.
monstrauce useless, the Rev. Father gave to
the dying man the consolation of the church
as he lay. He remained with him till he
died, which was at o'clock. Even then,
the mob would not permit him to be removed
but threatened with vengeance any one who
should approach the bleeding body. At
about 9 o'clock P. NJ, q new riot in another
direction attracted the attention of the crowd,
and, taking advantage of the lull in the ex-
citement, Fathers Clowry and McNulty OBJ
tanned possession Of the body, procured >
cart from the street. placed the corpse upon
it, and with the help of some bystanders
conveyed it to the dead house Of Bellevue
Hospital. fa'ts fi' 1Hei'aa'-'''. eeaR