Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-07
The Election Yesterday .. Mob ssw
rtuapbanf..rhc he m oc rats Clean.
ed out.-Dtsgracefut scenes at the
Polls.

Thetownship election held at the Court House
IL this city yesterday the most perfect bur-
lesque on free election ever enacted outside OF
Baltimore or Louisville in the DAYS of Plug Ugly 4
rule. ard IL Is only owing to the forbearance Of
the Democrats a party that il did not result in
bloodshed We have no heart TO comment upon
the disgracefnl scene which has stamped blot
upon the fair fame Of our city. and but for our
duty as journalists would gladly leave the day
blank few facts must suffice TO give an idea
OF the manner Of conducting the election.
The Republicans as we stated Yesterday had
refused the Democrats n representation the
boards and 10 this decision in spite OF all remon-
STRANGE they adhered. This not very
promising introduction. and many advised the
withdrawal Of the ticket. This advice. however,
did not prevail The Democrats had full conf
dence in Gen. Darlington that he would enforce
the orders he had issued IN regard tn the military
and they hoped 20 be able 10 poll their strength
and take ther chances for the result.
For two hours or more after the poll was
opened, matters went on smoothly and pleasantly. 4
Candidates were around. electioneering ~ usual,
and their friends had tickets in abundance to
offer. Occasionally. some rabd Republicans
would dcnOunce ''Bntternuts, and look cross
at the persons who held Democratic tickets; but
no attention paid to them. and il was fOndly
hoped that the day would pass off quietly and
without any occurrence to add 20 the embittered
state Of feeling.
Gen. Darlington came on the ground about
nine O'Clock. saying that he had himself visited
the camps the night before, and gave personal in
structions as to enforcing his orders lie said
that the number of men entitled To vote would
not exceed two hundred and twenty-five. None
of the list regiment were raised here, and they
of course would not interfere with the election
The General had scarcely left the ground when
squads of soldiers began TO arrive, and they came
/ and ha tWn nHrQH and
twenty five were likely to string out to full regi
ment. The appearance of the soldiers was the
signal for loud talk and buster on the part Of the
bues who always frequent such places. Still
the Democrats kept quiet. They were determ
/ hed to have no general fight Two Republicans
| gentlemen Of standing in the community. Sims
/ A Collev and Mr.. w II Roll. got up the first
/ fight. They pitched into each other Among
the outsiders of the crowd it only known
t there was a fight up, and it CONCLUDED of
course that il was party fight The tiger had
got taste. and the fighting commenced shortly
after that Me-, who held Democratic tickets
within the enclosure were compelled To leaye If
they hesitated il would be proclaimed that they
had uttered n disloyal sentiment, and the mob
would run bowling after them The soldiers
were used by the cowardly political trcksters tor
4 this purpose. There provost guard sta
! ton on or near the Court house grounds, but
| they seldom or ever got to the scene of fight I'M
I'll the victim of mob rule was severely punished.
or had escaped by free of his legs In one
or two Instances they did probably save life, and
in several protected the wounded men from fur
Their violence by marching them off to place of
| safety
| Mr. Hoefgen one OF the candidates for Justice
of the Peace was chased by mob from the
Court House all the way to Temperance Hall
| n distance of three squares down Washington 50.
Officer Johnson of the police force. nterfered in
ol.lf hahn n.l, md
Pennsylvania streets. and enabled him to get the
| start of his pursuers. Ii noble act of Capt.
Johnson, and we hope he will not lose his place
! for il
Mr.. Burt a candidate for the nomination for
CITY Marshal on the Democratic ticket. was be
set by IA crowd. Every effort was made to draw
| him into n controversy He told that the
tickets he held in bis hand were Secession tickets.
The Cincinnati Enquirer and the Sentinel were
called Secession organs and Mr. Burt was told
| that any man who patroniZed them was traitor.
! He replied that he took those papers and intend
ed to take them-that he voted the Democratic
ticket, and intended to vote it, if he voted at all
| This the signal for general shaking of fists.
Mr. Burt told the crowd that f any one Of them
shook mis- fist under his nose. he would blow his
heart out He did not draw weapon, for he
was so hemmed up that he could not Three
policemen secured him from behind and lugged
him of on charge OF carrying concealed wea-
pons: and Mayor Maxwell fined him g 80 for
the offence
So they went on. Men could be running
for dear life pursued by n frantic and howlng
crowd every few minutes, until I'll those who had
taken an active part in supplying tickets were
driven from the precinct Prominent among the
ringleaders in these Outra,ges daguerrean
ARTIST named Crane who holds forth somewhere
on Washington street. He should be made a
Brigadier at
a.
and took refuge in bakery on the oppo,ite side
of Washington street. He passed through into
an alley in the rear, when his prosecutors again
got sight of him. He ran down Delaware street
towards the military Headquarters holly pur
sued. A full company Of military was then
drown. M and Gen. burlington witnessed the
chase but made effort at rescue. Perhaps il
was not his place to do so. We utter no com
paint for the General knows his duty better than
we do. We only state facts we get them from
; undoubted authority.
DR. Carter. elderly gentleman entered the
enclosure The cry was raised that he the
Secretary of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
and the soldiers were told Ito go for him " They
went. FOUNDERS with them. and rs he could not
run fast he was beat shockingly over the head be-
fore he was rescued by the Provost Guard They
protected him after they GOT him in their hands
and in all probability saved his life
About O'Clock the Democrats abandoned the
contest They sent men in different directions to
warn their friends and advise them to stay away
from the polls Many however, were deter.
mined to vote at all hazards and did do it,
Msjor Conklin. formerly of the 35th regiment.
went IN about o'clock. accompanied by Mr.
Richard Simpson and another friend He got
h- ticket and presented il, giving his name. lie
was asked what sort of ticket IL was. The re-
plv was that il the ticket he desired TO vote.
The Judges still hcsitated. The Major opened
out his ticket lie said he was Democrat, aud
a true Union He desired that ticket put in
the box. for he would vote no other Til, ticket
WIS put in. but the words ''go for him" was
passed around He detected one gentleman urg
Ing soldier TO attack him He told that Gen
tleman that he wanted no fuss with the soldiers.
but If he would step outside OF the crowd, he
could have all the fighting he wanted. The
craven shrank away. aud the friends. by sticking
together. got out of the bull pen unharmed. This
was the last Democratic vote cast, ~ far Ne we
know.
We have given but very few incidents of this
famous election hut enough. we presume, to give
mn idea of the mode Of conducting elections under
the new order of conducting things in this free
: country These can. all. aud many more. be
fully established rs facts, unvarnished facts, be
fore any Court. Aud yet this farce i called an
{ election.
What the vote will count out. We dont know
4 L, -, hs ftra