Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-03-05
THE DoINGs OF A SOLDIER MOB

We mentioned several days ago the destruction of
newspaper Office at Keokuk Iowa, by mob of soldiers
because had expressed sentiments which did not accord
with their ideas Of editorial proprety Letters to the
Chicago papers, dated at Keokuk the goth instant give
the particulars of the affair The letter to the Times says
Yesterday afternoon about three clock squad ofaoout
forty convaescent soldiers entered the Constitution Office
The who appeared to be in command gave the word
/" Halt when the squad halted He then ordered one
of the party 10 read the orders. The addressed
pulled paper out of his pocket and read the follow
ing resolution:
HEADQUARTERS U. SOLDIERS,
Keokuk, (IopaJ February 10, 1861
We the undersigned soldiers of the United States army
being fully convinced that the influence of paper published
in this city, called The Const tuition edited by Thos Caget,
has exerted and Is exertng reasonable Influence neAcu
sable by sodiers the Government for which
have saked all the present crisis therefore con
slider duty ourselves brethren in field
families AT home Government and God to de-
molsh and into the Mississippi river the press and
chnery used for the public of the aoresad and
any person persons that interfere so help us God
At the time Of the entrance into the Office and on the
reading of the above precious document there only
two persons present in the Office As the reading
Of the resolution was over the leader gave the order
" Forward men, and 20 to work" The rioters mme.
datey pulled out from under their coats the sledge
hammers aud OF her tools with which they provided
went into the pressroon aud ten minutes the press
broken up and carried into the street They also threw
into the street the files of The daily and all the Imprinted
paper the Office. Having cleaned out the lower
they went stairs and went through with the pe
ration in the composing room, and also in the job
making complete destruction Of every thing And
crey and quietly had the thing been managed that the
| ruin accomplished almost before the citizens knew
what going The property of the Office totally
destroyed aud two loads carted down to the river and
| thrown in"
Though the town and the military authorities suf
fceny aroused before the outrage completed it does
not appear that any of the persons engaged 10
rested The Sheriff endeavorei to suppress the mob BY
armed posse but he thwared it is said, in OBJ
tanning from the State Armory by military officer
According to the correspondence of the Chicago Tribune
be found inside of the armory"a of bayones, witt
some stalwart energetic behind them" who admon
| ished him to desist He could do nothing Even
tuay the mob dispersed by lieutenant Of the pro
guard who it appears had before unsuccessuly in
terposed. We quote from the Tribune:
THE military commander again appeared with the pro-
guard and ordered the soldiers to dperse but they
not ooeyng his commands be brought the guard to aim,
preparatory to firing This brought out their reyovers
10 number OF nearly hundred and twenty, and the
officer seeing that it not prudent to proceed further
aud that soldiers deposed to go back to then
quarters having completed their work, aud feeling that
was better unnecessary bloodshed desised
from any further action than that OF posting few senne
| to protect what lett when the men retired"