The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-13
The Riot at Detroit.

ny innocent persons suffered at the hands of
furious mob. Some days ago a mulatto
man named Faulkner was unprecedented on a
charge of committing brutal assault on an
orphan child about 9 years of age, and the
more disorderly among the community de-
termined to take him from the hands of the
authorities and infl:ct summary punishment
on him. While being taken from the court
house to the Jail in the afternoon. guarded
by soldiers, the mob rushed upon the priso-
ner to rescue him, but he was got inside the
building unbarmed. Some of the guard
fired on the mob. ii is said without orders,
and killed man named Charles LANCER and
wounded several others. The Detroit Free
Press thus describes what followed:
"The cry of death and vengeance ran
through the crowd like an electric shock.
The sight of the bleeding corpse of the dead
man, aid the groans Of half a dozen who
were wounded, kinded anew the flames OF
INSTRUMENTATION and frenzy. The Germans,
especially, were maddened beyond deserip-
ton, because their countrymen had been sac
rifced, as they thought and expressed it, to
protect negro who was deserving of tor
ture and death. The excitement among all
classes, however, was intense. Being batlied
in tier attempt to rescue the criminal, they
sought other channels to give vent to their
malice.
The first house where a negro family re
sided, one end of which was used as a coop
er shop, situated Oh Beaubien street, was as
saulted with bricks, paving stores and clubs.
| About a dozen negroes were at work in the
| shop or stopping in the house at the time.
| The most Of them were armed, and fired sew
era shots into the crowd from the windows.
taking effect in several instances, but not
fatally ;njurins any one, as far Us could be
| ascertained.
| As each shot from the negro hovel reverbra-
ated through the vicinity, the fendishness OF
the mob became more manifest and their
desperation more dreadful. The fire arms in
possession OF the negroes deferred them
from entering, for it would have been Amos,
certain death for any man to attempt it.
ANY missile that could he obtained WAS huri-
ed at the rendezvous of the negroes he
windows and doors burst open, and every
/ thing DESTROYED uhcl could be seen By those
outside. Finally, finding that they could
not be forced OFT of their hiding place in any
other manner, tae match o. tae iEcendi3rg
was placed at one end of the buiiGIng and
in very short time the fans spread so a,
to e..voop almost the entire iui!dirg. The
!
/ ties description.
With the building 4 perfect sheet q; liyil
| fame. and outside It crowd of b!ncd-,hirS' y
rioters. some Of whom we've standing AZ III,
doors with reviewers III their hands. waiting
for their victims t. appear, It was Il trui,
! pltabe and slckeu;Hs sight. The pnol
wreicheS inside were almost frantic viii
fright, undecided whether 10 remain AMI di,
/ by means Of the Gevour,ug element. or sui
fer the almost CERTAIN terrible fate wuici
/ awaited them At the ian.!> ot the ,nerc;l->,
crowd. There was 10 more mercy tx.,,..te,
/ 10 TIE SIsftfinI creatures th.n would Lay;
been shown 10 te>nalc. No tears coui,
move. no supple .rion as-uaye the nw.r.
/ frenzy and dem rElacL. spirit Of r.y,n.
which hal takcn Possession Il that mass e.
people. OAo cn.ugei woman made her M
p.-trance II TIE door With child in hrl
arms. and appealed! 10 the mob fl me.cy
. The mo"suou> tact must NJ tnlI-'Lr IA.
tai appeals were ne, vi. 4 .huN-r -. h-:cA>
>t.nc~ AL c.uh>. 'si'l:.@ ..f-.: and -.
babe Il. lar AIMS ,t,r -. hr..H. iUi..lu-.
~ this juac;u:, 81" miI. bowed Ia n."r
cy al this c,sars.iy and .uhumd, ACT. ru>he.
to ter assistance. brive.y and non,v prorec:
/ ing her pcr>pi. from the violence which l.lei,
en"d her. BaI the negroes found 10 >uci
protection. they were driven gradually I,
the windows and dcuTS. where they wc,,
riurdcGous.N U>S.lied with every s..,c.es ol
weapons, inc udiUg ants, >pdIi, ana c.u, $
and everything wl!cn could h. used as .
means nt attack. The frightened creature,
wCre a!muS; as ms lGc with fright rs ihril
prosecutors were with ml;i;.t>>. As tie,
cane cut they were beaten AMI bruised l. +.
terrible manner. their sh:;. Ks ai.d :c1tns or.
~ exciting tie mob 10 further exer;ons Il!
brutal work. Several II item were knock
ed down with axes and left for dead. but al
terGard recovered only to be- again set upo.
and cruelty beaten to aSensibity.
il" scenes winch followed were of SINH
lar naturc. Old men. 80 Yeas of age. were
not in the least respected. hut knocked down
with the same iiau!ish vinl;cli"eneSs which
characterized al the other proceedings OF
the day. After the first building had been
reduced to ashes, Ii" appetite for arson had
only been whetttd, az! not az al appcased.
As night approached they "rew bol,ler. AMI
did not scrupe to commit the worst crimes
upon the calendar with perfect IMMUNITY.
Inc work OF destruction then progresset!
with fearful rapic.ity. No sooner was one
building burned than another VS. set On fire.
some OF them being sevcra! blocks apart"
! The account goes on to state that acts OF
ncendi Irlsm we're SO Numerous that at one
tne IN the afternoon it appeared as ii the
prlnelra! portion OF the t1irI ward was on
fire. Various buildings in other paris of
the city We're fired Turbulence reigned su.
preme. Men moved about in all Quarter,
with the must fiendish purposes.
Sixteen Of the rioters, or persons who
were present with them. were wounded
LANCER was the OILY whit mar killed. OF
the negroes, report says several were killed.
but nothing definite as to the facts IS known.
n large number were very seriously injured,
and many Of then, will no; recover.