The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-23
RIOT In ST. LOUIS.
A Mcclellan Meeting Broken up
bV Soldiers,
Three Men Badly WOundcd...Cap.
ture of Flags and Transparencies.

From the st. Louis Democrat, 18th.
Last night the street in front of the Lin.
dell Hotel was the scene of one Of those
outbreaks of violence of which the political
canvass now in progress promises to be
prolific. 1t is always difficult to ascertain
the exact origin and cause of mob, and in
this case we shall state only what we saw
| and heard.
About half-past seven O'Clock the friends
of Col. Tom Fletcher held meeting at
Guenadons, on Washington avenue, be-
tween Fifth and Sixth streets. The meet
ing was largely attended, and was con-
Quoted in an orderly manner, and without
the slightest disturbance. At the same
hour Mcclellan meeting was called .on
the same street, and within square of the
Fletcher meeting. Bands of music were
playing at both meetings, and sky-rockets
were sent up from both places. The
Fletcher meeting was just organized, and
Judge Daley was addressing an attentive
audience, while the leaders of the McClel-
Ian party were grouped around stand in
front of tho Lndell, few PAGES west of
the main entrance. This stand was sur.
mounted by two American flags, and a
number of transparencies were upheld on
the sidewalk and over the stand, inscribed
with such notices as McClellan's Re-
port" "Does this remind you Of any
joke ?" 81 owe no thanks to any one in
Washington, &c. A locomotive head
light was mounted on q tall box or table
at the east side of the stand, and there was
table for reporters, but no reporter had
taken seat on the platform.
About a quarter before eight o'clock,
Judge Krum, John B. Yore, B. Doran
Killian, and other leading Mcclellan men,
were standing in the midst of the obnox-
ious transparencies, and alarge crowd was
collected in the street opposite, and around
bonfire on the corner of Seventh street.
Among the crowd Immediately in front of
the stand were thirty or forty soldiers,
without arms, some of whom gave an oc-
casional cheer for cold Abe" While the
leaders were preparing to organize the
meeting, stone was thrown, striking one
of the transparencies, and knocking it
down, but the man who held it righted it
up again. Then shower of stones was
thrown, and the crowd parted in the mid
die, some skedaddling toward the east,
and others rushing pell-mell in an opposite
direction, few taking refuge in the hotel.
For moment the stones fell fast and fu-
rious, knocking down the transparencies
and breaking one of the large glass win
dows (seven feet in height and four or five
of the lights in the front windows. 1t is
said that stones were thrown at the SOL
diers, and that they returned the compli-
ment by stcning the transparencies, but
there is some doubt about this-the prob
ability being that the soldiers considered
themselves insulted by the inscriptions on
the transparencies, and took this method
to retaliate.
After the crowd had dispersed, several
soldiers went forward, knocked down and
tore up the transparencies, pulled down
the platform, upset and broke the lOcOmO-
tive lamp, and bore off the two American
flags, shouting Hurrah for Lincoln!'
In few minutes the crowd returned,
and with rueful countenances surveyed
the wreck Of the Mcclellan platform, the
remnants of the notices, and the broken
windows. An enthusiastic Little Mackerel
picked up piece of the tattered transpa-
rency which had borne the inscription,
"Does this remind you of a joke ?" and
stuffing it in his bosom as a mementO, re-
marked, "Yes, this reminds me of very
serious joke"
While the stones were flying thickest,
we observed one of the acknowledgements,
with his back to the wall, grasping the
poll that sustained one of the Transparent
cies, and evidently bent on becoming a
martyr. 1t is reported that he held on to
the stock to the last, but surrendered the
motto to the Infatuated soldiers.
The police then ordered the crowd to
dispense, and squad of soldiers marched
in, formed a line in front of the counter,
and at the word forward, march !"
moved toward the front door, clearing the
Office of all except the guests.
At O'Clock the excitement had died
away, large guard of soldiers and police
men were posted on the streets, and there
was no further disturbance.
During the first stampede on the street
an old woman and several little girls were
knocked down and trampled on by the
crowd, and an old gentleman was struck
| in the side with stone. Several carriages
were standing in front of the hotel at the
beginning of the riot, but they formed in
ambulance order and moved rapidly to the
rear to wait for the wounded.
While the soldiers were carrying off the
captured flags, Adjutant Braden appeared
upon the ground and spoke to the soldiers,
who, at bis bidding, retired to their quar-.
tiers. Col. Baker was also on the ground,
and made diligent inquiries to ascertain
! the origin of the riot. Lieut.. Thorp, Of
the Provost Guard, exerted his authority
to restrain the soldiers, and Capt. Jone:
was on hand armed to the teeth, to restore
quiet.
The damage to the Lindell Hotel will
amount to several hundred dollars, and:the
Mcclellan Club are out Of pocket some
$3.50, for the locomotive headlight to say
nothing of their transparencies and flags.
The fletcher meeting got through with
their business without backing an eye OF
making a nose bleed, and adjourned IN
good order.
The Richmond Examiner Of Sept
10th says that the body of Gen. Morgan