The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-09-21


Special Dispatch to the Chicago Times.
INDIANAPoLIs, Ind, Sept. 10.-The
opponents Of President Johnson, regret
to say, are resorting to murderous attacks.
Upon several occasions he has been made
the recipient Of gross indignities since
leaving Chicago. These indigniiies have
eliminated in threats of assassination, and
his friends now consider his life in dan.
ger during the remainder of his tour
The drama which has just been enacted in
front of the Bates House, in Christian
Indiana, beggars all description.
The President was introduced to the
crowd by Sol. Meredith. and attempted
to speak, but the CROWD would not lie,
him. The President said "If you Will
let me speak five inmates, will -" [Shu,
up, YOU damned traitor, OF III shoot
YOU came from voice. Shoot the
damned traitor!' "Shoot him shoo,
hic, :" cried several voices Bang, bang
/ bang went three shots.
\ group Of Irishmen carrying trans,
parency with the notices, irshmen
welcome the President" were attacked
and severely beaten, and inliscrimnate
firing commenced-some twelve shots be
inc fired. 4 terrible scene transpireG, in
( which men with torches were beaten and
driven of by radicals, who were armed
with clubs and pistos
The mayor and police refused TO assist
and there are only % soldiers about, ard
they are three miles from town.
The President, Grant, Farragut, Custar
and many Others Of the gentlemen com
posing the Presidents party, witnessed
the whole affair.
Gen. Grant saw a dozen shots fred, and
remarked that it was the most disgraceful
scene he ever saw.
A large number Of Irishmen were in
jnred, including two who were severely
wounded. An organization called the
loyal league, with tattered flag, caused
! all the trouble hich was premeditated.
Gen. Grant commanded them to 90
home, which they did, all swearing that
the President should not speak in IndiaL-
apolis. Before the radicals dispersed
they had thoroughly cleaned out the Irish
clubs and the Johnson men, aud had the
field to themselves.
Our train was also "dIagged a short
distance this side of Terre uaute, brt was
discovered in time to keep it on the rails
Since my last dispatch there has been
another fight, in which Andrew Stewart,
an ilishmaD, was shot in the eye; Wal
ter Ruckel,, an old man, wounded in the
kEee, aud John Stay was shot in the
hand.
GEN. CUsTER's VERSION OF THE RIOT.
The following is an account of the In
dianapois riot AS witnessed by Gen, Gus
tar and Others, and may be considered
strictly reliable:
CINCINNATI, O., Sept. 70
GEN. S II. MEREDITH: SIR-In CONS
pliance with your request, and to correct
misrepresentation already published, |
give you the following statement of what
| saw of the disgr2celul riot which occur
red in indianapolis, on the evening of the
presidents reception in that city. l had
returned to my room from the supper ia
bic, where | had left the president and
most OF the party. The streets about the
hotel was densely packed by the crowd
waiting to see and hear the president -
Loud and continued calls were made
Tor johnson, Seward, Ora In, Farragut
and Others. | was seated in the window
Of my room, which was on the second,
story Of the Bates house, and Immediate
ly overlooking the crowd on the street.
Several hundred torches and Transparent
cies, bourne amid the crowd, rendered the
scene as light as midday, so that could
clearly distinguish the face of every per,
son in the throng below. am thus min
ute in details in order to prove TO you
hat could see all that was transpiriDg.
Nothing Of disorderly character trans
pired until marshal Of the day was seen
mak:ngbis way on horseback to the point
where the torch bearers were located.
After apparently receiving directions to
that effect they began to move off in col,
umns. This was the signal for an attack
by the crowd, which was begun by knock
ing down torches and transparencies with
clubs, and in some instances Wrestling
them from the hands of the holders.
This continued for space of probably
two minutes, although several in the pro-
cession had been struck and beaten. A
rush was made by the crowd, and the
torches forcibly taken possession of, and
the handles used as weapons by those in
possession. A transparency bearing the
motto The Irish American citizens well
come the President of the United States"
seemed to be a special object Of attack -
It WIS seized, but an attempt to lrample
it under foot failed, and was resisted by
the bearer. This was the signal for a
general attack by the crowd. This mo-.
ment the first shot was fired, aud as an at
tempt has been made to attach the re-
sponsibilitles of this outrage upon inn D
cent persons. and being in possession of
knowledge Which enables me to fix the
guilt where it belongs, | hereby state that
| saw the man who fred the first shot
when be fired it. He as.one OF the at
tacking party belonging to the crowd, and
his aim was directed into the processid D,
and at the bearer of tho transparency
referred to aboyc This vas a signal for
other shots, aud it was pot until dozen
shots had been fred tia. any were rs,