The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-09
A STARTLING RUMOR.
Reported Organization and Preparation
for Riots In New YOrk-DiscOverieS and
DiscIoaures of tho Police.


Disclosures of tho Police.
We have received directly from the police
authorities Of the city information of recent
organizations which are now in progress for
resisting by violence and bloodshed, II neces-
sary, the execution and enforcement of the
Excise and other laws which are obnoxious
to o large class of our citizens. The infor-
nation is of a startling character, well calcu-
not make it public on any less reliable autho-
rity than that of the Police Department, or for
any other object than that which prompts that
department to give It. namely-to deter the
parties concerned In these conspiracies from
attempting to carry carry them into execution, by
fully prepared to resist and defeat them.
Ithas been for long time evident that the
enactment and enforcement of the Excise law
has engendered among the lower classes, espe-
cially of our foreign born population, feeling
of hatred towards the police, upon whom the
duty devolves of enforcing its provisions. We
have foreseen that this would be the natural
effect of such law, and have done our best
provisions as to avoid SO serious public
peril. This feeling OF hostility has been
ItiSge5yd tiag3or. dealers Iu who hoped BY this means
to defeat the execution of the Excise law. The
A. Kennedy and Police Justice Michael Con
molly has added fuel to the flame, and the entire
body of foreign labOrers are just now ripe for
the tumult they have so deliberately planned.
The professional thieves OF the city are also
active in the movement hoping 10 reap profit
during the progress of the riots.
For several weeks past the disahected popula-
tion in the different wards have held frequent
secret meetings at various points; At these
gatherings the language used has been OF the
most hostile and bitter character. Speakers
have alluded to the dreadful scenes enacted
during the draft riots Of July, 1868.
with evident relish, as though they
regarded them trtumphs. The Police
and the Excise Commissioners have been
cursed and threatened with vengeance for
their strictness In carrying out the provisions
| dealers who have been denied licenses have
taken an active part in these gatherings, and
fnnNyh hnu a xui mi Inn 1nFlfn M
the destruction of their business In short, the
meetings are described as having been wild
and frenzied In their denunciatlons and threats
Fully aware of these proceedings. the Police
Commissioners, through superintendent Ken
| nedy, have placed q select number OF reliable
| special detectives on the alert, and these off,
GERS succeeded in obtaining access to the meet
ings, in some instances taking active part in
| them, when they deemed themselves to be OBJ
jects of suspicion. The detectives have "spot-
ted" nearly every prominent leader in the
| movement, and in some cases they have kept
continuous watch upon their daily movements
| The Superintendent or Police has the names
| and residence of all these ringleaders, and the
| details of the entire movements are also fully
| known.
or course we have no positive details of this
| projected riot for publication, as the Police
| authorities consider them safer in their custody
| than with the general public. Enough has been
| told, however, to warn our readers OF the dam
] gers which threaten the community and mea-
sures should be taken accordingly. In case a
riot should break forth in our midst, the public
may rest assured that the authorities are well
| prepared for such an emergency, and cannot be
| again taken by surprise.
| 1t may be well in this connection to give a
! few figures relating to the fatal Casualties
occurring during the riots of 1868. The Police
| have ascerta1 ned, beyond any doubt, that there
were eleven hundred and hfty-fve persons
killed or died of their wounds received DURING
the 18th, l4th, 18th. and 10th OF July, 1858. OF
these there were twenty-five soldiers, police
men or negroes killed, leaving the humber of
rioters who met their deaths from wounds re-
ceiveo, eleven hundred and thirty. It will be
well also for those connected with this moves
ment In any way TO remember that none of the
are at the disposal of thepublic authorities In
case OF necessity, are now absent as they were
in 1S63.-N. Y Times. we"