Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-23
INVASION OF THE wORKHOUsE.

the Embellishments During the WeS
EinlaII Hours, and Release Ten %
tbcfr COmrntes-On Demand May
or Brown. Col Kausz Promises q
Return the Prisoners.
Between two and three O'Clock yesterday
morning, the watchman in the front Office o
the workhouse, in responding to knock a
the door, was confronted by squad 0
soldiers numbering from fifteen TO twenty
who unceremoniously entered the apart
ment without even saying by your leave
Once inside, they Informed the watchmah
that they wanted to have released couple
Of their comrades, who had been incarcera.
ted during the day. One of the prisoners
was the man Antoni, convicted Of being
implicated in the murder of policeman
Kennedy, but afterwards pardoned by Gov.
ernor Brownlow. The soldiers were in
formed that their request could not be COM
piled with, without first procuring written
order Of release from Lieut. Alexander,
who could be found at Che police head
quarters. No, they wouldn't hear of being
put to that trouble; they came to release
their comrades, and the job must be done
without further parley and suiting the
action TO the word, one of them snatched a
bunch Of keys hanging on the wall, declar-
ing that he'd see If the men couldn't be re-
leased, and that pretty quick.
The Waterman here asked permission TO
90 and wake up Capt. Everett, who was
sleeping in an adjoining room. This was
responded 10 by five of the soldiers point
ing their guns at him they were all
armed) and declaring he could not go. A.
number Of them now passed into the next
room, and one of them with the bunch Of
KEYS endeavored 10 unfasten the lock of the
iron gate, inside Of which the prisoners
were confined. They had not got the prop
er key, however, and they all went back to
the Office to get another bunch hanging up
there. In the meantime Capt. Everett
was aroused by the noise, and hastened
out to the room just vacated by the soldiers,
hastily slammed the door after them and
endeavored 70 prevent their second en-
trance. Atthe same time he called for Mr.
Brown who had been sleeping in thesame
room with him, and asked him at once
to fetch his pistol. At this juncture the
soldiers burst open the door, and seeing
Brown coming forward with the pistol, five
or six Of them Significantly pointed their
bayonetted guns at him, and ordered him
to drop the weapon. Thinking, under the
that discretion was the bet
ter part Of Valor, he dropped the pistol
The invaders then proceeded tounfasten the
iron gate, and released, besides the two
prisoners they firstinquired after, ten other
soldiers who were also confined. There
were six additional soldiers inside, who were
either asleep, or being awake, did not
make any attempt 10 escape. The released
captives and their liberators then walked
of in triumph. These are the facts as re-
lated to as by Capt. Everett 1t mas been
ascertained that the soldiers belonged to
the 34th infantry. Is ~
On being appraised of the affair yesterday
morning, Mayor Brown proceeded to the
headquarters Of Col Kauiz, commanding
the post, and laid the facts before him, at
the same time asking that the prisoners be
returned to the control Of the civil authori
ties. The Colonel said he regretted to hear
Of the occurrence, promised to return the
prisoners, at the same time requesting the
Mayor to have his request presented in
writing. On his return to town, Mayor
Brown promptly forwarded communica-
ton desiring that the released soldiers be
transferred back to the control of the civil
authorities. Up to last evening, no re-
spouse had been received to this document,
nor were any Of the prisoners returned.
About nightfall four of them made their
appearance at the workhouse and gave
themselves up. We heard il stated last
evening that some of the others had been
sent out 70 Gallatin, on the train which
left at noon. It is likely that Mayor
Brown will receive a communication from
Col. Kautz to-day concerning the affair.
There is one thing that has come TO be
pretty generally recognized-that the sol
diers stationed at Nashville are controlled
by rather loose military discipline. As long
as they are allowed to roam through the
city at all hours of the day and night, i'm
bibing bad whisky and getting into all
sorts of broils, how is it possible that our
city police, noted for their vigilance and
will not come in contact with
these disturbers of the peace 1t is sim
cerely TO be hoped that she commander of
the post will take measures to place uHder
wholesome restraint the men under his
command. If the soldiers are allowed to
go on in the course they have been pursu-
ing--doing pretty much what their bad
passions and inclinations suggest, the con-
sequences may some day assume very
serious shape. If there had been sufficient
force at the Workheuse on Friday morning
TO resist the armed invaders, who can cal
culate the fearful results that might have
ensued Capt Everett would have been
fully justified in resisting to the bitter end,
even If a score Of lives had been sacrificed
thereby.