The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1868-01-23
RIOT IN RBPUBLTO.
Assault BY Town Boys on the Students
OF the Academy -fhe Trial---Six RI.
Oters Bound over % Court.
GREAT EXCITEMENT.


We made brief mention last week Of
riot in Republic. Oar correspondent Of that
point furnishes the following sccOust Of the
affair,
Our villagers and the country for miles
around have for more than a week, been
wrought up to high state Of excitement,
by reason Of a rio, which occurred here on
the night Of Jan. 3. The grounds Of the
Seneca County Academy, q time honored
Institution Of learning located here, which
has for sOme time past, been under the super
intendeuce Of Prot. witter, were invaded by
a mob Of rioters from the village, with the
avowed purpose OF "cleaning out the princi-
pal and students Of the Academy" On the
night in question a Literary Society Of the
students Of the Institution was being held
in the college building. With precoucerted
action the rioteS went to the college green,
and cent their spies to the windows of the
building. TO repor, ifeveryihing was favorable
for the attack. As a dceoy, they stationed
the younges, Of their band at, and inside the
college gate, while the older members Of the
mob made flank movement farther TO the
north and not far from the northwest corner
Of the college grouuis Having thus taken
their position, the spies reported hvarably,
the sis-al agreed upon was given, and with
the sbrin note # the "war-whoop'' ringicg
out on tho evening air, the riot began Pre-.
vious to this however, the delibe.' '@'Ions OF the
debating society having been in,erisrcd WIN
by the noise Of the mob, the Principal orSv; ID
the rioters to "disperse." The noise cohtin-
ued aud the students fearing that tbs brick
ba's thrown against the fence would be next
thrown In the windows, went out with their
Professor at their head, to drive the rioters
from the grounds OF the Institution, and
order those in the road to "disperse.' They
succeeded in e1pelling them from the inclo-
sure Of the college They then went into
the roal and ordered the mob to disperse to
their homes, while there tho students were
again assaulted and some Of them hurt The
college party stood fcarlessly among the in
hiriAtcd rabble insisting ou their rights and
demanding that they should be "lct alone, :
They failed to suppress the riot IL the road
though they drove their a5sailants from the
inclosure. Their deliberations were Hler.
wards intcrfered with BY the bAehanalian
noises of the crowd who made night vocal
and hideous with their shouts aud blasphe
mics. Eleven OF the rioters were arrested,
and brought before his honor, Mayor Colwell,
and tried for riot. For three days Wcdnes-
day, Thursday and Friday the large "City
IIalr Of the village was 6lled with people
from town and country, 70 witness the pro-
ceedings Of this trial. 1t was a contest be-
tween the friends Of "law, order, and learn
ing" and the friends OF the mob, and well
1t is for the peace OF this community that
the former triumphed.
The action was brought by the Marshal
Of Republic In behalf Of the State Of Ohio.
Attorneys for the State were Judge Seney
and Way, for the defence Messrs. Payne
and Smith. Judge Seuey Of Tifin, made
the closing speech for the prosecution, on
Friday night, to tie largest audience OF
both ladies and gentlemen ever assembled
in Republic. lie dwelt not only on the
facts in the case, but discoursed most elo.
quen,ly on the importance OF sustaining
law and protecting seninaiics OF learning.
lie rung the tears from some Of the defend.
ants themselves as he discoui sed ION the
downward road Of erime.n The six ring
leaders Of the mob, those who made the
flank movement TO the north, and began
the attack at tho northwest corner Of the
college grounds, were held to bail for the
crime Of riot.
In this trial the Mayor, the Common
Council, the Marshal, and vast majority
of the people have evinced their dciermn-
alton to sustain law and order, and sustain
the Seneca County Academy Much credit
is due to Prof. wittsr for his efforts to de-
rnd this Institution which has long been
the pride OF Republic. A. CITIZEN.