The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-09-03

Chairman, who was almost unanim ously
elected. He took his seat upon the
stand erected for the speakers ane
announced the object of the meeting tc
be The discussion of the question
touching the coming campaign and the
duty of the Irishmen of the Sixth,
Seventh and Eighth wards therein. He
said that it was proposed to discuss
; these issues in fair, impartial, and
honest manner. giving to each party q
fair show, and then allow each ane pres
ent to draw his own conclusions respect
ing which party was ri ght" lie called
for John Pope Hodnett, who had been
announced to speak. At the mention Of
MIR. Hodnett's s name-he being a strong
republican, and an Efficient one too-the
crowd inside, which seemed to have come
together with common understanding
as to what was to take place should an
attempt be made to go on with the meet
ing, groaned and hissed until the scene
presented was a perfect pandemonium,
with each one striving to out do his
neignbor In attempting to get up a
disturbance By the united exertions of
the Chairman and two or three of the
more orderly of the democrats, order was
finally restored, and Mr. Hodnett made
his appearance upon the stand He was
again greeted with groans, hissed and
coarse epithets, when a fellow named
John Comisky, a cheap politician Of the
copperhead order, who holds the position
of Alderman from the Eighth ward,
assumed the functions of the meetrng and
told the crowd to keep quiet. that after
Hadnett had finished, speaker from
''the other side" would be heard. The
crowd stilled down, snd MIR. Hoduett
began sn very forcible manner to set
forth the issues, when he was again
Interrupted bv the arrival of two more
companies of Boys in Blue, who march
ed into the hall and ranged themselves
by the side of the other company, cheer
ing loudly for Seymour and Blair. Al
derman Comisky again asked the crowd
to be silent, and Mr. Hodnett made a
third attempt to address those present.
| He had Just got through explaining his
position, when the Irish Tanners, escort
ed by portion of second Ward Tanners,
all under the commany of Major Green
hut, arrived and .:.s,::cchcd into the hall,
We are informed by members o. both
these organizations that during nearly the
whole of their march from the headquar
ers of the Sec c,nd Ward Club, at No
South Clark street, to the place of meet
! ing on Blue and avenue, they were
saluted with groans and misses by crowds
of men and boJs congregated along the
streets, and while OF Nan3uren street
they were repeatedly followed up and
assaulted with showers of stones sticks
and other missies, by which several OF the
tanners in each company were injured.
| The entire procession numbered about
| $50 men, ALL except the musicians carry
| ing torches The Second Ward Tanners
were from both companies, and comman-
| ded by Captain Naulty, of Company A.
| The procession was accompanied by the
Northwestern Light Guard Band, and a
drum corps which belonged TO the Sec
ond Ward Tanners.
When the procession reached the hall
on Blue Island avenue the Second Ward
| Tanners were ahead, tie Irish republic
ans following closely after them. Not
| less than 1,500-some say 2.00O-perSonS
were gathered in and about the building,
and from what subsequent y transpiscd
it appears that the crowd mao composed
chiefly of copperheads, who had gone
there for the express purpose OF break
ing up the meeting by mob violence.
The Irish Tanners bore several trans
parencies, which, on entering the hall,
seemed, to excite the ire of the rebels, aad
dive was at once made to obtain poses
sion of them, in order to destroy them.
A row was at once inaugurated, which
became general, and the White Boys in
Blue pitched in to clean out the Tanners
clubs. Pistols, and every available weap-
on was freely used by the Democrats
upon the Tanners, who, surrounded Us
they were and terribly outnumbercd, saw
that to resist would not only be useless
but foolhardy, and keeping together as
much as possible, they made for the
door, closely pursued by the blood-thirsty
disciples of Comisky, Rafferty,, Satan 4
Co. 1t is significant fact that while
the "White Boys in Blue, as they are
called invaribly carry torches when out on
parade at night, on this occasion they
carried only the sticks as weapons of as
sault. Thus it appears, from the very
manner in which they were armed, that
these copperheal wretches went there
with the deliberately planned intention
of committingjus such an outrage as was
witnessed.
When the Tanners reached the street
| they were 1mmedlately formed IN line Hy
General in Chief of the Tanner corps
who had just arrived in his carriage,
ready for defense should further indigni-
ties be offered, but they were determined
to protect themselves SO far as they were
able. In the meantime word had been
sent to Twelfth street station of the dis
graceful proceedings, and squad of
policeman sent to the scene they arriving
shortly after the Tanners reached the
street 1t was found several Of THEN
number had been badly injured by the
assaulting party, and one man fatally
wounded by pistol shot in the head.
Inside the hall sceae Of desolation
was presented. Broken torches, torn
transparencies, oil. pieces of flags, lamps
etc, were strewn over the floor, and in
three places where oil had been spilled in
the building it had taken FIRE, and for a
time there were prospects OF a huge can
hagration By the united exertions OF
the policemen and the republicans who
still remained in the building, the fires
were put out and further disaster pre-
vent. The Tanners, findingthat no fur
ther violence would be offered. marched
away cheering loudly for Grant and Col
fax