The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-09-09
Lovioy and His Press.

"A WIAgOA Ava sAo ossO wy SA"ih
ing to be we'll informed, has tho follow
ing Of Lovejoy and his Press.
Thepress upon which IIovejoy priu-
ted his paper was attacked by mob
in the year 1888, if remember COR
rectly. The types were thrown into
the street and scattered broadcast; and
the press was broken up by tho use
Of q sledge hammer. That press was
too much broken to ever again be
used, except that part of it might
be made to do service as an "impos-
ing stone." This is doubtless the
part that was taken to Keosauqua.
A second press was purchased for
Lovejoy and placed in the second
story OF store occupied by one of his
special friends, but before this could
be set up an organized and disguised
company of men marched into the
store one evening, and, withoutspeak-
ing word, carried press and types to
the bank of the river and tumbled
them in.
Nor was this all. A third press
was purchased and stored in the
large stove warehouses of Godfrey &
Gilman, on the Levee. There it was
nightly guarded by its friends, who
were oil we'll armed. But the mob,
elated with their former success, gath
cred in large forcc and surrounded
the building. Finding themselves un-
able to d;slodge the defenders. of the
press, they attempted to fire the
building on the roof A long ladder
was pladed against one side of the
buildlng.ond one of the mob ascended
to the roof and SGT fire to it. At this
moment Lovejoy yentured out of the
door facing the river, and while in
the act of aiming his gun at tho in
cendiary, ESQ it was said) was himself
shot down by one of the mob who
was secreted behind q pileof boards.
The death of Lovejoy induced his
friends to withdraw into tho adjoin-
ing building; when the mob entered
AMI seized the press and types and
sent them to the bottom Of tho Mis-
sissippi.
Possibly few words in regard to
some Of the more prominent actors in
those scenes, may possess an interest
to some ofyour readers.
Lovejoy wasa Presbyterian preach
er, of a fine physical presence-lar-
ger than the average size--a clear
and fine eye (grey l think)--a fine
conversationalist and with an unu.
sually genial and social disposition.
His courage never seemed to iaulter
or finch one moment under all his
troubles and dangers. His pen was
remarkably sharp and powerful, and
was q constant terror to the advocates
of slavery, to whom he talked a.
fearlessly and plainly as Luther did
at the Diet of Worms.
One of his earliest, most efficient
and constant friends was the now
venerable w. S. Gilman--head oftht
well known Banking House of Gil
man, Son & Co., ofN. Y. Mr.. q. thor
conducted u large mercantile busi-
ness in Alton, and was remarkable
for his large and systematic benevo-
ience, and earnest devotion to human
needs and human rights.
Another of Lovejoy's friends wa
Royal Weller, who was shot in th'
leg, and stubbornly refused to let |
pro-slavery physician dress tn
wound. Ho afterwards married Love
joys widow.
Rumor stated that the man VIII,
shot Lovejoy, was subsequently Gu
to pieces, in Texas, in street broi
but the truth Of this l do no
vouch.
These two latter presses undoubt
edly were fished out to the river, an,
one may have gone to Fairfield, wi
Fulton, and the other to Indiana, q
claimed, but neither of them eperpri,'
ted Lougoy's paper, as he died befor
either could be brought into serrtce. Th
"piece ofthe True Cross pres
on which Lovejoy's paper was actu
ally printed-and which seems to b
claimed by SO many, was undoubtedl
the piece sent 70 Keosauqua abou
thirty yeais ago.
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