Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-24

The innocent spectator is hurt again. He is
always getting in the way when there is row
going on, and if anybody is hurt he is sure to
be the sufferer He don't mean any harm. He
is there just to see what is going on, bless his
innocent soul, and hasn't the slightest idea of
hurting anybody, and yet see how he catches it.
The real offender escapes but the poor innocent
spectator, who hasn't done anything but stand
around and look, wards off policemens clubs
with his head, and offers his body as a target for
the avenging bullet He complains bitterly
about it, if he be not past complaining alto
gether, his friends declare it is an outrage and
the entire press cry out "Too badP If he had
been doing anything now more than looking on;
if he had aided and abetted, if he had expressed
his sentiments on either side, the case would
have been different; but he was only an inuo-
cent spectator, curious to see what was going
on, which renders his case a very deplorable
one indeed. A sad fatality attends the innocent
spectator somehow. For instance, there is a
row in saloon he is passing. 1t don't concern
him at all, but he thinks he will just step in
and see what is going on. He enters the door
just in time to stop beer mug or some more
deadly projectile with his head, aud next morn
ing local paragraph concerning the row in
forms us mo one was hurt except an innocent
spectator" Again, two men are engaged in an
alteration in the street. Innocent spectator
happens along and stops to hear what it is all
about. Pistols are drawn. One of the belli-
gerents jumps behind innocent spectator and
fires upon his antagonist. Antagonist returns
the fire, and innocent spectator falls, shot
through the vitals. 1t is very hard case, to
be sure, but that is always the way with him.
Last Wednesday there was fearful riot in New
York. Innocent spectator couldn't keep away,
OF course not; he never can. He left his work,
his business, whatever it was, and went to look
on. He saw all the worst elements of mob
congregated in vast numbers, awaiting a favor
able moment TO begin the attack He saw, also,
nf and cd
armed with clubs and revoverS, and thousands
of soldiers not to be tritled with, whose muSkets
were known to be shotted ready to repel assault
in the most vigorous and effective manner And
yet he takes position to see the show as though
il was to be one OF the most peaceful ofpageants.
He gets the best place he can fnd-takes front
seat as it were-this guieless, unsuspecting
creature, where he won't miss any of it, and he
don't. The anticipated collision occurs. The
street resounds with the volleys of the soldiery,
and innocent spectator has the top of his head
blown off, or is desperately wounded. "That is
always the way" is the newspaper comment,
cit is the poor, innocent spectator who suffers"
Now why could't the innocent spectator keep
away, knowing the danger? He had no bust
ness there. Had it not been for the spectators,
innocent as TO their intentions, who thronged
the streets, there would have been no riot. With
none there but men that meant mischief the
problem could easily have been solved, but the
crowd formed the bulwark behind which the
cowardly rioters fired upon the procession, and
among whom they skulked away from recogni-
tion. A ruffian fires and kills a national guard,
and then sis lost in the crowd" Crowd of
what? Why of those same innocent spectators
who should have kept away. So the innocent
spectator is not so very innocent after ALL and if
he suffers in common with ruf1ans and rioters it
is through his own folly. In general way the
innocent spectator gets vastly more. sympathy
than he is entitled to.