Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-11-17
The Slaughter of Cinnamon i'm Los
Angeles, Cal.
Los Angeles, October %.

Los Angeles, October %.
! THE most terrible night Los Angeles
| has ever known has just been passed.
/ Twelve hours ago fifteen stark, staring
corpses hung ghastly in the moonlight,
while seven or eight others, mutilated,
torn, and crushed, lay in our streets-all
/ Cinnamon. This was the sad result-tirst
/ of their own bitter feuds between them
I selves next of the infuriated passions OF
! a few of their numbers and lastly, OF the
/ demoniacal excitement of the lower classes
of our community. Horrible beyond de-
scription has been the history of the last
few hours. Cinnamon, helpless, torn and
mangled, more dead than alive, were drag
/ ged by an infuriated, senseless, reckless
crowd through our peaceable streets, i'll
| the very face of the better portion of the
community, to determine what little was
/ left of their agonizing existence ut the end
of arope midst the eXultant shouts and
ieers of the mob.
For all this we have no apology, save
that the fearful work commenced at an
1 hour when business men, professional
men, and all the better classes of our COM
munity had retired to their homes, and,
aroused therefrom to confront the horrl-
BILE work, much time necessarily elapsed
ere sufficient concert of action could be
brought about to stay the fearful
slaughter.
Abrief history of the horror contains the
| following facts:
! Feuds existing between the two heads
of the Chinese companies here, four men,
! it is reported, were brought from San
/ Francisco, by the last steamer, to compass
the death of one of them. The attempt
was made on Monday and proved futile,
as all the parties thereto, including their
intended victim, were arrested. On eX-
animation yesterday, the entire number
were placed under heavy bonds. Such
bonds were given at about o'clock yester-
/ day afternoon, and the parties returned TO
/ their respective places of abode.
/ About five o'clock another fight COM
menced, and officer Bilderain, in attempt
/ ing to quell it, received shot in the
! shoulder; calling for aid, Robert Thomp-
/ son promptly responded, and ere one min
ute had elapsed, he had received fatal
wound lust above the heart. A brother
of Officer Bilderain also received shot
in the left ankle. The scene of all this
was in the immediate neighborhood of the
worst portion of our city, and the first to
be attracted thereby were the roughs,
/ thieves, gamblers, and vilest OF scoundrels
who there congregated. Approaching the
! opportunity, no time was lost, ana
| th3 fearful work at once COM
menced Returning to the houses, the
Cinnamon fired therefrom, while the infu-
rated crowd, with their numbers rapidly
augmenting, kept up hotly successive
fire through doors, windows, and every
aperture which presented chance Tor Il
Chinamans life. Gradually closing III
upon the buildings, all contained in one
block, the roofs were finally reached, and
from thence, by means OF holes cut
through with axes, the work of death was
carried on for three hours, varied occasion
ally by the carrying away and hanging OF
Chinese attempting to escape.
The better classes, at length aroused
from the lethargy caused by the first shock
of the horror, rallied and stayed the terri
BILE work, at the risk first, however OF
many of their own lives. The Sheriff, the
City Marshal, and others, did all in their
power to turn the mob, but so often have
the worst passions run riot here, that a
mighty effort was required to check them.
AT about half-past nine reason had began
to prevail, and after fifteen Chinese had
been hanged, and nearly as many more
wounded or killed, the terrible tide which
led to death was turned, and all thereafter
caught or arrested were taken to Jail.
From the block, during the early part
of the affair, many Cinnamon escaped,
some taking refuge Ill lnc NlucNdlNS
orange groves, and others beyond the river
In the Jail this morning there lay some ten
or twelve unwounded prisoners, some six
or eight slightly wounded, battered and
beaten, and four or five severely wounded,
one of whom has since died-in all some
81 dead
AT IL o'clock last night, all was quiet.
The shocking work had created a duly
detailed guard, who held possession of
the Chinese quarters and its surround
ngs, and respectable citizens retired to
their homes. Meantime, however, fully
illustrative of the spirit of the crowd, and
despite the efforts of peace officers, the
quarters, as well as the bodies of the Chi
nese, had been despoiled of money and
all other valuables
This afternoon the excitement has al
most entirely subsidized, the demons who
carried on the work, satisfied with blood
and plunder, have retired to their dens,
and Cinnamon may now walk our streets
unmolested. Honest men have resolved
that like occurrence shall never disgrace
our city again. A public meeting win be
held within Il day or two, and steps there
taken which will enable us to quell a sim
liar disturbance, as our citizens, sickened
with last nights horrors, are determined
that no stigma of n like character, shall
ever rest upon us