New-York tribune., 1872-03-12
THE MIDNIGHT SIEGE.

In the evening, Superintendent kelso tele-
e,raphed for Inspector Jameson TO come and take
charge Of the force inside the building His in
strlctons were the same as those preVl'
ously given TO Capt. Petty. Police Commis-
iopers smith and Barr present during the even
n hut did not interfere with the disposition of the force
slneadv made The police kept on guard In
She building throughout the night, the reserve
p,avine cards smoking and otherwise passing away the
ime Later in the night the building rcsembled a
hiyonac I'm all of the rooms patromen were asleep on
chairs or living the carpeed floors ready to respondt TO
any call that might be made.
srECIAL FORCE
During the evening it twas rumOred that jay
Gould and his adherents gathering large force OF
rufans intending to carry the building by assault To
guard against this emergency Nice-Presdeh'
Arcner sent over to Jersey City. and collected
force OF 800 Erie Railway employees, and had them
sworn IN as special deputy sheris. These were so dis
posed around the building and massed In front OF the en-
france to prevent any attempt on the part
of the opposition to gain an entrance
aud drive out the party in possession ion
Archer. the viceProsldent informed TRIBUNE re-
porter that he made no application 10 tne ponce
ior aid. but finding them present he, he notified t., to
PRESIDENT. he had charge of the premises
aud prevent any breach of the peace Mr.. Gould also
undertook control aud, without any reference
80 the police, Kept detail from his gang OF ruhans on
duty in the lobby, and denied access TO every one,
egnrine the cards OF all visitors TO be submitted TO his
,nspecnn The officers az the Company retired TO the
inner Offices and Gould with his took possession OF
the outer line and controlled the staircases and lob
bes A TRIBUNE reporter, after sending up his
card was informed that he might come, but on attempt
Ing TO enter stopped by one Of Gouds gang, VINO
CAN'T petty resulted in the discontinue Of
Goulds sentinel person IN citizens atuIe applied 10
the policeman on duty at the Presidents room Tor adj
mission aud attempted to hand IN paper, which was
uncercmonOusy returned, and the possible service oi
Dr Edwin Edrdee Of Elmira. who is an old Director
Of ths o9wpany @sse% hs r az an dT o T tea VIII Mr.
Archer THIS, under the circumstances was deemed su
perfuous. and the desired interview was declined .
A. o'clock i. K Rucker. General superintendent OF
the Ere Road arrived and had consutaton win the
Vice President. Mr. Gould attempted 10 open negotia
tons of some description but his overtureS were dis
dained.
devoted themselves exclusively to Gould: About 10
retired with Gould 10 corner OF the lobby, where they
Rad protracted conference In the mean time liberal
supply Of whisky pr0dgced ITS effects on the crowd OF
Al II O'Clock hundred of these rouchs remained in the
corridor and in the rooms opening from IT, In the Gen
eral Supcrntendents office dozen lay on the velvet
carpet playing cards smoking, chewing tobacco, and. in
of their most recent brawls. In the other rooms
other roughs, with broken heads and Scared faces,
played cards the tables the magncenty furnished
and seemed 70 take peculiar pleasure IN using
Dne boards. They occasionally vented their
hnmor in savage thrests upon those citizens whom the
necessities Of the occasion called the building In
two policemen watched the Toughs to prevent
the abstraction Of articles left by the officers OF the Com
pany in their rather hurried exodus.
At ll5 Mortimer j. Smith Assistant Secretary OF the
Company. called at the Offices. was admitted by Mr
ouds men the corridor and 10 the inside rooms 10y
Mr.. Crouch. The latter gentleman had re,
Tor Smith for sinister purpose, and Immediately
placed officers In charge OF the safe IN the corridor
Sir Mortimer Smith, when admitted by Mr. Crouch, was
accompanied by Mr.. Henry n. Smith OF Wanst. and
they had an opportunity they opened the safe
took from It several bundles OF papers which they
stuffed their pockets. The policemen in charge
rouuced Mortimer Smith, and he was compelled TO
restore papers that he had taken This beng DONE
he compelled to leave the rooms Inc sale was
closed the combination changed so that any subse
quent attempts would be defeated.
OUTsIDB THE BUILDING
UP 70 O'Clock D. IN. the matter seemed 10 have at
tracted very little attention. There probably not
TO persons collected around the building From that
time forward, however. the numbers began 10
increase, until, by 1Oa O'Clock p. m. there were
fOo or more collected on the walks in Eghth-ave and
Twenty third-st. Every arrival and departure was
eagerly scanned and when more prominent parsonage
appeared there rush To- him. II was an orderly
crowd man and seemed 10 be actuaed BY no other
motive than a desire =. much possible OF what
going on.