Connecticut western news., 1873-12-19
An Early Day Riot.
The Doctors War i'm New York City
 Many Years Ago.

New York city, the jail figuring con spicuously as the object of attack of the rioters. During the winter of 1787 and 1788, various rumors were circu. lated in regard to 8 number of dead bodies having been removed by stealth from, not only the public grounds, known as the "Potter's Field" and "Negroes' Burial Ground," but from ] the many private cemeteries of the city, which, gaining strength, as all rumors will by being passed from one to anoth- CT, were attributed to the medical stu dents, and awakened violent prejudice against the entire medical profession. There was of course some little foun- dation for the rumor, but the facts at last became greatly exaggerated, cul- minating in the most absurd reports, so that the New York Hospital-at the time the only one in the city-was re- garded with superstitious horror by the people, children and weak-minded grown persons stunning it after dark as one would pestilence.
 On the 18th of April, while the pub lie mind was in this excited state, some students thcughtlessly exposed the limb of body from the window of the dissecting-room in sight of a crowd of boys who were in the rear of the hos pital. One of the boys, who had lately lost his mother, becoming greatly ex' cited, ran hastily home and alarmed his father by insisting that it was his moth er's. body that he saw. The news spread like wildfre, and being instantly caught up by the unemployed crowds who were lettering in the streets to en- joy the leisure of the day, rush was made for the building, so that an i'm mense multitude speedily assembled, and, besieging the hospital, burst open the doors, destroying collection ot anatomical preparations, the most of which had been imported from abroad. Some fresh subjects for dissection were discovered, which were borne away and inferred in triumph.
 The alarmed physicians and students attempted to secrete themselves, but being found were dragged from their hiding places, and would surely have been sacrificed to the fury of the mob, had not the magistrates interfered and lodged them in jail for safety. Satisfied with their work of vengeance, the crowd dispersed, and the physicians fiattered themselves that the work of destruction was over, but they were mistaken; it was but the beginning of the play, for the next morning the crowd reassembled with fresh reinforce ments and avowed their purpose of searching the houses of the suspe cted physicians. Clinton, Hamilton, Jay, and other noted citizens, demonstrated, assuring them that justice would be rendered by the law and after search ing Columbia College and several of the suspected houses, they were at length persuaded to retire.
 In the afternoon matters again as- sumed serious aspect, when party of the most violent of the rioters gathered about the jail and demanded the cus- tody of the students who had been lodged there for safety. The demand was, of course, refused, for to have complied with it would have been to deliver the victims over to certain and immediate destruction. Alarmed at the hostile demonstration and the ex- tremely threatening attitude that they had assumed, the Mayor, James Duane, promptly called out the militia, and, about three o'clock, dispatched small party to the defense of the refugees, which was suffered by the mob to pass without molestation. A reinforcement of twelve men, however, who were dis patched to their aid an hour after, were arrested and disarmed before they reached the jail. Elated with this suc- cess, the mob next attacked the build ing, but were beaten back by the hand. ful of militia who had been first sent there, and who maintained their ground against desperate odds.
 The alarm spread throughout the city, which became scene of intense excitement, as the mob being unable to force the jail, tore down the fences and broke the windows, vowing destruction to every medical practitioner in the city. The crowd about the building increased every moment, and the position of affairs became alarming, when about dusk the Mayor marched with large body of armed citizens to the relief of the besieged, while all the friends of law and order hastened to the spot and vainly exerted their eloquence to allay the tempest and prevent the shedding of blood, but they were assailed in re- ply by volley of stones and brickbats, one of which struck John Jay (after- ward Governor of New York; in the forehead, while he was earnestly entreat- ing the multitude to disperse, felling him to the earth aud wounding him severely. Finding all other arguments in vain, the Mayor determined to fire upon the rioters. Baron Steuben, who had become endeared to the citizens by his devotion and patriotism, interposed in their behalf, and implored the Mayor to desist, but before he could finish the entreaty, stone whizzed through the air and laid him prostrate. "Fire, Mayor, fire P cried he, before he had touched the ground. Duane no longer hesitsted, the order was given the militia obeyed and number of the rioters fell at the first volley, while the remainder dispersed without waiting for the second. Five persons were killed in the fray and several seriously wounded. For some days the militia guarded the iail, but no other attempts were made at violence. The offending students were sent into the country fol time, and public excitement became by degrees allayed, but the venerable hospital became for time invested by the populace with sort of horror, and was made the scene of many fearful resurrectionist legend.
 A ludicrous incident, Illustrative ol the height of popular fury, occurred dur ing the riot, which was nearly attended with disastrous consequences. While the excitement was at it's height party of rioters chanced to pass the residence of Sir John Temple, the resident British Consul at New York, and mistaking tht name of "Sir John" for "Surgeon, attacked it furiously, and were witl difficulty restrained from leveling it tt the ground, but their mistake being made apparent to them, they were in duced to retire.
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