The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-06
RIOT AT THE Old MARKET HALL.
THE JOHN AMBLER SMITH MEETiSG LAST
NIGHT DIsCOMsITED AND DISPERSED.
The Chief Men Forced 10 Obtain the
Protection Of the Police.
REMARKABLE SCENES AND INCIDENTS

4
REMARKABLE SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
| The announcement by Hon. John Amber
Smith OF his desire to address bis constita.
ents of this congressional district was the
occasion OF very large crowd assembling
ut the Old Market Hall last night. Or those
| present not less than three-fourths were
whites, and very many were stone-cutters
und Conservatives. A band of music was
on hand to give variety to the entertainment
and TO enliven the proceedings. The meet.
| ing was organized with Mr.. George Turner.
| OF Louisa, as chairman. and Mr. William II.
BurtoD, of Richmond, as secretary. Hon.
John Amber Smith was introduced as the
| first speaker.
Nearly all of those about the platform
were his friends and followers i'm the diyi-
sion of the party which has recently taken
place, and they exhibited not only desire 10
hear him themselves, but anxiety for others
to do likewise. Mr. Smiths speech, with a
difference OF arrangement and some tonipg
down, was pretty much the same made by
him at Assembly Hall, at Louisa Courthouse,
and at the recent ward meeting iu Marshall
W-rd. He gave an account of his course
III Congress, denounced the carpet-baggers
and Federal office-holders, and reviewed the
record OF Mr.. Rush Burgess from his school
boy days to the present moment. While he
| expressed his detestation of Mr.. Mullel, the
United States Government architect, he de.
cIared that he had the highest respect for the
stone cutters, anu had made efforts to get the
appropriation bill through which be be-
lieyed were successful. Or those who had
endeavored, as be said, to aIiena'e the stone
cutters from him he spoke in terms OF the
severest condemnation.
Mr.. Smith was heard with little or no at
tention by part of the audience, and was
frequently interrupted by questions aud
| noises that drowned his words. There was
one person who initiated the bark of dog,
and his "bow.wow," bow.wown was
sometimes heard in front Of the speaker,
sometimes on the right, sometimes on the
| left, and then away off on the outskirts. 1t
of course ANNOYED Mr. Smith, but it pleased
many others, for each "bow-wow" uttered
| in bull. dog bass was followed BY roars OF
| laughter. The last few minutes OF Mr..
Smiths occupancy Of the platform must
have been very uncomfortable ones to him,
| for his supporters were completely over
| awed, and he was jeered and interfered with
| In way that would have been very embar-
RAISING to the most practiced speaker.
When he had concluded he took up his
hat and left. Mr.. Turner came forward and
introduced W. j. s. Bowe (colored;, local
agent of the POst-ofice Department in Rich
mopd. He stepped nimbly forward, waived
| bis hands for silence, and said, "My friends
and fellow.citizens," and then murmurs
from the crowd arose, not only deep but
loud, and swept away all else he said. BoTe
has in his time faced many unrUly assem-.
| bages, and has often had to contend against
| bitter opposition and unwilling hearers, but
never did he run into such storm as that of
| last night, and never before was he completely
suppressed. Vain, indeed, was it for him
! to stretch out his long arms and command
peace useless was it for him to 60 back to
the beginning and say my friends and fell
low-ciliZens u; whenever he attempted to
start afresh the noise made by wbistling,
shouting, laughing, jeering, stamping, and
the barking of the man.d0g would grow
greater and greater.
Bowe finally gave away for Mr.. Humphreys,
chairman of the District Committee of the
Smith wing of the party, to pour few drops
of oil upon the troubled waters. MIR. Hum
phreys met with the same sort of reception
that had been accorded Bowe, but he refused
to yield, and took position on the platform
in q determined manner, which Indicated
that he meant to fight it out on that line if it
took him all night.
Colonel John X. Popham, being observed
in the crowd, was called upon hy many voices s
to address the meeting, but took no notice
of the demand. Things having come to
deadlock, some twelve or fifteen men went
towards him to insist upon bis speaking.
Anticipating their movement Colonel Pop
ham started for the door, followed by hur.
dred or more. He was forced TO the plat
form, and against bis earnest resistance was
raised upon it and placed beside Mr.. Hum.
phreys.
At this point there was scene OF indt-
scribable confusion. A great many thought
some outrage was to be perpetrated upon
Colonel Popham, and bis friends rolled to
his assistance until it was to be momenrarily
expected that the platform would break
down by reason OF the number upon 1t.
There was great excitement On the plat
form, men were pushing and jumping over
each other, and in the crowd several side
fights took place. Colonel Popham, though
bruised and battered by the rough treatment
he was subjected to by hands that meant TO
be friendly. az last escaped from the plat
form. at the same time, Mr.. William IL.
Burton was pulled from his seat as secretary
by white man, and in his endeayor TO pro-
tect MIR. Burton, Sergeant Dan Wren got
into a rough.and.tumbe encounter that eX.
cited the intensest alarm, and the music OF
pistol balls would have surprised no one.
Several other tumults followed, and soon
after MIR. Burton had been rcinstated by Ser
geant Wren Mr.. Turner adjourned the
meeting.
In going out of the hall Major Patrick
Hart, keeper of one of the Union soldiers
cemeteries, and Smith man, was attacked
by one of the opposition; almost simulta-
neously Mr. Burton was attacked, and but
for the door leading to the First station
house being opened and large detachment
of police (under Captain Tyler poured in,
both of Them with the friends who were
irving to protect them would have been sac
rifjced. They were defended by the police
and sheltered in the station-house, and the
majority OF the crowd, having fully accom-.
plished its purpose Of breaking up the meet
ing, dispersed.
One OF its last acts, on motion OF Mf.
Samuel NJ. Page, was TO give three reusing
cheers for Governor Walker, il which all
nresent opposed to Smith seemed TO join.
BARBECUE AND PUBLIC sPEAKlNa. There
will be barbecue and public speaking at
Gold Harbor, ip Hanover county, to-day.
Governor Walker, Messrs. w. w. Berry,
George d. Wise, aDd 3. y. Berkeley are an
| nounced as the speakers.