The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-09-16
TILDEN'S TACTICS.
RIOT IN BALTIMORE E.
A PARTY OF ROUGHS INVADE A
MEETING OF THE BOYS IN BLUE.
TWO MEN SHOT.
4 .SPE1HER FOUNDED WHILE I'D.
DRESSING THE MEETING.

An outrageous ana daStardly attack was
made. on Friday night of last week, on the
members of the Republican Hayes and
Wheeler Club at meeting held at the
Cross Street Institute. over the market
house, at Charles and Cross streets, Balti-
more. The meeting was the usual weekly
assemblage of the club. The room is a
large one, much used for public meetings,
and at the time was moderately well filled.
Before the meeting commenced there were
some manifestations of disorder, proceed
ing from section of the rough element of
the Democrats.
Colonel Schley was present with his organ
and struck up The Boys in Blue" to The
tune Of Hold the Fort" At this time
there was not more than sixty people in the
hall, but as soon as the second StanZa had
been sung crowd of roughs came up the
stairs and one came forward and shouted
"Hurrah for Tilden and Hendricks" and
ended up by a volley of the most abusive
ribald language that could disgrace the
mouth of a man. Several men in the back
part of the hall came towards this party
and told them to leave. Their reply was
blow aimed at the spokesman, which
missed its mark. and the aggressor was
hustled out. Quiet was then restored and
the first speaker Of the evening was an
nounced
MR.. c. IRVING DITTY,
who came forward, and in we'll chosen,
temperate language, took up the line Of
political argument with which the cam
paign has made the public so familiar. At
this juncture noted rough stood up little
to the left of the centre of the hall and
shouted: "You are id liar and you
know it," There were cries of ''set down."
"put him out!' and Mr.. Dirty, stepping to
the front, called on policeman present to
arrest that man. The officer, who was near
the door, started to comply. but was him
dered by the crowd. A man from near the
left side of the hall sprang toward the
rough, who had raised the cry, but was
deferred by the motion of the rowdy to
draw pistol. In an instant all was con-
fusion. One man sprang on bench and
shouted, "Three cheers for Tilden and
Hendricks" and
FIRED HIS PISTOL
into the ceiling. This was undoubtedly
the first shot fired, and there was a decided
movement on the part of the members of
the club to gain the door. Mr.. Ditty ad-
vanced a step on the platform, when a
rough sprang upon him (said to be the
notorious rough, Jim Busey), striking him
a severe blow in the face and knocking him
nearly down, and Immediately kicking him
twice or three times, intlicting severe
wounds; at the same time another of the
rioters aimed pistol direct at Mr.. Ditty's
head and fired it, Fortunately, however,
the ball missed him and bedded itself in
the wall behind. Several shots, probably
a dozen, were fired, and all done so quickly
and with SO little warning that no general
alarm was given before the riot was over
and the crowd dispersed.
THE POLICE
arrived just at the beginning of the second
outbreak, and when their services were
most needed. Thomas Hogan was arrested
by Lieutenant Farnam Just in the act of
firing pistol, and James Hogan was taken
from the thickest Of the melee by Sergeant
Parks. These were the only men arrested,
for, with the entrance of the police, the
rowdes quickly scattered. The two pris-
oners We're taken to the Station House, and
MIR. Ditty, under the care of Lieutenant
Farnam, taken to Otto's drug store, corner
of Montgomery and Hanover Streets where
his wounds were cared for, and after pro-
curing a new hat Ibis own had been lost,
he started for home, fortunate in having
escaped with his life. Up to this time, it
had been an accepted fact that no one had
been hurt but Mr.. Dirty; so when a rumor
came that a man named Henry had been
shot, there was considerable surprise mani
tested, no one having seen him carried off
The rumor, however, was confirmed by the
physician who had attended the wounded
man, and orders were given net to admit
the men already arrested under any circum-
stances to bail The wounded man lives
at 33 Gettings street. He was shot in the
side. That SO few were injured under the
circumstances is the most remarkable fea-
ture of the case.
1t is believed that this dastardly attempt
upon the lives of Republicans peaceably
assembled was instigated by certain Balti-
more City officials. An immense mass
meeting of the citizens of Baltimore was
held, on Monday night, in compliance with
call from the Chairman of the Republican
State Central Committee, to give expression
to the sentiments of the people upon this
outrage. 1t was a rousing meeting, and
speeches deninciatory of the riot of Friday
night were made by number of prominent
citizens.