Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-07-27
THE GREAT RIOT.

ginning OF rlOt that threatens 10 Spieau
all over the Northern and Western STATES,
and has communicated to various classes
out of employment and created mobs OF
which the original strikers formed but a
minor part. In nearly every city through
which a railroad runs at the North there
has been stoppage of trains, and in some
feaful bloodshed. The two points where
the most serious occurrences took place
were Baltimore and Pittsburg, and we give
below an account Of them. The general
government has been rapidly moving its
troops about from State to State, and the
militia in nearly all the States have been
called on. In many cases the militia fra
ternized with the rioters and were of no
use in others they surrendered to the
mob. The Cabinet at Washington has
been almost constantly in session in con-
sultation over the uprising. The most
sensible and prompt State Governor has
been Gov. Matthews of West Virginia, and
the most demon allied has been Gov. Har-
tranft Of Pennsylvania.
THE MOB AT BALTIMORE--TERRIB
SCENES IN THE sTREETs-THE MILITIA
RY ARE ATTACKED AND KILL TEN PER-
SONS.
The riot started in Baltimore Thursday
night. Arrangements had been made dur
ing the day to call out the military at a
given signal to go to Martinsburg to clear
the distractions there. A telegram says !:
Great excitement was caused here at half
past O'Clock this evening by the City Hall
bell ringing out No. Isl, which is the alarm
for calling out the militia. This was the
first occasion in the history of Baltimore
that this alarm had been sounded, and OW-
ing to the existing state of affairs, every
one was familiar with it's meaning. The
Fifth and Eighth regiments, which COM
pose the First Brigade Of the Maryland
National Guard, had. for some few days
past, been about their armory, to be ready
in case of any emergency. Baltimore and
other streets of the city had been crowded
during the day with throngs of citizens,
! anxiously watching the bulletin boards at
the different newspaper offices and discus
sing the situation. AS the alarm pealed
forth, the crowds made their way toward
the armorles of the different regiments.
That of the Sixth is at Front and Fayette
streets, and in neighborhood which is in
habited by the poorer classes, and much of
the rough element frequent it. Within
half an hour after the call had been sound
ed, a crowd, numbering at least 1000 men,
women and children, surrounded the az
mory, and loudly expressed their feelings
against the military and in favor Of the
strikers.
At half past the streets leading to the
armory were mass Of struggling, shout
nd hI,n onnifu Tho cirht of
man in uniform endeayoring. to get into
the building was the signal for an outbreak
and he was rushed upon, seized, and thrown
over bridge into Jones's Falls. a stream
which runs through that section of the city.
Others were thrown over the heads of the
surging mass, and were glad to escape with
slight injuries.
At this juncture, some one threw brick
at the soldier on guard at the door of the
| armory. This was a signal for a perfect
shower of missiles. which soon destroyed
the windows and doors of the building and
injured some of the men. 1t was suggest
ed by some of the officers that a bayonet
charge would compel the mob to retire, but
the suggestion was not acted upon by the
Colonel, who ordered the guards with
drawn from the door, under the impression
that it would serve to quiet the mob
On the contrary this action was received
with shouts of deriSion and triumph by the
crowd who continued to hurl bricks and
stones and fire pi:tcls at the doors and
windows of the armory. The whole avail
able police force of the district were
promptly concentrated at this spot but
were utterly powerless to quell the tumult
which increased momentarily.
at Sis P. M. the preliminaries for leav-
ing the armory were concluded, and Col
Peters decided to march his command to
Camden Station, where they had been Or
dered to report by Gen. Herbert. The
men were each supplied with twenty
rounds of cartridges and armed with
breech-loading Springfield rifles. They
numbered about one hundred and fifty men
and marched out with loaded pieces. The
only means of exit was by door which
only admitted Of their passing out by twos.
AS they reached this the order was given
''Stoop down, boys!'' which had hardly
| been uttered when their appearance was
greeted with renewed shower of missiles,
interspersed with shots from revolvers and
other small arms.
At first the citizen SOldlery Wavered,
but, promptly responding to the commands
of their officers, they marched solidly out
into the street, pressing before them the
shouting, infuriated mob. AS they filed
in a westerly direction across the bridge
over Jones Falls the crowd pressed upon
item, and continued to assail them. The
sight of one of their number stricken down
with a paving stone caused some of the
members of the regiment to fire into the
crowd. The first vOlley consisted of but a
few struggling shots, but had the effect Of
causing the crowd to fall back toward Gay
street.
At the corner of Gay and Front streets
shots were again exchanged. When the
| troops turned into Baltimore street, one
| block south of Front, the firing increased.
At the corner of Holiday street and Bal
timore, and in the blocks in Baltimore. be-
tween Holiday and Calvert streets, where
all the newspapers offices are situated, the
| vollieS we're continuous, and the scene
was one never before equalled in this city.
The streets at this point were literally
| flowing with blood. Stores were hastily
closed, and frightened citizens speedily
betook themselves to back streets. The
regiment proceeded to Howard street,
through which it enfiladed to Camden
Station.
The Fifth Regiment formed in it's armo-
nv in Howard street, and at o'clock
marched down Eutaw to Baltimore street,
and when in front of the Eutaw Hotel, were
attacked by mob, said to be striking box
makers. No shots were fired by the mill
tia, who marched on to Camden ST., Sta
ton. The troops after this occurrence
conld not leave the city, the rioters having
stopped the trains
TERRIBLE SCENES AT PITTSBURG--FIRING
INTO THE MOB-BURNING THE. MILL
TARY OUT-THE SOLDIERS RE-
TREAT WITH HEAVY Loss
100000 WORTH OF EN-
GINES DESTROYED.
The riot broke out at PittSburg, Pa,
Friday, and troops from Philadelphia were
sent there. They found the railroad cross
ing at 2Sth street filled with strikers, and