The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-08-04
The Riot at Reading,

READING, July 26.-The reports which have
gone abroad in reference TO tie riot and the &C.
Uion of the military in this place are calculated
to produce an impression upon the public total.
Iy OF variance with the established facts. One
of our dai les is afraid to tell the whole truth,
and the other Has openly encouraged the rioters
and is manly responsible for the disorder that
has existed here. This Is not only the opinion
of your correspondent but that of every reputa
BILE citizen. A great ado has been raised about
the shooting down of women and children, but
n g.apce at the list Of killed and wounded will
disclose the fact that not a single woman or
child Vas hit by bullet, except some half.
grown boys who were at ali times the most ac-
tive participants In the riot. The troops instead
of charging suddenly and without warning
upon the crowd. as has been stated, marched
down Seventh street TO the music of fife and
drum, and, when they were as yet more than a
square from Penn street, the showers of well.
aImed stones and bricks are good evidence that
the mob knew of Their whereabouts. When the
attack became severe the whole troop hnlteO
and loaded the.r pieces in full view OF the rot
ers. They then advanced oeing treated on all
sides by mOst terrible tuslla1e of pistol shots,
bricKs and stones, General Reedsr states that
there were iuly one hundred men KnQcKcd
down before a shot was fired and the 6ricks
aud stones with Whlch the ground i'll the cut Is
strewd for more than square. give evldenceOf
the voencr of the attaC<. WI singulat self.
control the troops exposed to tins numerous at
tack Refralned from firing until they came to
the COul t street bridge. within hall square of
Penn street, when they began to fire, and con.
tinued to do, 30 with deadly and wholesome
eject until tile attack upon them ceased and
until the rioters had well learned the lesson II at
it is dangerous and unhealthy to openly defy
the law. Ever since tnat irng, the mob which
on sunday night Ind Destroyed many thousand
dollars, worth OF property and on MOriday
were threatening to burn al the property OF
tue railroad company, has not been seer, except
IN small numbers, ara not one hundred dol aIB'
worth OF property has suffered al their hands,
AS to the bearing OF tue military the Eastcn
Grays acted the part of good citizens aud stood
their ground bravely as soldiers. CONSIDERING
their swell character and theic lneXpecience in
wars alarum." 1t was owing chiefly to their
determined stand that tne whole regiment was
not routed by the mon. AS to the Allentown
companies many of them chose vdlOrS better
character Of their Continental uniforms lncOn.
iinental v ran away but on the whole the reg
tment did well under the circumstances and
emerged with credi from the OdpJIsn of fire.
For the blue.cO8ted rabble who came TO tlis
city on Tuesday mORniDg from NOrrstOwn and
COnshohOcken, no words can be found to ex.
press The contempt OF the reputable cltlzenS
here. As soon as tue regiment arrived they BE-.
gan to wander around town. drinking and OPEN
ly mlngi and frateInlzing with the rioters,
Who took courage from Their presence aud
bOasted loudly Of visiting swift Vengeance uDOn
! those who had fred upOr them the previous
| evening. Scores OF them were seen distributing
| their ammunition TO the rioters, and their con.
| duct flied our citizens with horror and alarm.
| This v,lanOus conduct was not cOnfined to n
| single company. but was participated in by the
| whole regiment, and aS they m rched out OF
| town they were surrounded by several hundred
| rioters, TO whom they HANDED out che rest OF
| thelr ammunition, some OF them sulE nderlng
| even their musSets. These things were wit
messed by hunCrels of citizens, aud n such ac
| tiOns remain UNPUBLISHED, we may look upon
our militia as more dangerous 10 the peace OF
the state hon the moo, since being armed and
organized they are capable Of greater mischief.
| Philadelphia Tunes.