New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-31

GENERALS STORY OF 4 RIOT
GIN. ErrDER's ACCOUNT or THE ATTACK on HIS
TROoP, At READING AND TIE FIRING on THE
MORA LIVELY PAPER.
ALLENTOWN. Penn. july 30.-Ghe following Is Gen.
Feeders reply To the questions asked by Coroner
Goodhai, OF Reading in regard TO the firing on the
mob ON Monday last by the militia under Gen.
Eeeders command:
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH BRlGDE.)
sTCovD DIVISION y. q. P,
ALLENTowN, Penn, July 80. }
gro :. GOoDutgT, Fe1ding, Penn
DEAR siR:-YOur notification dated July p, covering
certain Inquiries 10 which Won desire rplios vas duly
received BIS me. While d. not for one moment concyde
your right 10 rmsud sucl replies from mc at this tine,
willie know perfectly well that my official report of tEs
Occurrences Reading oD tine 23d inst TO my superior
officers Is the only account which can al this time DE
required to make. ain. nevertheless quite willing 10
furnish you with Whatever information is Ia ID. posses
lon calculated Co throw hight upon he subject matter
now under official Investigation 10y y'u 10 that end
reply catcsoricaiiy your questions. ~ follows;
o. Who order. Il your command 80 tis place. y !
WIS ordered 20 Healing with thr fh regiment Of mV
bu-ade hy Ntps-G"ue 1l WIN J. feitoa, commanding
Second DIVISION y. o.. 81 P,unyivania.
a. WHO give you orders FOB uaich through the cut No
T. and P,uu-stsl \. ! received no orders To march
through Tie but was requested to march INFO the
cut To- Hbsratc Train in t' possession Of TIE rioters
BY an official of tne lra,,inz Euro,d Company.
person ordered 20 Dire. neither dt five nor direct any
other person 20 lrc upou iae crowd.
o. which OF thccompaiies discharged their aiEs. and
how ofcnl A. AI the companies di firms, bar no living
crrature ems gvc The further information desired
O. DID you ac4uant the High sneiif o. ibis county
with your coming and presence IN tho chy II not
why uotl A. Idil Ioi Il wa, not my duty tn acqadnt
him with ~, coming. and It was while was proceeding
IN tne direction II the Iligh sheriff, house cat n COM
mand was attacked by the mob.
Upon receiving orders to repair Reading. took ears
with my command al Allentown and proce ded without
incident 10 Temple where The train boarded by
Messrs Ft1 and Paxon railroad officials These gentle
men informed tha the depot was in possession o!
mob Numbering from two 10 three thousand ! de-
sired them 20 stop the train Just oui Of sight OF
The DEPOT winch hcirg done, dscmharkel the troolT
and having formed. marched 70 "a" depot, indnG
il in the hands and under The protection Of th Coal ana
Iron Police then requested Go reeas' train from
the hands OF the strikers and informed That thi- emf
vas the direct road 10 the Pcnnsi crossing Wihch u
was uecrss1g % clear permit the running OF trlin
moved my command IN the direction Of the cut; bat
1ef,re rccbls il we were met by large body OF men,
whose violent gestures coarse insults. unp'ken threats
and general bearing suggested the me1 o. halt
ing Inc Regiment loading the pieces, AID mOy-
ing the musicians tO the rear Before entering
he cur we were siiu;ed 10y The crowd with &
voley ST stones and pistol shots We moved down
the cut STONED ~ every step by yelling mon, without
q
which almost dcJicued until reached the second
bridge During this march. l. seconded by AL the other
officers Of the command, constantly cautioned The n'n
not 10 fire Notwithstanding the fact That every step was
being marked y the blood OF the ami that many OF
The troops had been knocked down by 'he
Aytug stones Near the second bridge single
sb.t forced without orders was the signal for
a dronping fire which, While doing little no dam
ace 10 rbe mob ~ rioters served 10 check the fasollns
slower Of stones. Pressing on, the command reached
Prnu--t and was confronted by large crowd Of per-
sons who met by hurting stones and firing pistols at
tae regiment, which was only stopped ny what nave
snce learned was q very effective Volcy. which entirely
dispersed them. Noi "a single shot was fred by us on
P.,p-.i either up down. there susie sbot
led after the last halt made by Ms on Seventh-St
OF al the five carloads % stones which heard the
next day were collected N the cut very few were thrown
after tbe frat shot was fred. Most Of the stones were
OF such size and weight that 30 is almost certain strong
arms were employed IN the work. Upon reaching Penn
ssuare inquired for the Mayor and was told that
he WIS at The sea-shore. l also inquired Tor the
IIigh sheriff. bat could learn no udinss Of Dis
whereabouts. thefcupOD returned TO tle Depot
which / haa been asked 10 protect from the mop.
later in the night the Mayor having returned
20 the citv. was requested by INN to SEND COM
many Of trDou, into drive of the MOD eh az
legged be engaged N tearing an the railroad laeh
ammunition. having had but Lou f0unds.
ain el 10 supplement this narrasiye WIN wore OF
d. cut b. tue strictuTcs which your DsirciA tiorney
and Que 0f daily papers have been pleased 10 MAKE
pu me- having selected thai route iOr my alNahet
mo tAe town. Raw recTuits run sf"Atr flsAs
- having their formation DESTROYED ana
~" confusion incident upon broken ahsnmens
th.n from any other cause Had tie mon saecrea'n ~
sh'a' ,',n, its fornatiOu the 18th ReZm ~ might
Co. hive degrnerated into mob and wondfhaFe breh
pleiely at the mercy Of he rloels LDs i,St
Ie, pIished bad VIZ been on Wide street WHERE
co,'ld press upon fanks but ~ tbe cut IL vas
$3.50 sibe A. our nanks clear our formation was
lnIld ,e rurn had room their rfies " IN fcas
effect and emerged from tne en-, "Iepous 'io
S- 20 = s,npc soldier think can safely Iey upOh
10 esu IN the rattle with the mob az the nnost uiah
.araI,Ie argument against the theory OIL hiiHtaI!