The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-12-27
DOWN IN MAINE.
To ARMS. TO ARMS, THEY COME,
Attempt of GarceIon to Get the state
Arms and Ammunition From
the Arsenal TO the
Capital.


the depot for transportation 70 Augusta.
About 8 O'Clock p. III. tws. l,,ck teams
loaded with arms and ammunition were
stopped on Kenduskeag bridge by a
crowd of men which rapidly Increased
so that the streets were filed with peo-
pie declaring that the arms should
never be carried out of the oity.
Mayor Brown demanded of the team
ster under whose orders he was acting
No satisfactory answer was given at
first, many saying that Thayer, the
landlord of the Penobscott Exchange,
had sent word for the teams to take the
arms.
a young man by the name of French
then pushed through the throng and
said he was a clerk in the adjutant gen
erals Office and was moving the arms
to Augusta under orders from the gov
ernor-
The excitement of the populace was
greatly increased by this statement and
the crowd attempted to unharness the
horses.
The mayor told French that lie had
not force enough to guarantee the safe
ty of the munitions if the attempt to re-
move them was persisted in while the
people were excited. He said he would
take no responsibility of the trouble
that might ensue.
French decided that it would be best
to return the arms to the arsenal rather
than incur the hazard of riot, and
the mayor furnished police to protect
them on their return.
Public excitement was increased by
the report hat J. l.. Smith, the green
back candidate for governor, S. w.
Haskins, fusion Indian agent and
Major Folsom, of Oldtown, were clos
eted at the Penobscott Exchange during
the day, and Major Folsom appeared
on the ground after the team had turn
ed back, and told French he had made
mistake in not pushing through to
the depot and urged him to change his
orders for the teams to return to the
arsenal. French, however was unwill-
ing to assume the responsibility of a
collision with the populace.
The excitement is at fever heat
throughout the city.
Not the slightest disturbance has
occurred beyond the stopping of the
two teams, and as soon as the arms
were turned back toward the arsenal,
the crowd quietly dispersed. During
the day the reports and rumors of the
extraordinary movement at the state
arsenal has caused considerable public
comment, and in view of the excited
state of public feeling during the day,
j. 5. Wheelwright, chairman, and l..
Strickland, G. G.. Stearns and G. A.
Boutelle, members Of the citizens COM
mittee, accompanied Mayor Brown to
the Penobscot Exchange, where Adju-
tant General Leavitt was said to be, for
the purpose of representing to him the
imminent danger, and that the intense
feeling that prevailed in the community
might lead to serious trouble beyond
control of the municipal force at COM
mand.
As it proved, the adjutant general
was not in the city. The mayor and
citizens named drove to the arsenal to
make inquiries, but found it locked
and were informed that two large loads
of arms and ammunition had been
shortly before hauled away to the
depot. On the way back to the city the
carriage was unable to proceed beyond
Kenduskeag bridge ON account of the
crowd in the street, and on alighting
the mayor found the people had stopped
the teams and had refused to permit
them to proceed. One team it is said
contained 100 stand of guns and the
other "a 900 rounds of ball cartridges.
As soon as the teams were turned back
toward the arsenal the people became
entirely quiet.
The mayor conversed with French
who said he had no orders from the
adjutant general ana no written orders
from anybody, but was acting under
verbal instructions from Gov. Garcelon
to remove the arms, etc., to Agusta.
He states that Alderman Pickard, who
is the arsenal keepers bondsman,
vouched for his authority and induced
the keeper to deliver the arms without
any regular orders or requsition.
At a meeting Of prominent citizens
held in the evening the situation was
fully discussed. 1t was unanimously
determined to use every effort to pre-
vent any disturbance and to allay pub
lie excitement.
Boston, Dec. pa special from
Bangor TO the Herald says: The es
cape from bloodshed was very narrow
Adjutant General Levitt is now il
Eastport passing Christmas. He will
:. arrive here tomorrow. What actor
will be taken is not known. 1t is wei
known that the republicans are form
ing secret military associations, ant
threats have been made that the.
would seize the arms in the arsenal.
Bangor: Me-, Dec. 26. The follow
ing communication, signed by w. ii
Brown, the mayor, and number o
ex-mayors of this city, and also receiv
ing the signatures of other prominen