The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-27

Attempted Removal Of StatJ
Arms From The Arsenal
10 Augusta
On an Alleged Verbal Order
from Gov. Garcelon.
GENERAL UPRISING OF THE
PEOPLE.
Officers Compelled to Return
the Guns to the Arsenal.
MAYOR BROWNS LETTER TO
THE GOVERNOR.


protest OF tne UnFO was persisted In, anu ltlaJ Ne
French) must assume all the responsibility of con-
sequences that might follow the further provoking
OF collision with the excited people, Mr.. French
seemed greatly impress ed by the gravity of the sit
uation and concluded that the arms and amnuni-
ton had better be carried back to the arsenal. As
soon as the orders to this effect given and the
teams taited back the crowd good naturally gave
three cheers and almost Immediately began to dis
perse. AS the crowd had been gathered at the east
end of Kenduskeag bridge, almost directly in front
of the Wing office, where large body fingered. Mr.
Boutelle, who had arrived on the scene with the
Mayor spoke to the people, counselling moderation
and avoidance of any disorderly proceedings, and
the gathering very soon quietly melted away. In a
very brief time the city was as quiet as ever, and
while strong latent feeling OF excitement prevailed
not the slightest disposition to disturbance
manifested.
The Wing further says the feeling among the
better class'of citizens throughout the community
Thursday evening was of very earnest in
dignaton at the action of the State authorities in
seeking to intinlidate and overawe the people by
means of bullets and bayonets; but the promptness
with which the excitement subsidized so soon as the
arms were taken back to the State Arsenal, af
forded the most ample evidence that there is dis
position toward wanton disorder among the citizens
tempt carry State guns and cartridges to Augusta
to be used by usurpers against the honest people of
the State
While the demonstration in its refusal to permit
the guns and ammunition to be carried away was be-
yond all ordinary control, and reminds us of the
days when the best citizens of Pittsburg Pa,
refused to let Floyds agents carry off the Federal
to the South; yet the subsistence of all de-
monstration Immediately upon the return of the
deadly weapons to their store house, proved that
the of Bangor citizenship has sufficient self
control to prevent any trouble in our city except
under the most serious provocation.
meeting Of citizens was held that evening at
which the events of the day and the situation were
fully discussed. The timely and calm, judicious
action of Mayor Brown received universal COM
mendation, and while the outrage upon commu-
nifty in thus dragging forth munitions of war
peaceful holiday, was unsparingly condemned there
was unanimous expression III favor of every effort to
prevent disturbance and allay excitement.
ITO the Associated Press.j
BANGOR, Dec. 25.-Great excitement was created
here Thursday, by reports of the intended Sc
cret removal of the State arms and ammunition
from the State arsenal the depot for transporta
ton to Augusta. About P. NJ. two truck teams
loaded with arms and ammunition, were stopped on
Kenduskeag bridge by an excited populace, and the
crowd rapidly increased to q throng that fill
ed the Streets declaring that the should
be carried out of the city.
AT critical moment Mayor Brown appeared and
demanded of the teanster the orders under which
he was acting. No satisfactory was given
at first, the saying that Mr.. Thayer, landlord
Of the Penobscot Exchange had sent word for the
teams to take the arms. A young named
French then ushered through the throng, who
said he was clerk in the Adjutant Generals Office,
and was moving the to Augusta under orders
of the Governor
The excitement of the populace greatly in
creased by this statement, and the crowd attempted
to unharness the horses. The Mayor told French
that he had not force enough to guarantee the safety
of the munitions if an attempt to remove them was
persisted in while the people Were so excited. He
said he would take responsibility for the trouble
that might ensue if the peace Of the city was fur
Their endangered by warlike demonstrations at such
a critical time. Mr.. French decidedit best to
turn the to the arsenal rather than incur the
hazard of riot, and the Mayor furnished police to
protect them on their return.
The public excitement was increased by the report
that j. L. Smith, greenback candidate for govern
or, S. W. Hoskins, fusion Indian agent and Major
NJ. NJ. Folsom of Oldtown, closeted at the Pc
nobscot Exchange during the day. Major Folsom
appeared ON the ground after the teams had turned
back and is said to have told Clerk French that he
made mistake in not pushing through to the depot
and to have urged him to change his orders for the
return to the arsenal. Mr.. French, however, was
unwilling to assume the responsibility of collision
with the exasperated populace that thronged the
streets, who composed of respectable citizens.
The feeling of indignation is intense throughout the
community at what is denounced as an unparalleled
Dissertation of the great christian holiday.
Although the most intense excitemen: EXISTS, not
the slightest disturbance occurred beyond stopping
the progress of the two teams, and soon the
deadly weapons were turned back toward the arse
nal the throng quietly dispersed.
During the day, reports and ruinors of extraord-
nary movements at the State arsenal had caused
much public comment, and in view of the excited
state of public feeling in the afternoon Hon. j. S.
Wheelwrght, chairman, and Lysander Strickland,
Charles G. Storms, and c. A. Boutelle, members of
the Citizens Committee accompanied Mayor Brown
to the Penobscot Exchange, where Adjutant Gen.
eral Leavitt said to be- for the purpose of rep
resenting to him the imminent danger; that the in
tense feeling prevalent in the community might lead
TO serious trouble beyond the control of the munich
pal force at command. As it proved that the Adju-
tant General in the city, the Mayor and cit
uIONc W lile 10
but found it locked and informed that two
large loads of arms and ammunition had been
shortly before hauled away to the depot. On driv-
ing back to the city the carriage containing the May
and others named was unable to proceed beyond
Kenduskeag Bridge on account of the crowd on the
streets, and on alghting the Mayor found that the
people had stopped the teams and refused to permit
them to proceed.
One team is said to have contained 100 stand of
guns, and the other $4,000 rounds of ball cart
ridges. AS soon as the teams turned back to-
wards the arsenal the people became entirely quiet.
AT the interview of the Mayor with French, the
latter said he had orders from the Adjutant Gen
eral and no written orders from anybody, but was
acting under verbal ms ructions from Gov. Garce-
lon to remove the arms, etc. to Augusta.
1t is stated that Alderman Pickard, who is bonds
man of the arsenal keeper, vouched for Clerk
Frenchs authority, and induced the keeper thus to
deliver the arms without any regular order or re-
quisit ton.
At meeting of prominent citizens held in the
evening the situation fully discussed and it was
unanimously determined to use every effort to pre-
any disturbance and to alay the public excite
ment.
lMdnigh t-Although the feeling is very intense
the ordinary quiet prevailed to-day, and all business
proceeded as regularly as usual. The best citizens
express great indignation at the moving of arms
through our streets Christmas day. but not the
slightest tendency to disorder of any kind. The
of the clandestine removal of the rifles of the
Oldtown company from their armory by fusionists
last night caused much comment and comparison
with the lack of any disposition by Republicans here
to disturb the munitions at the arsenal or armory
Lieut. Col. David White of this city, who succeeds
to the command of the State militia by the resgna-
of Col. Mattocks, has issued circular to the COM
panies expressing hope that all present troubles
will be peacefully settled, and asking reports of
membership, arms, etc.
Alta meeting of the citizens executive committee
this evening the following was adopted for publ
cation:
To the Public
In view Of the spontaneous uprising of our citi-
zens at the sight of arms and ammunition trans
ported through streets Christmas day
stealthily aud without written authority for the
purpose on behalf of the Governor of the State of
consul eting by force the threatened crime against
the decision of the majority expressed at the polls