Daily Republican., 1883-04-25
The Dover Rioters

ssS AS~v ~
The more we hear of the Dover riot,
the worse it looks for Dover. That
beautiful quiet town nestled among
shade trees and spring flowers, the capi-
tai Of the State, the seat of a popular in
stitution Of learning, is the last place in
the world where we would have looked
for real genuine inexcusable riot We
say inexcusable because there was no
cause for the riot. Whether O'Brien's
circus was good one or bad one
whether it was worth the money paid
for going to see it or not, did not make
a particle Of difference. People who at
tend circuses pay their money and run
the risk of getting back the worth of
it. If they do not get it back, that is
no reason why the showmen should
be shot down in the streets, as if they
were wild animals instead of human
beings
O'Brien 5 circus came to Dover in a
legitimate manner. They made appli-
cation to exhibit in that town and the
town authorities granted them that
privilege. They paid the license fee
demanded and hence had a perfect
right to exhibit and had right to be
protected by the police of the town to
the fullest extent. They did exhibit
and it is said gave good performance
on Saturday afternoon. The evening
performance could not have been much
inferior. But a fracas occurs-in fact,
several of them between some rather
fast men belonging 10 the circus-tor
circus men are not saintS-and some of
the hOOdluns Of Dover, of whom Dover
has a number as well ~ other towus.-
Worthless nymphs de pave are one
cause, and the efforts of some euterpris-
ing young men to creep under the cur
tain to see show that hey said was q
fraud was another cause Small begin
nings make tremendous eudings some
anu uhlo W 80 llIt 'tiN' ii lJDN NtI.-
When the ShOwrnen started to leave
the town and were proceeding along
the street towards the depot they were
ambushed by fifty or more men armed
with breeCh- loading shot guns.
There was no scarcity ammunition.
Fire was opened upon thn showmen
who were not suSpecting danger of that
kind. Had the poltruons met them
lace to face they would hay. been pre-
pared for them But they we're not
used to com batting enemies armed with
firearms and hidden behind houses,
trees, fences and store boxes. They
had travelled all over the Country, but
II was not until they came 70 Dover
that they found a gang of cOwardly
pOltrOonS who being twice the number
of the shOwmen only attacked them
after they were armed with double
barreled breech loading shot guns. No
wonder the horSempn fell from their
hDIotS Nltb lIl'll 'NfS SnbI bUI. IIlt I
brave DOverians shot for the eyes, for
if they were shot ont th,. ShOwmru |
couldn't see to shoot back at them. II
was manly too, To shoot the horses and |
animals, and delnoish the glass in the
band wagon. Brave fellows, When |
the Sheriff and his posse came upon
the ground though, they could not ne
found.
The heroes had done their work and |
were safe home in bed ~ iuuopnt as
lambs when the Sheriff wantr,, them. -
How sweet must hav,. been the ,lumbrr
Ut the herors after gaining ~urn We
tory Great victory Ilndrrd, IF
shot, fired, light or ten m"u ,hOr from
Their horses, shot do%n ia their tracks,
,"1'" "tthem 1t is fr lr"t morally, some
with their eyes shot 0ut. but NO Dpy or
man VAS hurt. Such an outrageous /
57iaIr "" will venture to say has never
I"cWrrrd on the PENN ,TiH within The
~.
T. .~ dirgrac" to Dover, 4 disgrace tu |,
D"lt ware, i blot on the Ilinzatrm of
A. A" rEr, u erin" against ~"rletv thtt |,
."'H0t BE- atpned for by tlr guilty pr |,
ne. !
"" AZ" dad to SEE that he court now /,
sitting tor Kent County i. pursuing lhr
o1gli course. som" Of III" brave fol- |,
lows who thought it wa ST. much fun |,
q" shoot th" eyes out Of lrIruc"lc,S
rn"l, are NOT laughing 80 much nov ,
"Lil" umdor bonds 10 APPEAR before the ,
'"urt aud som Ofthh E"Litr, viii /
Uot find =" much pleasure in hyiug
from justice. aliens trom home, under
nrSunn"d names. W" nope Attorney +,
Iru"raI Gray and his able Deputy Mr.. /
""p"r N'.y nDt cease III lr l.tpJr- m a.
"rtl"- 't," supremacy + h aw M
~ every man who thr"N missile or Y
h"t tN III the dISgr,r"fuI riot i,
N"Ui 'D watch III" rising and the set
AnG "l Ia" -r' from b"Nund m" bar. If
She k,lr County mJ
Che Dhio Situation.
RE D"Inurratic situation III ONO Is
."CoulnE more and more Interesting as
ile I'm" approaches for putting caNdi ,
tafs's IL the field ror State officers !