Smyrna times., 1883-04-25
a Bloody Midnight Riot at Dover
MEN SHOT DOWN IN THE STREET.

n BlOOOy MAOnlSnU hlOt aG power.
MEN SHOT Down IN THE STREET.
Dover was the scene of one of the most
disgraceful riots on Saturday night that
ever occurred in the State, throwing the
peaceful citizens into state of cOnsterna-
ton and exhibiting spirit of blOod-thirsti-
ness on the part of the young men Of the
town that was appalling: The accounts are
very conflicting, the citizens engaged in 1t
laying the blame on the showmen and the
latter declaring themselves innocent of
doing anything to excite such hostility eX
cept to take care of their property and per-
sons. The charge is made that these young
roughs always manifest disposition for Il
row with the showmen that come along
One or two fights had occurred through the
day, and some of the showmen made Il
threat of cleaning out the town. The prin-
cipal difficulty seems to have been that
these r0ughs tried to force their way into
the circus without paying. This of course, |
was resisted. The statement is made that |
there were two hundred or more men,
white and coored, engaged in the attack |
and the firing was like that from regi- |
ment of soldiers The assault was made on |
the showmen when on the way to the depot,
the firing commencing when they reached |
the Bayard House with shot guns and pis-
tolls as we'll as stones The drivers put
whip to their horses and the guards fled tor
their lives. Eight of the circus men were
wounded. Some Of the citizens received
wounds but none of them from bullets.
Chief Of Police Hutchins in u statement,
said that between ii and II o'clock p. NJ,
two or three of the managers came to him
and asked if he and the other officers would
not accompany the wagons to the depot, as
! they feared trouble, he said, four Of the en-
! ployes, with pistols in their pockets and
! clubs in their hands, walked alongside
each wagon, two on a side. Everything
went along quietly until nearly opposite the
Bayard House when pistol was fired.
That shot was the signal for more, and in
a second the firing was general. The en-
plOyes, he said, shot in the air, thinking the
boys were firing blank cartridges; but,
| when they saw their drivers fall of, pierced
with bullets and their horses bleeding, they
took to their heels and made their escape.
II the midst of the firing Chief of Police
Hutchins said he saw driver fall from his
wagon shot in the right eye. He pulled
him more dead than alive to the side of the
street, and to save himself had to get be-
hind box. He also saw another man, who
was proprietor of the side show, shot in
both eyes He represented himself to be a
peaceable man, and was on his way to the
train. saying nothing to anyone, His face
and body were literally full of shot.
=, ! AnOJnef was SuOJ DeIWeen lnc eyes. On6
man, he said saw pistol pointed at him,
held up his hand and begged not to be shot,
and while he was thus pleading ball passed
! through it. Several Others were more or
less wounded The horses were also shot,
and when they reached the depot blood was
. flowing from their wounds in great pre-
I, fusion.
The wounded were conveyed to the sleep
/ ing car and all the doctors of the town sent
| bn RI oil n m
e their sufferings. Their appeals, it is said
f were heartrending. The firing only lasted
: a few minutes. The people in the mean.
:, time were running in every direction
Those who had gone to bed were awakened
;; and mothers and wives were wringing thei
= hands and crying for their sons and hus
5 bands. The houses and stores along LO0ck
erman street show the marks Of the firing
: The sheriff and deputies had to accom-
i pany the remaining wagons to the depot
and stay there until the train left, whicl
was about o'clock Sunday morning. B.
: request, DR.. Bishop went with the train t
g Cambridge.
70 THE RIOTERS UNDER ARREST.
10 The citizens and authorities of Dover ar
% thoroughly aroused at both the stigma an
D. possible tax the town will be subjected tc
le Fifteen of the young men are under arres
Is and John r. Nicholson, Esq, counsel, an
|
a. soners, went to Seaford on Monday to cor
a suit with John o. Brien, whose circus ex
ii, hibited there yesterday, as to the prOsecU
ton of the rioters of Saturday night. Chi,
t. Justice COmegys made a strong charge I
e, the jury at the opening of the court Nor
s. day morning as to their duty in prosecl
e. ting the malefactors. Solicitor Nicholso
was sent to Seaford by the Attorney Ger
eral for information from o. Brien and h
employees that will aid him in the prosecl
IN ton of the rioters. Both Nicholson an
Reedy say that no citizens Of Dover wei
injured by the circus men and that no il
Ut jury was done, except that committed b
he the young rOughs of the town, who instig
un ted the riot and who succeeded in shootir
re twenty men, but only three or four DANCE
ously. Two hundred shots were fired
me- the mob, mostly from double-barreled sh
w guns. The shooting appears to have bet
NJ an act pure recklessness, for not only Il
Cy. men but the horses and wagons and cha
nd lots were Unfortunately fired on. It
uit Town Council of Dover is anxious to bril-
in the riotersSo justice and also to settle t
aIe affair amicably with o Brien without litig
ii; tion.
el- Charles w. Henderson, the showm
ess who was fatally shot during the mobb
he of o. Brien's circus in Dover, on Saturd
jhe night, was carried to Philadelphia Mond
ow and lodged in the Bingham House. Nc
ne | day night MIR. henderson was sOmewf
1oo improved and able to talk little. The
~: ~ are twenty-five large shot in the maj
~ body, and the sight of one eye is entire
ets. destroyed. A man named Frank Pet
the also lost an eye.
ian O'Brien recovered $4,000 from the C
inc of Wilmington for a riotous destruction
A. - property and he proposes to make DoV
ost pay we'll for the fun of the boys.
A Dover correspondent in the last isS
Vi of the EUery Euening says:
no "The police have over so names Of tn
be who participated and will hand them in
rec the proper time. This evening several
ite: the participants in the affair were arrest
tbe and given a hearing in the Levy Go
Ifb room. Frank Pyle, Daniel Tomlins
iitu : Edward Farris and Charles Farris W
eW- held to bail until the grand jury shall p
rees upon their case.
yet George Patterson, David Butler, Oh
the Butler, Thomas Denney, John DEM
De- William Mccall, and William Seeds
5iI,, ored were arrested later, and Will
49, y Tomlinson, cannot be found. Others W
VS' arrested, some as witnesses and some
lrse participants. The rioters wli be tried
IN o week.
the All the parties who we're arrested
ling not known positively by the officers to h
tes: been engaged in the riot. They were
raoe rested on suspicion and their guilt or in
n ~ cence will be proven at the trial. Som'
u ", the arrested ones say they are innoC
arge though they were standing in the crow
wing --.
that A tourist Iear,ino out ~ n ,,ooI,