The daily gazette., 1883-04-24
Especial correspondents of the Gazette. ]

Especial correspondence Of the Gazette.
DOVER, April 2S.-The riot here on Satur
day night has been greatly exaggerated and
much misrepresented. The facts, as far as
can be ascertained, are about as follows
O'Brien's circus came into town In the
early morning and proceeded at once to
pitch their tents and commence proceedings
| Ihey had not been on the ground an hour
when complaints began to be filed before
| Alderman Jester by parties who had been
heeced by the showmen. These complaints
embraced almost everything known in the
catalogue of swindles, but although a num-
Der of arrests were made, as the parties
could in no instance identify the swindlers,
they escaped unscathed. These proceedings
| created considerable bad blood and to add
| fuel to the flames a half dozen fights oc-
| Cured on the grounds between circus men
and townspeople.
In the evening dozen fights were kicked
up between circus men and towns people,
In which several parties on both sides were
rather roughly handled. The circus men
became very demonstrative and fieurished
reVolVers around in a very promiscuous
manner. Several citizens who were stand
ing peaceably around had the pleasure of
looking into the muzzles of revolvers placed
In rather close proximity to their faces, and
had considerable difficulty in persuading
their prosecutors that they were innocent
This of course smoothed things over
Threats of cutting the ropes were made but
the town police were summoned and pre-.
vented any trouble in that direction.
The circus men proceeded to pack up and
move to the depot, during which operation
they were not molested, neither was the
hrst train which went TO the depot, but as
the teams were returning some one threw a
brick which struck one Of the drivers who
was riding one Of his wheelers and knocked
him out Of his seat. Shortly after this two
young men named Pyle and Reilly who
were at the train looking at the loading
operations were set upon and beaten by a
party of circus men. Shortly after this
second train went out which
was attacked with bricks and stones
and some glass brok,'u. The circus men
then mustered in force and armed with pick
handles ard plst Is cLnt up LoOckerman
street, yelling aud c!,5.i people into
houses and stores, AID i,au.uratrd Der
lecJ reign Of terror. ',p rIl persons were
struck with Oritks aIni To-, s,uic on LOock-
erman STR ct was plaCci 20 !. state of siege.
The crowd iinaily pa 4 IN dud went to
the circus ground 'hr'L, ning dire ven
geance Oh the town AMI those who inter
ierred with them. Tnc l"wn p lice offered
thcir services to tn" rHVu5 men, bus Jhrir
offer was scorniuiIy rejerLr,l, and they were
Informed that the circus men could take
care of themselves.
The third train OF wagons was started for
the depot at about l1.30 o'clock, accom-
panied by large force of men, probably
about 100 in all. The men were completely
armed with clubs and pistols, and marched
in reg ar order, evidently ready and anxious
for fight. In the meantime there had been
a gathering of the clans, and about 200
persons had gathered at the corner of
Loockerman street and Governors avenue,
some armed and some unarmed. The circus
men came down the street, and as soon as
they saw the crowd, the man riding on the
first wagon raised his pistol and fired, it is
said, into the air as signal, and instantly
charge along the whole line ensued among
the showmen. They were met with
shower Of bricks, to which the show
man replied with shower of pistol
balls, and most of the crowd scat
tered The rest stood their ground and re-
turned the fire with pistols and shotguns.
For about half minute the firing was con-
tiDuous and half dozen men were shortly
lying in the street an the circus men were
flying in every direction. Scattering shots
continued for nearly a minute, after which
all firing ceased. The circus men suffered
nearly all the casualties, but most of them
were very slightly wounded and left with
the rest, only two severely wounded men
remaining on the ground. They were picked
up and carried to the Office of DIR. Wilson,
and the birdshot picked out of them.
The total casualties among the circus
men amounted to Is, of whom only two,
Henderson, one of the side-show proprletors,
and Philadelphian, whose name could not
be learned, were seriously wounded.
The casualties among the townspeople
amounted only to about a half dozen, of
whom the most were hurt with bricks and
clubs, and not seriously.
Almost all the casualties were from shot
guns, very little damage being done with
pistols. Some glass was broken in the
stores in the neighborhood, but the damage
to property was very slight.
About 30 or 40 warrants were issued this
afternoon, and some of the parties arrested
and held for hearing tomorrow.
CONSULTING WITH o'BRIEN.
A special dispatch to the Philadelphia
Times, dated Seatord, April %, says
John R. Nicholson, Town Solicitor of
Dover, and II. Reedy, member of the Com
mon Council, came here this after
noo1 to consult with John O'Brien, whose
circus will exhibit here tomorrow,
as to the prosecution of the rioters of Sat
urday night. Fifteen of them, mostly
young men and citizens of Dover, were ar
rested this afternoon. The Superior Court
of this State is now in session in Dover.
Chief Justice Comegys made strong charge
to the jury at the opening OF the court this
morning as to their duty in prosecuting the
maleiactors. Solicitor Nicholson was sent
here by the Attorney General fer iniorma-
tion from 0'Bren and his employees that
| will aid him in the prosecution OF the rioters.
| Both Nicholson and Reedy say that no clti-
zens of Dover were injured by the circus
men and that no injury was done, except
that committed by the young roughs of the
town. The Common Council OF Dover is
anxious to bring the rioters to justice and
also to settle the affair amicably with
0'Brien without litigation.
HENDERSON LIKELY TO DIE.
| PHILADELPHIA, April 24.-Charles w.
Henderson the Snowman who was fatally
shot during the mobbing of O'Bren's circus
in Dover, Del, on Saturday night, was
brought to Philadelphia yesterday and
lodged in the Girard House. He was un-
conscious last night and was expected to
die before morning.
Base Ball Points,
The Defiance of this city will play its first
1 3 Al II