Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-03-31
THE CINCINNATI RIOT.

about 10 o'clock Saturday night. len
thousand people were in the mob They
surrounded the court house, rolled a barrel
of coal oil into it and set it on fire. When
lieutenant of one Of the militia Companies
rushed in and tried to stay the flames he
was Instantly killed. The building was
soon in blaze, and the mob would not let
the fremen work. Other buildings were
fred in different parts OF the city. 4 gun
store was raided, the ammunition and arms
taken and the building set on fire. Cover
nor Hoadly ordered troops from Columbus,
| Dayton and other parts Of the State to Gin
cinnati. The troops soon arrived and, with
the city militia, began firing merci!essly on
the mob Many persons were killed and
wounded.
The riots broke out again Sunday night.
During the day there We're numher of mi
nor disturbances. Stones were thrown at the
troops and one offender was shots and instant
ly killed by soldier. With the approach
of night, the mobs began to gather About
o'clock rutfian fired into a company Of
militia. The troops fired on the crowd
wounding number of persons. At a late
hour that night the troops were clearing
the streets.
The men who fired the court house and
| pillaged the gnn stores were roughs OF the
worst kind. At one time it seemed like the
mob was going to overcome the police and
militia, and fears were entertained that they
might attempt to burn the city. Had they
gotten into the Jail they would, no doubt.
have dealt out lynch justice TO the score Of
murderers there confined. Friday night
they only wanted TO hang the murderer
Berner, but afterward it seemed they were
willing to murder anybody.
Hundreds Of the rioters were half drunk,
and, crazed by whskey, they stood in front
of the soldiers, tainted them and stoned
them, apparently not caring whether they
would be sienced by bullets or NOT. From
the time the court house was fired every
thing was in confusion. Some Of the home
militia companies became utterly demon
allied at times. The men being unused to
military discipline, disregarded the orders
of their officers, and apparently lost their
senses in the excitement around them. The
riot Saturday night began by crowd col
lecting in the rear Of the jail and stonlng
the court house windows. The mob in
creased toward midnight, and the court
house was fired. 4 carriage factory near
by was next fired. Then the mob robbed a
large gun store of all the arms and ammuni-
ton, and afterwards set fire to it. The pro-
prietor of the place killed three Of the riot
ers. They then secured three cannon, but
being unable to get powder, they were about
to pillage another gun store, when squad
of thirty policemen made charge. captured
the guns and dispersed the mob. Yesterday
the streets were comparatively clear of peo-
pie and were barricaded in all directions,
keeping the crowd q square away from the
| 6nnca isI n h. n. ri prS
Of the city there was considerable disturb
ance during thu afternoon. About 3 o clock
Fred Sleussen, u barkeeper, was shot by
militia man and instantly killed He had
been taunting the militia. was ordered away
but refused to comply. Towards nightfall
the crowds began to increase on the streets
and in the neighborhood Of the courth house
Several parties have been arrested for dis
tribuling inceudiary circulars. The follow
ing, is q copy of the circular:
The public safety demands immediate
action. Organize vigilance committees ii
every ward. Heal the sores by purifying the
body. Serve a notice to criminals, criminal
lawyers, gamblers and prostitutes TO leave
Hamilton county within three days. aud re-
main away for ever or suffer the penalty.
AS long as the present clique Of criminal
lawyers that infest the city are pernIite''to
remain aud corrupt jnries, outrage Justice
and shield criminals just that long will our
citizens be murdered, our property destroy
ed and protection by the law be denied.
Make one clean sweep while we are at it.
vigilance committee Of three hundred in
each ward composed of the best ciizens can,
BY earnest work cleanse the moral atmos
phere in three days. Organize at once and
serve notice to all disreputabe characters
in the ward to leave and never return. The
reputation of this city demands a change, or
wickedness will reign supreme"
The feeling against the militia increased.
Frequently stones were thrown at them.
One man in q crowd gathered near @ company
of soldiers, shouted wait till tonight,
when we get good and drunk, and well
teach you thing or two"
Governor Hoadly has ordered every mill.
tary organization in the State TO report to
Cincinnati Immediately. They number in
all seventeen reg iments and five batteries.
The presence Of this large force has
brought the riot to an end, and the police
are quickly resuming control of the streets.
At o'clock this morning the police report
every body going home and the city perfectly
quiet 1t is impossible to give the exact
number of casualties, but it is believed that
the killed will number % and the wounded
70 or So
1t is said that but two or three hun
dred men composed The bulk of the violent
active rioters, and that they were not fully
armed. The general opinion is, very little
generalship would have been sufficient TO
put them to flight. This was shown when
the attack was made on Powcl's gun store,
about midnight. The first man who enter
ed was shot dead, the second shared the
same fate, and the third was fatally wound
ed. An effort was then made to burn the
building but the proprietor, from an upper
window, fred well-drected shot, and the
effort was given up. When another portion
of the mob got cannon they were met and
overcome by thirty policemen. who captured
the gun. The mob at no time made any
impression on the Jail building. The pris.
oners, locked in their cells, were trembling
with fear, and not one slept through the
night.