The Dawson journal., 1884-01-24
AN OLD FEUD RECALLED.
rHE ASTOR PLACE RIOT IN NEW
YORK CITY.
Fhe Order to Fire ON the Mob and How It
was Given to the Soldiers.

It has often been claimed, says ,Stla-
day Mercury correspondent, that the
military authorities were somewhat TO
blame in precipitatin' bloodshed at the
Astor Place riot, but the truth is that
they not only were not to blame at all,
but deserved commendation for their
self control. Findin' matters gettin
worse. instead of better by the comm
OF the soldisrs. Recorder Talmadge
showed that he had first-class nerve by
comm boldly forward, facin' the howl
in. cursin' mob, and maxim speech in
favor of law and order, saying to the
mob ''Depart-return to your homes;
delay not let this street be cleared at
once, or the soldiers here-your own
brothers-the armed citizens of New
York will fire upon you, as sure as there
is God above u.s."
But the mob only went on worse than
before. They set up an awful yell I;
then they groaned at Talmadge, and
fired stones at him, one of which hit
him on the breast, though not woundin'
him seriously. Then Talmadge turned
to General Hall, who was in charge of a
battalion, and said General, you will
have to fire on 'em after ALL"
'Where is the Mayor?" asked Gen.
Hall. "He alone should give the order
to fire."
But the Mayor, Woodruff, was in the
New York Hotel.
Then Hall asked for the Sheriff.
Westervelt. Westervelt stepped up, but
was committal, and wanted the
general to take the responsibility, which
was natural enough. But Hall didn't
see it yet.
Then General Sanford and Colonel
Duryea came up to Hall and Talmadge
and said that this sort of thing wouldn't
be endured by the National Guard any
longer. They were bein' shot at and
stoned and wounded by the mob, and
were not allowed even to protect 'em-
selves in return.
"What do you say now, Mr.. Sheriff? 2"
asked General Hall, who was deter
mined, if he could, to get his orders be.
fore he gave 'em.
"Your duty is only too plain, Mr..
Sheriff, remarked Recorder Talmadge.
'You cannot do otherwise than give the
order and fire."
The sheriff said nothin' for moment,
turned on his heel as if to go, then sud
denly turnin' back, he went up to Gen
eral Sanford and said: "Do as you
think right, General"
This might have seemed enough to
the sheriff, but it wasn't enough to San
ford. He, like Hall, wanted to get a
definite order from somebody. So San
ford looked the sheriff full in the face
and asked him plump and plain "Do
you give me the order to fire p" And
then Sheriff Westervelt said these de.
cisive words which settled the life and
death of large number of people: 81
do, sir.
Then Sanford turned to Matsell, who
was standin' near him, headin' the police,
as fat and round as watermelon, but
as cool as cucumber. "Matsell," said
Sanford, "call in your policemen. We
shall have to employ bullets in half a
minute"
Sayin' this, while Matsell called in his
police, Sanford and Duryea went round
once more and for the last time tryin' to
pacify the mob and dispense 'em. But
the mob didn't care continental.
Fire and be hanged" "Fire if you
dare" "To-with your guns" "You
talk, but you dare not shoot, were some
Of the exclamations heard on all sides.
One fellow in the crowd took up big
stone and held it in front of him. "Fire
into this" he cried. and then he hurled
the stone right against the soldiers,
woundin' one of 'em severely, at which
the mob set up laugh.
Another chap tore open the bosom OF
his shirt and struck his bare breast vio-
lently with his clenched hands. "Fire
into this" he cried, hittin' his breast
once more. ''Shoot me here and take
the life out of free born American citi-
zen for British actor, if you dare"
The crowd around went madden than
ever at this speech, and chap hard by,
regular rough, took up pawn stone,
and with a yell hurled the stone full
against the sword arm of General San
ford, disablin' it for the time.
This seemed to act on the mob like the
first taste of blood on the tiger, and
others began firin' missiles at Sanford,
but missin' him in their haste.
1t was again doubted whether the
military and the police together could
quell the mob. One man prophesied a
general uprisin' throughout the entire
city of New York.
1t was really, as Col. Duyea after
ward remarked, speakin' of it, "an awful
moment"
But it was only moment.
The first order to the soldiers to fire on
the mob was given by General Hall.
Clearly and distinctly he spoke the ter.
rible word, "fire |" 1t was heard plainly
along the whole line of soldiery, amid
ali the cussin' and clamorin' of the mob.
But only one musket responded to the
order, and some of the mob laughed il
mockery.
Then General Sanford took up the
| word 0Fira Fire ~ he callad ou,