The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-19
NEW YORK'S GREATEST RIOT.
The Three Days Reign of Terror in the
Great Metropolis in 1868.
The Causes Leading to the Riot, and the
Flame and PilIage that FOllOwed-A
Story of Twenty-Five Years Ago.
New York Mail and Express.

New York Mail and Express.
'Oh, yes, we'll remember the draft riots of
1868" said an old reporter, II went all through
them in discharge of my duty 1t was trying
time for New York. No ore man knew how to
trust his neighbor. political opinions were then
so divided in this city on account of the war.
The riot was caused by the enforcement of the
draft, which compelled poor man to 60 into
the military service, but enabled one who could
raise $780, to buy substitute. This enraged the
workingmen, and they rose against it, But be-
fore the first day was over the riot changed its
character ten times, and had become plumber
riot, to which the workingmen were themselves
opposed, and in the end assisted to suppress"
Can you tell me something of how it began
and whereof
THE draft ordered to be enforced on
Monday, July 49, 1863. You will see that the
date fell then, as in this year. on Monday.
Notice had been given of the draft during the
preceding week. and the workingmen had Sun
day to think over it and grumble. But that
grumble was of peculiar character 1t was
low growl which meant mischief-a similar
growl to that which precedes the rising of the
Red Republicans in France. 1t was not the
but something that moved in secret and was felt
as soon as heard. When the whistles sounded
the hour for work on Monday morning. commit
tees armed with barrel slaves and long clubs
visited the factories and workshops, especially
those up town. The draft was going on in a
store at the corner of Forty sixth street and
L bird avenue--a portion of a block of four
stores with the upper floors let out as dwellings.
There were then very few houses between
Third and Sixth avenues from Forty second
street to Central Park. The Fourth avenue was
the railroad track Of the New Haven road, with
telegra phi poles along it, The blocks Of ground
between Third and Fifth avenues, for very
long distance, used FOR penning cattle
brought to this city by rail. Between the ave-
nues was Aldertons Bull Head hotel, for the
accommodation of the cattle men. The Harlem
railroad milk depot stood out alone as the most
prom inent building above Forty second street,
and this about Forty seventh street and
Fourth avenue. Thus you the ground was
pretty open west of Forty-si street and
Third avenue, and from it could he seen the ne
gro orphan asylum Fifth avenue
and Forty third street The work
ingmen, after being concentrated into
a mob-for there organization or re-
cognized leader-proceeded to the drafting place,
which they broke in. dragged out the large
wheels from which the names were being drawn,
and broke them to spinters in the street. They
then tore the store to pieces, and with the broken
wood set fire to It, When the fire engines came
up the rioters prevented the firemen from going
to work. AS 1t was then volunteer fire depart
ment, 1T is more than probable that the firemen
sympathized with the workngmen. Be it so or
not they were prevented from throwing water
on the fire, and the four houses the block
We're burned down. Two of the houses were
five stories high and two were four stories, with
open lots at the back inclosed by fence on
Second avenue"
where were the poce?"
You must remember that the city was very
sparsely inhabited then so far uptown. East of
Third avenue were large parks, such as Turtle
Bay, Jones Wood and other similar places The
blocks between Fifth and Sixth avenues above
the railroad depot at Forty-third street were
newly constructed for a short distance only and
most OF the country, although laid out on the
map as avenues and streets, consisted of open
lots westward to the river The Central Park
was III Its infancy, The lower part having been
only recently opened. On Third avenue there
were only shantleS above Forty sixth street
The police posts were very long, and the men
employed up there to do duty few, with the police
stations some distance off. About 200 police Off
GERS from the lower preclnctS-the reserve-had
been ordered on duty at this point, for trou-
BILE was feared during the draft; but the mob
which marched up Third avenue was much
larger. Stones flew around pretty lively and
the police were drawn off, some very badly
wounded. The United States marshals who
We're conducting the draft had tried to escape the
mob by ascending to the roof, and this fact
caused the rioters to set fire to the houses. But
while DESTROYS Of catching and maltreating the
United States marshals, and the police who pro
tected them, they did not wish to destroy either
the lives or property of those who lived on the
upper floors. They were allowed to escape with
all the movable property they could carry, and
these were piled up In the open lots behind the
hun. n,A
come mother, was removed from one of the
upper floors upon her mattress to the open lot
where she gave birth to a child. She was sub
sequently taken to Bellevue Hospital; the
rioters even protecting the police who took
her away. By this time three Of the four
houses were on fire. and the thieves were busy
at work. They pursued policeman into a house
on Lexington avenue, and as the occupants
would not give him up they broke into the house
stripped 1t of everything of value and set fire to
1t. They then made their way to the Bull Head
hotel, which they also Quilted, distributing the
liquor among the crowd. The rioters soon be-
came wildly intoxicated. A cry against the
negroes was raised, and portion of the rioters
broke into the Coored Orphan Asylum at Fifth
avenue and FOrty-third street. drove out the
negro children, many of whom were chased into
the North river; set fire to the asylum and left it
a blazing mass nearly block in extent. Mean
while another portion of the rioters had gone
downtown to attack the Tribune Office then low
sized building constructed of very nfiammable
material
Where were the militia or national guardP
'Al the regiments had been called out for
thirty days service to assist the army in pursu-
ing Lee after his defeat at Gettysburg and were
mostly in Pennsylvania, The only troops here
were few marines at the navy yard and com.
pany OF regulars divided among the different
forts of the harbOr. They could not be concen-
trated before the next day, and the police had to
do all the work, assisted by respectable citizens
who, with some soldiers home on furlough or
ganized night patrol uptown to relieve the
business part of the city threatened with de-
struction and piaged by the rioters, who by
this time had in their ranks all the thieves and
plug uglies' of Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Boston,"
But why could not the Governor send assist.