Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-11-27
LYMAN BISSELL.
Burial of the Well Known Soldier
in New Haven.
An IDEAL MARTIAL HERO.
How He Saved Old South College from a
Howlins Mob of Town Boys and
Prevented Considerable Blood
shed, Away Back I'm %.

New HAVEN, Nov. 27.-While the wind
was bowling through the naked elms in the
old cemetery Monday afternoon a funeral
procession, composed mostly of old citizens
of New Haven whose heads are white with
years of honorable service for the city, fol-
lowed to its resting place the body of their
old friend and comrade, Maj. Lyman Bissell,
United States army.
All through his long life he was more or
less intimately connected with New Haven's
public affairs, and all the old residents OF the
town loved him, and their descendants viii
honor his memory.
Maj. Bissell's was life rich with episodes
of martial valor and heroism extending over
period from the outbreak of the Mexican
war through the war of the rebellion. Per-
sonally he was, in his prime, an ideal martial
hero of romance His towering height was
offset by his broad shoulders and great girth
of chest. He weighed over 200 pounds, all
bone and muscle. The lower part of his
handsome, fresh colored faco was covered by
curling brown beard. He was a magnifi-
cent specimen of health and manly vigor
But the one brave deed, which, above all
Others made the major famous then and has
caused his name to be remembered slnce was
his prompt action at the time of the famous
st. Patr icks night "town and gown riot of
1854.
To the major, then chief of police, and to
him alone, probably, was it due that the old
South college in New Haven. was not that
night razsd to the ground by bowling mob
and many lives lost instead of one.
For years there had been bad blood be-
tween the students and the town boys. There
had been frequent outbreaks between the
clashing factions, but nothing more serious
hsL T&r.lA
or an interchange of profanity and abuse.
The chief disturbing elements among the
town faction were the volunteer fire COM
panies. 1t was before the days of paid fire
departments.
On the evening of Thursday, March i6,
1854, barn storming tragedian occupied the
boards of Homans athenRum, the little hall
on the corner of Church and Chapel streets,
whers such theatrical talent as then visited
the City of Elms exhibited itself
This tragedian was q ranting, mouthing
sort of mountebank, and a half dozen
young student bucks, seated in the front rows
in their fowered vests and with their plaid
shawls pinned jauntily over their shoulders,
were moved to audible mirth and jeers by his
efforts. The gallery gods, who were raptur-
ously applauding the performance, cried:
s'Put 'em outl" jug 'emln The students
answered tauntingly.
As soon as the performance was over a
great crowd of the ''towniesn gathered around
the door When the students appeared they
We're seized and mobbed by the crowd
ssYale Yalel'' they shouted, and as the
well known war cry resounded up the streets
students came rushing 70 the aid of their
comrades. -a
The police interfereo, aud after a few ar.
rests were made quiet was restored
The next day was the eventful st Pat
rick's day. The news of the fight of the
night before had of course spread all through
the college and all over the town. The barn
storming tragedian again held the boards at
Homan's athenRum. About fifty students
armed with knives and pistols went to tho
performance in a body. The doings of the
night before were repeated A big crowd of
the town men began to gather outside the
entrance to the hall
Just as the performance closed the fire
bells in the church steeples on the old Green
rang out an alarm. From every side the
firemen and sympathizers began to pour in.
The streets around the entrance were blocked
with a howling mob daring the students to
come out. The students held a consultation
and then formed two abreast and marched
out. They proceeded up the sidewalk beside
the old Green, the mob closing in around
them and filing eair with yells and curses.
When the brave little band of students were
opposite Trinity church they began to sing
"Gaudeamus igitur guam dixisti verumn
As the hated notes OF the famous old col
Iege song rang out the crowd charged on the
students with canes and other weapons.
Many of the college boysfe wounded. Their
companions picked them up and kept on, still
singing.
Kill 'eml kill the young naonkeysfn
shouted the mob, and another charge was
made
Cracks crack bang!
A yolley Of ten pistol shots was fired by the
students
Several OF the mob fell slightly injured.
There was a scuffie, then low moan. and
a man dropped dead A college man had
drawn dirk knife and stabbed am assailant
through the heart.
Instantly the confusion was b ightened
tenfold- The church bells began to sound an
alarm, bringing thousands more to the scene.
The air was filed with curses and cries for
revenge. A number Of the mob ran to a
barn near by where were stored the two brass
field cannon Of a militia artillery company.
The guns were hastily loaded to the mnzzle
with powder, stones and scrap iron and
u11R@6a up the SMeeG 20 t0e campus Then
Chief Of Police Bissall came dashing up. He
leaped upon cneof the guns and in stentorian
tones cried out to the crowd to desist. but
even this had no effect. The crowd showed
Bissen of and swept on up the street
Then Bissell, by his prompt decision and
action. saved many lives and valuable prop
eTty. He procured couple OF small files
ran up after the guns and jaznmed the files
into the f0uchhnl0S effectively ~SFsfExssaov A..
gums. Ignorant Of this, the mob placed the
guns in position, one facing one side of the
old brick building, the other the other side.
bring out your murderer they shouted
% tha atudentA