The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-31
DEATH OF PAT 0'NElL.
A THRILLING CHAPTER IN THE
HISTORY or YALE UNIVERSITY

{ HISTORY OF YALE UNIVERSITY
Tho Great Riot OF 1854, In which tho
Students wcro Attacked by a Crowd OF
Town Boys-Cannon Brought out. but
Disabled by the Police Officers.
On Thursday evening, March 10, 1851,
a party Of Yale college students visited
Homans atheneum. at the corner OF
Chapel and Church steeets. While there
theT became involved in an alteration
with some men of the town. After the
performance the students were assaulted
by largo number of the town boys
and roughly handled. The following
evening. March II, about fifty of the
students went TO the same theatre IN a
body. During the performance no diff
Guilty occurred, but outside about l,JOO
town boys had assen bled. 4 note was
passed around among the students ac-
quainting them with the situation. A
false alarm of fire was raised outside,
which served To augment the number Of
the rioters When the performance was
over the students remained in the theatre.
Presently they formed in line, two by
two. and, proceeding e. the door, were
met met hy Mai Bissell lie told them
to proceed quietly to the college. The
students In linc crossed over TO the south
side Of Chapel street and proceeded
toward the college. Tho mob followed.
When Trinity church was reached a
yollcy Of stones and brickbats were
hurled by the mob. Several Of the
students were struck and knocked in
sensible
= MOB or OVER SEQ.
Proceeding a short DISTANCE farther
tho college men received q second volley.
Directly after this a portion Of the mob,
which bad hitherto occupied the street,
made q rush for the sidewalk. lmmedi-
atcly four or five pistol shots were
heard. fred, it Was afterward asserted,
by the students. Within two minutes
Of this 'iInc q cry arose that a man had
been shot Maj Bisscll observed a man
near him fall 10 the ground. He raised
the body from the ground with the as
sistance Of the bystanders. Upon exam
inatiOn 40 the police station. whore It
was taken the body proved 70 be that Of
Patrick ONeil He had received two
stabs from a large dirk knife. and lived
but q few moments after the wounds had
been inflicted upon him. lie was one of
the rinGleaders Of tho mob upGn both
Thursday and Friday evenings.
When the mob learned of llis Heath it
became fronzied. About 600 or COO men
rushed for the arsenal, broke into it and
dragged ont two cannon. They loaded
these TO the muZzle with powder, stones
ard brickbats and dragged thCW 10 the
city green. Another portion Of the
rioters broke into the churches and rang
a general alarm of fire, which brought
immense numbers Of the people TO the
scene. While at the corner of Chapel
and Church streets Maj. Bisseli mounted
an ordnance carriage and addressed the
mob, ordering it todisperse. The rioters
replied that they respected the chief Of
police, but must have blood for blood.
Mai. Bissell remained on the gun as the
mob dragged it toward the college. While
on the way up the street tho rioters, IN
their eagerness TO get at their student
enemies, failed TO keep a close watch
upon Maj. Bi5sells movements. Before
the college campus was reached both
cannon had been spiked By the police,
under the leadership Of Maj. Bisseil,
without the crowd being aware OF it.
Tie police. during the transaction Of
these events, had surrounded the
and prevented the further ring |
ing Of bells.
THE MAYOR RESTORES ORDER.
At 1:20 o'clock on Saturday morning |
the cannon were brought into position |
and trained to bear on South college, !
where the students had intIenched them |
selves. When it was discovered that the /
guns were useless an attack was made /
upon the building with paving stones |
and brickbats, The structure was badly /
damaged. The Students lay low and /
made no response. Cries OF Bring out /
tie murderer resoundCd I'm every dirCc- /
ton. AT this iuncture the mayor of the
city arrived and addressed the lnfuriated /
crowd. Ho pleaded long and earnestly
for the cause of order, and promised that
the city authorities would Immediately
take the matter 10 hand and bring the
or perpetrators Of the crime
10 Justice. His words proved effective,
and the crowd began slowly and sulleniy
10 disperse. By 3 o'clock Mai Bissell
was ablo 10 convey the cannon to the
iail, and BY o'clock the city was quiet
A court Of inquiry was held on March
20, 1854. No witness from the town was
called who was near enough to O'Neil
when he was stabbed to be able to testify
anything OF value concerning the iden-
ity of the perpetrator OF the act The
Jury finally came TO the conclusion, as
,-yprQeeod In their verdict that "patriCk
O'Neil came to his death Friday evening,
he 18th Of March, a. D. 1854, from
wounds received by him at the hands Of
.Ome person or persons to Us unknown
he said Patrick O'Nel being at the time
engaged in, and leading, aiding and
lbetting a riot"
Investigation was not pursued further,
as O'Neu belonged TO the low
,st class of society, and no one seemed /
% care very much for him. Public sen.
iment seems TO have been with the
students. New York Times.