New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-07

chnzed secret expedition to Providence for pur-
pose OF releasing Thomas William Dorr leader OF the
DoT Rebellion, who had been convicted on a charge
Of treason and sentenced 20 Imprisonment for life.
Nominally they were going to Providence to hold a
| political mass meeting. The steamer Norwich was
chartered. and a Tuesday morning all went aboard.
| armed TO the teeth Mr.. Towndrow in the meantime
had dispatched letter 10 some friends In Providence
tho firm Of Cranson. Cory Co.. publish inform
| ing them Of the intended assault on the prison. and
when The Norwich set sail he of her passen-
gers, excellent terms with the entire gang Sc
iencly confident that t.re would be fur at the other
end of the voyage. And there Wien the En-
pre- Boys dIsembarked with resolution in their hearts
and fire in their eyes they found long line of shining
brass cannon waiting 10 receive them. The lire died
out resolution vanished. they held their meeting
and returned to Ncw-York. Dorr remained in
| disturbed possession of the Providence prison til
1917, when he was paIdoncd
WRITING ABOUT POLITICAL DISORDERS.
Mr. TOwndrOw has vivid recollection OF the do
ines Of ex-Congres,man Michael Walshs "'subterra
mean Club an organization quite as constituencies
as the Empire Boys. Political deviltry was its aim
and purpose. one day, while the American party
was holding public meeting in F0ur;ecnthst., this
| gang Of ruians tore down the platform from which
Hoods Of coqucncc deluging fellow citizens
put the orators To flight scattered the mob and went
on lis way rejoicing. Mr. Towndrow was on the
platform when il came down. and The Tribune con
tanned full account OF the fall. Another gang
with which this ubiquitous reporter was on most ex-
ccllcnt terms composed Of the tOugls,' ruf-
fans aud hoodlums of the sixth Ward Tho Dead
Rabbit riot first brought it into nOtice-wly " Dead
Rabbit none ever seemed to know. Numbers were
killed that is certain and months each of the sur
vivors wore funeral badg. which bore the picture
Of dead rabbit hanging by its heels
other disturbances which Mr.. TOWndrOW ana
part of which he was were the 1Iackcrelville Riot
in TOmpkins square and the German riot. Tho
former was a sangunary encounter between factions
armed with stones For days the two divisions were
occupied In carting missiles and pilng them In the
square in big heaps, aud when the tocsn of war was
sounded they let fly at each other with some eject,
breaking arms and cracking skulls putting ont eyes,
MASKING noses and shattering teeth. Mr.. IowndFoW
arrived on the field OF batle III the course OF TEN.
pOraly uspcn sion Of hOsc-, talked with the leader
Of one army, crossed and talked with the leader
OF the other, noticed that The field was not covered
win the dead ana dying and dashed or 10 ing LTD
une Office 10 write nj, story. Among the comoatahts
he rccolects such gangs ~ the BUNS Head Lbhts,
tne rory IhieNeN the Nhyos ana the f.IeNsht va
street Gang The German riot, which occurred IN
Wool then Mayor and the state autiorites' Inc
police force was divided, the newly created Metro
poltan Police who Upheld the state bathing VII. VIII
the Ola Municipal Police, whO we're Mayor NoDNs
partsals. Tie Mayors protectors, some 500 strong
stationed themselves al tie City Hall under the com
chief Magistrate TN put 10 rout by the 7th Regl-
mont which happened % be marching down Br9a1
way. In the encounter twelve policemen we're qin ,
ccrously wounded The Germans who sympatlzed
with tine Mayor, planned the total destruction OF tn1
ropoan police were to pass through certain street,
In the German quarter in a body. the residents Cult
work and devoted themselves for several days u
loading the front rooms and the roofs Of their houses
with heavy stones. which they intended to hur!
down from window and oornice IN a death dealin;
avalanche upon the policcmens heads. The pot
was kept very quiet. bat il nevertheless leaked out
' aycd OF course Nr. Towndrow was on hand to
write FIJI account u the ambuscade for The TrIb
unc. No one ever suspected him OF being the per
son who saved the force from utter anaihiiation.
PREVENTING AZ INVASION OF CUBA.
II was in the Administration Of Franklin Pierce that
Ned Buntllnc organized his secret expedition for tho
invasion Il Cuba. vessel chartered at Baltimore.
WAS TO run down Cape Charles in ballast and there
take on BOARD her cargo OF guns. ammunition and men,
Mr. Towndrow, stumbling on the affair in his rounds
FASTENED to the spanish Vice Consul with Information
Of the plot the Wee Consul appealed to the President
the vessel seized and the expedition abandoned
A few years later hearing through a friend in Bal
timorc whspcrincs o: secession movement in Mary
laud, he determined 10 chcc. It hy an appeal TO TIE
Comnl, .icucr, Of Police Of this city. The AdmlnistFa
tion tooh prompt action captured quantities. of arms
.upplcssed the movement Tho ringeaicr proved u
be an intimate friend OF United states Marshal Kane
Mr.. Towndrow has reported many celebrated cases
in the Of his long and varied career In 1859
report the trial Of Acxander Mcleod for burn
ing the Lake steamer Caroline, which was being used
ammunition and provisions 10 Canada. Here he first
met Horace Greeley, who attended the
TN he New 5orsT and R' aquahanc
thu, formed rlpcncd into friendship which lasted
Mr.. Towndrow became Of n, reporters and he has
been here In the harness ever since At ono time |
ing in his manifold copy 10 eight Offices each night |
In Tho search for news his days were spent on the 'front.'