The daily critic., 1890-07-30

] ana the marines were on their march to
ne City Hall-various citizens, alarmed
90 he impending DANGER advised,
urged and entrcatcd The Mayor 20 rUi
| rather on q civil posse Of citizens, OF, 10
| most TO call on the volunteers, t0 aii in
preserving the peace Of the city. aud
pledges were given hy responsible men
TO produce The civil posse. and by
field liiCcr Of The volunteers to bring on
. The ground such force of troops Is he
should ToQuire-hut all iu vain. The
earnest appeal of az least one citizen was
iudcly rejected by the Mayor and his
advisors, and he 0TdCred 10 ieafe the
lnom. whilst the volunteers were de.
clargd 90 be too Inefficient Tor The oc.
cason
The marines were al length patadei
in front of the Mayors office. and
placing himself at their head he lci
them to The memorable spot, acCompl
uitd by q vast crowd of unarmed eit-
izens, curious iO see the result But
while these movements we're iu pro.
gTCss, another movement took place
having an Intimate connection with the
events that followed Some young
men residing near the barracks, hear.
ing the marines were about being
marched into The city, were 60 excited
by apprehension Of danger % their
friends by such a measure, that they
determined TO be present, and if nee.
tssary, TO aid IN their defence There
was a swivel kept az an engine house
near the Navy Yard, used for firing 81
lUtes, which these youths drew oui, and
proceeding with Il 10 the vicinity Of the
anticipated scene Of contest, placed IL
near the murket.house Of the Northern
Liberties II turned out that the swivel
was spiked and was therefore useless
They passed the marines on their
march, were seen and uninterrupted by
them, the secret having, as we believe,
been previously impaired to them that
the swivel was spiked, and entirely
harmless.
"As soon as the troops and the vast
crowd who accompanied them arrived
at the polls where the morning dis
tmbance took place, the three Judges Of
the election unanimously resolved 10
close the polls, considering Il inconsist
ent with the true principles Of free gov
eminent 10 ask citizens 10 exercise the
right Of suffrage under the guns and
bayonCts Of the regulars. They con
tinuCd closed until the scene of blood
was enacted and the guilty perpctra
tors had Withdrawn, when those who
had the courage 10 approach threw In
their ballots But few votes, however,
were cast after the massacre
we will not attempt minute detail
Of the events that followed. The proof
taken on the trial Of those persons who
were indicted as rioters. showed that the
first firing was made by The troops-that
II was returned 10y few scattering pls
tol shots. when an indiscriminate firiug
Of the marines followed, dirCctcd-nOt
pgaiusi the young mCu at the swivel,
nor against persons who were armed and
firing on them nor against the persons
who made or were engaged In the morn
ipg disturbance for they were not
there but against the unarmpd crowd
on The side. walks against individuals
crossing The street ata distance from the
sCCre and against persons IN the soc
ord story windows of the opposite
houses The number Killed. ~ who |
subsequently died of their wounds, WIS
not less than fOuriCtu-tOtaI. upwar is
OF thirty. OF The victims above tnumgr
0ied hut two we're members Of the |
American party-twO were ucgroes-oue |
was "A citizen of Baltimore, a brakesman |
on the railroad ears who, rs we'll as All |
the remainder were Democrats. Sey.
tral Of them held office 10 the depart |
mtuts These statistics show couelu.
sively the utter wautonncss Of the catas
uophe. and strengthen, II possible the |
adherence, 50 natural 10 irec-born
Americans, az tue use Of a standing army |
10 the midst Oi peaceful community
After the marines were marched |
back 10 the City Hall. and we're stand |
ing under arms on the central portico, |
large number OF citizens was attracted |
10 the spot 10 gaze on the troops, aud /
while standing pcaceably aud quietly on |
the steps Of their own City Hall. were |
ordered by the mayor 10 disperse or be |
would order the marines 10 fire on |
them l-an order quickly Obeyed, stimu. |
lated by the recent slaughter by the
same Instruments, acting under the |
same authority.
During ali these proceedings no riot |
act was Tead-no warning was given to |
the people 10 dispeIse-nO blank |
cartridges were hTed 10 alarm and drive |
them away-but without warning, /
without suspicion on their part Of the /
intention OF the mayor, the officers or /
the troops 10 fire upon them. they were |
shot down, some OF them standing 10 |
their own doors
''As II 20 show the world there must |
have been good cause for this military /
execution, under an apparent appre /
hensiOn Of cOmmotiOn among the people /
Of the city, a corps Of light artillery |
was ordered here from Fort McHenry, |
snd, on their arrival, were armed as ia, |
fanuy, giving our city the appearance |
Of q gaHisOned town OF course, they /
returned without having done any /
service, as their visit was uneaIled for /
by any rational cause.
4 hat such a transaction should be |
Of once the foundation Of the most rigid |
ard peTseyeTing judicial investigation, |
you would no doubt suppose. And /
yet, strange % say, although almost |
every justice Of the peace was applied |
10 for a warrant against Mayor Ma 1
gTudeT as one Of the guilty parties, yst 4
no rITrahf csHld BE- obtained Not even /
The most ordinary process for holding
10 bail even when the necessary afh-
daViis were produced would be /
granted None could be obtained /
against lhe officers OF priVates Of the
marines, and that no Judicial examina.
lion has yel been had for the purpose
Of holding 10 a Just responsibility
those who took the lives and mutilated |
ihe persons of SO many uuoiiending
citizens
Even the inquest required By our
laws 90 be held bF Tie Coroner, b in-
quiIg into every death by q violent or
unknown cause was held IN but two I
cases-aiier much difficulty and oppO-
siuon. The Coroner was prevented BY
. member OF one q the city boards
from executing his duty "a one Of the
were ilVgslIgaled 10 I'll vas riqen BY