The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-10
A FIGHTING PARSON.
Rev. L. A. Banks Now q Massa-
chusetts Politician.
HIS PART IN ANTl-cHlNEsE RIOTS
The Preachs~ for Whose B1oed the Mob
no~ted Now Frohsbittsn Candi-
dste for Governor.

The nomination OF Rev. Louis Albert
Banks for governor by the Prohibitionisfs
Of Massachusetts, will recall 20 the people
of Seattle the Chinese riots Of 1856. in
snppressing which this same Preacher
Banks performed . prominent part
Mr.. Banks vas At that time pastor of the
Battery street Methodist Episcopal church
In North Seattle. having come here from
Vancouver. WASH. IN 1854, and was about
30 years of age. He was o tall man, of Wig
orous form. pleasant and intelligent face;
never clerical. and always frank, open
hearted and manly. He was the first
pastor OF the Battery street church, and
the anti-Chinese agitation had become so
marked that he preached sermon on the
subject. even after he had been threatened
with violence and even death If he did not
keep his mouth shut on the question
On the famous Sunday. February :, 1856
after preaching in his church he was one
of the first 10 join the Home Guards. or
sheriffss posse, 10 protect the Cinnamon.
He was present in line when the guards
escorted the Chinese not able to get aboard
the steamship Queen Of the Pacific 10 their
homes to await the next boat AT the
corner OF Commercial and Main streets
the mob attacked the line. and when il be-
came apparent that they were greatly out
numbered and likely to be oyerpowered
the guards fired into the crowd, wonndlng
six men. one mortaiiy.
The wounding of these men excited the
mob to the highest pitch and they set up
howl for the blood of Mr.. Banks. e. M.
Carr and Judge Thomas Burke, whose
names were repeatedly called. They
seemed to be the marked men by the mob
and threats we're openly made that they
would be publicly hanged before nightfall.
seattleis militia companies came to the
rescue.
When the Federal troops arrived and
Gen. John Gibbon declared martial law
the Home Guard was disbanded at the
courthouse, when Mr.. Banks made an
address to his fellow soldiers. creating
much enthusiasm. At the time he re-
sided near Lake Union and it is notorious
that several jobs were put up to waylay
and kill him between his home and his
church. but they all flashed in the pan.
On the Sunday alluded to, February !,
he was preaching sermon on "Prohibi-
ton" In the midst of which the COVER
zens to help put down the riot was brought
the threats made against him, many of
his congregation had rifles concealed be-
meath their pews with which to defend
him, and others OF his church members
paraded with rifles in their hands in frcnt
of the church.
Mr.. Banks had begun preaching in
Washington territory at Is years of age.
From IL to n he taught school and studied
law, being admitted to practice in the
courts. His first pastorats was in Port
land.
At the conference following the anti
Chinese riots trouble he withdrew from
the Washington conference and went
East. subsequently, locating in Massachu-
sets, and has held leading pulpit in
Boston since then. He has written sew
eral books, the latest being "The Peoples
Christ" in which he alludes to his Seattle
adventures. During his residence here he
began writing book on Pugetsound, en-
titled 1.-THE Mediterranean OF the North
west" but it was never finished. He was
member of the apple Orchard Crowd"
which combined to drive out the gamblers
about 1855.