Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-31


larry Tree from such intrusion Tho M,
hlclpal election, which occurred on the first
MONDAY OF June, 1857, was a day Of eraa :
eAeltement,as party feeling was very strong
anu that feeling was increased tenfold when
.ne hhow Nothing organization was in ex
iS'ehce. PREVIOUS to that time the political
party lines between the wings and tho
democrats were strongly drawn, but the
eAeiteneht was at an end when the cleo
tlohs We're over. The advent of the Know
Nothing order arrayed friend against friend
ana long after election day the bitterness
remained. The wings had for years held
sway here, carrying the elections on almost
every occasion; but when the new order of
opposition arose an upheaval Of political
parties took place.
Many wings left the party to which thew
had long held allegiance and became demo-
crdts' as that party declared war against
lhis new political organization. The sue
cess OF the new party for time was very
great. IL elected members of Congress and
SENATORS heio the balance of power in both
branches OF Congress, elected governors of
one OF Two states, and swept all the officials
OF this city from Office electing the mayor
ana large majority of the CITY council
Inc nrst defeat they met was in Virginia
"hen the late Henry A. Wise was elected
governor or the state. The democrats elect
ed DR.. William B. Magruder MAYOR of this
city In 1856, and the election of Mr.. Buch-
aran to the presidency reinstated the party
In power.
An Exciting Contest.
Ihe election which took place here on the
ISL OF June. 1857, was for collector of taxes
surveyor and members of the board Of
sIoermen ana common council James F.
halliday was the democratic candidate for
nd
Nothing candidate. William Forsyth our
present surveyor. was the democratic can
didate for that office, and as a naturaIized
CITIZEN he had arrayed against him all the
power of the Know Nothing organization.
Full tickets were nominated for the two
boards by both parties, and the contest was
a most exciting one. On the morning of the
election party Of the worst element of
roushs from Baltimore arrived by the early
Tram ana We're provided with breakfast at
the park" then in the suburbs and
marched to the polls Of the first precinct in
the fourth ward, a democratic stronghold
AS soon as the polls opened the rioting be-
gan. Inc crowd Of rioters was swelled to
thousand or fifteen hundred men, and the
attack was made on the voters in line of
approach to the polls
stones were thrown and several shots
nred, and the polls closed. Richard Owens.
commissioner of the ward; Capt Goddard
Capt. +. A. klopfer, Capt. Baggott of the
police and others were struck and severely
hurt. The police were poweress against
such crowd, and the mayor was appealed
to TO seek aid from the President to preserve
the peace. A letter was addressed to the
President by the mayor, and affidavits sub
mitted Of the extent of the riot and the re-
quest was made that the United States ma
rineS be ordered out to preserve the peace
The mayor was referred by the President
Mr.. Buchanan, to the Secretary of the
Navy who ordered Gen. Henderson, then
commandant of the marine corps, to place
two companies Of marines under orders of
the mayor for the preservation Of the peace
The knowledge that the marines had been
ordered out increased the excitement The
rioters obtained cannon from the Ana
costa engine house, and planted 1t in front
Of the polls, corner of Massachusetts ave-
nue. and It'll street The marines halted on
the corner of Ith and H streets. two blocks
from the polls. The mayor, accompanied
by Maj. Tyler, who commanded the ma
rines, went to the polls and ordered them
to be opened. The mayor addressed the
mob, ordering them to give up the cannon
and dispense, and received in answer
curses and threats and riotous demonstra-
lions. The mayor then gave them five min
utes to dispense. Stones were then thrown
and renewed threats. and the mayor then
directed Maj. Tyler to capture the cannon
and dispense the mob
The Mob Conquered.
The marines were n arched up in front Of
them with stones. and some shots were
fired and a marine wounded in the face
Maj. Tyler then ordered the marines to
charge and take the cannon. which they
did at double-quick. and a volley from the
second company ended the riot. The riot
ers fed in every direction, cited into thin
air Ike the witches in Macbeth. When the
smoke cleared away 1t was found several
persons had been killed and many wounded
but. as usual. the victims were innocent
spectators. Messrs. Aston, Deems Dow
ling and two colored men. Neale and Red
ding, were among the killed, and many
persons were wounded, some of them Sc
ve~ely. Rumors that reiL forcements were
expected of the same element from Balti-
more caused the marines to march to the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad to welcome
them. but they did not come. The polls
were opened Immediately after the mob
had dispersed and voting resumed. The re-
suit of the election was overwhelming
success for the democratic ticket. Fearing
renewal Of the disturbance at night, a
battery, under command of Maj. French
was brought here from Fort McHenry
The disturbance was not renewed, and
since that day Washington has been stngu-
larry free from riots or any demonstrations
that a few policemen could not quell.
Looking over the list Of members elected
to the boards of aldermen and common
council. find but four of them alive today,
Messrs. Chas. Albert, Robert A. Waters,
Matthew G. Emery and Richard H Clarke
The latter gentleman Is now resident of
New York. The surveyor then elected, the
venerable William Forsyth retains his office
and has done so under all the changes which
have been wrought in our municipal gov
eminent.
No District Militia Then.
At that time there was no military or
ganization here, as remember. The Wash
ington Light Infantry was in existence as
a company, and the only one think Not
long after this occurred Congress reorgan-
lied the District militia, and the admins
tration Of Mr.. Buchanan closed in the shad-
ows Of the approaching war between the
states. The present military organization
will doubtless be powerful enough to well
come the army Of the commonweal and
protect the Capitol from being overrun by
the many thousands Of peaceful visitors
should Coxey's anticipations be realized
The auxiliary guard, which was then the
police force of the city, was organized dur
ing the administration of Mr.. Tyler, and
Its creation arose from a demons ira ton
made by some Jealous wings, who resented
the vetoes of the bank bills proposed and
passed by Congress in 1S41. The police
force as now organized was one accom-
pl!shed during the administration of Col.
Berret, and it has been increased by sub
sequent acts of Congress until 1t has be-
come at the present time second to no po-
lice force in this country.
JOHN F. CoYLE.
No Harsh Speech.
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