Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-25
w n EN- MOS LAW LED
Tragic End of E P. Lovejoy's Career at
Alton, Ill
"Reminiscences of the Only Surviving
Member of the Guard That Pro.
tected Him "A Narrative.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening stss.

Special Correspondence of The Evening stss.
TOPEKA, Kan. April 3. 1894
Probably the only surviving member OF
the famous ''Lovejoy Guard" resides in
Topeka Judge John T. Morton, an old
and respected citizen Of this city, IL ia
miliar with all of Elijah p. Lovejoy's trials
and struggles at St Louis and Alton.
which eliminated in the death Of that
noted character at the hands of q mob.
There are few. II any. who can state 30
much from memory OF Rev. Love3oy as
can Judge Morton. He was brought to the
west In 1927 when but six years old, and
remembers such Of the incidents Of the
trip as would naturally impress themselves
upon the memory OF a boy OF that age
Mr.. Lovejoy was one OF the company, ana
those who knew him In after years would
be surprised to learn that he was the
life and soul OF the crowd"-very differ
ent. indeed. from what he afterward be-
came.
Judge Morton delights to talk about his
old friend. and discusses the thrilling IN
cidents Of those early times II they
occurred yesterday. Speaking Of Love-
Joys early career, he said: Elijah was the
son of Rev. ID. c. Loveioy. a Congrega-
tional minister. and was then twenty-five
rather reminded his friends Of the "a
proverb that the parsons son was the
worst in the parish Young as ! was i
often accompanied him on his hunting
excursions while he remained at Hillsboro.
ILL.,, and acted as his game carrier He
was an enthusiastic hunter. and fond OF
all outdoor sports In 1892 an entire
change took place; he Joined the church,
returned to the east, attended Princeton
Theological Seminary for q year and was
licensed to preach in 1893. Soon after he
became editor Of the ST. Louis Observer.
Presbyterian paper. and made IL strong
ly anti-slavery. The feeling at St Louis
became so bitter that he decided TO remove
to Alton, but after his press and material
was boxed most Of the outfit was thrown
into the Mississippi river by a mob. What
was left was thrown into the river at Alton
on the night of its arrival there. But q
new plant was procured and the publiea$fU
of the Alton Observer vas comm00o4 =
September, 1896. Nothing seemed 20 fndf.
cate mob violence until about the LIST OF
August, 1877. when series Of strong anti
slavery articles appeared In the columns Of
the Observer and public meetings both
for and against mobbing the paper. were
held in Alton. The result was that on the
2lst of August the press and type were
destroyed by a mob. composed almost en-
tirely of Missourians. Most OF the citi-
zens Of Alton were opposed TO mob law.
but were afraid to act. Alton thought II
was a commercial rival OF St Louis and
didn't want to ALLEVIATE the boys across
the river and run the risk Of losing their
| trade"
The Feeling nc Aseo~.
Continuing, Judge Morton said: -AnStfer
establishment was purchased. but on In
arrival met the fate OF the first. Stiii
another was sent for. and. during the
interim exciting public discussions were
the order Of the day At Alton Some Of the
citizens crawled out Of their apathy and
| dared TO advocate law and order. but they
were few. Quite n number OF people came
| to Alton from other places 20 defend M.
Lovejoy, II another mob should show it,
self. many OF them from Cariinville. The
most exciting meeting was held about two
days before the press arrived. reached
Alton on that day, on my way from
Quincy, to attend the Hillsboro Academy,
and, calling on Mr.. LoveJoy. and finding
the condition Of affairs. concluded 70 re-
| main. had my rife along, and, OF course.
all those who had come 20 aid In resisting
the expected mob were well armed !
attended that meeting. and viii never for
get the able and pathetic address OF Mr..
Love5oy. The meeting was also addressed
by the Rev. Edward Beecher. president
OF Illinois College: w. s. Gilman. in whose
warehouse the press was 10 be stored; L..
| F. Linde-, city attorney, and others. The
address Of Mr.. Lovejoy. Il seemed 10 me.
members OF the mob IL they had been pres
| ent. but most of them We're at their homes
in Missouri. The audience was almost en-
| tirely composed of those who Were willing
to fight the mob and those who would get
| rid of the mob by inducing Mr.. Lovejoy to
| stop the publication OF the paper. The
| latter cowardly class were in the majority,
| and its resolutions were adopted.
| THE press arrived on the night OF No
| vember 9. 1897. About fifty OF us camped
in the Godfrey a Gilman warehouse. re-
| ceived the same OF the steamboat Science
and safely guarded II until IL was landed IN
| the building. i am aware that the History
OF Madison County book published
forty-hve years after, and generally ao-
| curate, states that no mob appeared that
night My remembrance Is different I
may have got two occasions mixed. or. 20
| use a common expression. have got two
parts Of two stories together. II happens
to be fact that Mr.. Grtggs and myself, on
| two other occasions. acted together ir de-
Tense of free speech against mob rule.
The history may be right, but have a
| vivid remembrance that Mr. Grfggs and
myself took very deliberate aim at a por-
way-piank. and felt relieved when they
| took a hasty departure. However this may
! be- there were fifty or sixty OF US ready to
receive The mob. well srmed and with easy
the press to the warehouse. No attack.
however, was made on the building that
night The next morning Mr.. Love3oy in
| formed us that he had come TO the conclu-
| sion that II Alton men would not defend
| the right of free speech and a free press
the responsibility must be on them. ana
virtually drove us non-residents away
| The Fatal Night.
That night (November T. fss7) as Judge
Morton's story runs a mob suddenly ap-
peared and demanded the press The de-
mand being refused. and several OF the mob
being shot In the attempt to break down
the doors. q ladder was put up on the south
side Of the building. In which there were no
windows, and one or more fires were set on
the roof In the act Of rushing out for the
purpose OF driving OF the incendiaries, q
volley was fired by a part OF the mob Sc
GREETED behind q pile Of lumber. southwest
of the building. by which Mr.. LoveJoy was
killed and two OF the other defenders
wounded This was the end OF the de-
! Tense said Judge Morton. and less than
| twenty men were there 10 oppose the mob.
The ware house. in which there was val
liable property stored. was on IRE and
| further resistance was useless. The press
was broken to pieces ana thrown into the
| river. The commercial rivalry between Al
| ton and St Louis was heard OF no more
Oven In those pro-slavery days the town In
a free state that would allow and even en-
| courage such a mob had no Vaccinations for
the immigrant-at least the desirable Inn
migrant
ut will be deemed Incredible but II IN
| true. that at the next term OF court the
grand jury returned indictments against
| about a dozen of the citizens Of Alton for
| 'unlawfully resisting an attempt 70 break
up printing press and 70 break into the
| store house OF Godfrey & Gilman As a
matter OF course. they were acquitted To
show that they were impartial jurors they
indicted several members OF the mob. But