The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-10-28

Thus came to pass one of the most
remarkable laws ever put upon the
statute book and one that has affected
the legislation of the world.
There was struggle over this, and
the traffic, hiding from the light OF
day skunk away in cellars and back al
leys. So high had feeling run that in
June, 1866, what was known as the
"Rum Riot" took place in Portland.
The Maine law provides for agencies,
one in each city and town, to sell for
medicinal and mechanical purposes.
General Dow said:
IT was mayor and chairman OF a
committee of the board OF managers
and aldermen to purchase necessary IL
quo1s for the city agency. This the
committee did and the liquors were de-
posted In the cellar of the city hall,
under the apartment on the ground
floor, which had been assigned Tor the
agency. The rummles swore ii they
couldn't sell no body should, and SO
they made complaint that the liquors
so purchased and deposited were the
MAYORS intended for sale on his &C
count-and swore to it.
THE mob, encouraged by the politi
cal bosses of that time, made an assault
on that place t.. destroy the liquors.
The police force was small and unequal
to cope with the rascals, and the mayor
called out a military company, and al
ter long suffering from the mob's
throwing of stones, ordered the men
to be taken into the apartment and to
defend it at any cost. In doing this
one of the mob, the leader, was killed
several wounded and the mob dispersed.
The bosses organized second in
quest and tried to have me indicted for
murder, but failed.
st was year before that when my
house was assaulted, and two years be
fore when I was hung in effigy, and
five or six years before when I was as
saulted in the streets by hired bully"
At the outbreak of the war General
Dow at the request of Governor Wash
burn, began to recruit regiment. He
was commissioned colonel of the Fiji
! teenth Maine Volunteers, and sailed In
Buffers expedition for New Orleans,
but was wrecked on the way. The
storm was so high that it seemed very
evident that the ships must go to the
bottom. A lot was drawn from head
less matches, and the captains of the
regiments we're required to draw to see
who should go from the overloaded
ship to the Mt. Vernon. Five Maine
companies were drawn to go to the
larger ship. Butler said: "Col. Dow,
you had better go with these men on
board the Mt. Vernon; they will be
safer there"
"And leave you here, general?'
| "Oh, yes, must stay here"
"Unless you order it I shall do no
such thing. ! shall stay with the ma
jority of my regiment, and stand by
you," and Butler adds. that he did.
He was afterwards with Butler when
he ran the forts.
He was commissioned a general by
| Abraham Lincoln, and at the seige OF
Vlcksburg, in 1868, was taken prisoner
by Gen. T. L. Mitchell, of Rome, Ga,
who was ordered to take him to Rich
mond. Capt. Mitchell adds: "Dow
had been in command Of brigade of
negro troops, and was attached to Gen
eral Buffers division. All the name
less outrages of thieves, gueriIlas and
vagabonds, were directly charged upon
Butler and Dow, with a chlldishness
born of ignorance and prompted by
malice" When Mitchell reached Sci
ma, Ala, there was large number of
refugees from New Orleans there. Some
body telegraphed to, Selma that Mitch
ell was on the way there with Dow in
custody. Mitchell's GOODNESS and bra
very narrowly saved him from death
at the hands of a mob At Weldon
N. c., his life was again threatened.
He was put in Libby prison, and
there delivered almost daily temper
ance lectures. BOWS temperance mat
inees were very popular, and the
"boys" would cheer him to the echo.
They would crowd around, and sign
his pledges condltionally, "till this
cruel war is over" or 'stiIl we get out of
this" or "till we get where whisky is
cheap"
One day in looking out of the prison
window at the risk of his life, he saw
a nearly barefoot Yankee prisoner be-
ing led along by two Confederates.
Dow called to him from the window
and threw down his own shoes and
stockings.
Nine months in Libby, and he was