The Republican journal., 1903-07-02
A STORY OF 1862.
HOW HON. EUGENE HALE QUELLED A
CRAFT RIOT!
Boston Sunday Globe. ]

old men who boast about the wonderful
events of the civil war and tell how
Prospect was one once the most famous
shipbuilding town on Penobscot river.
They lay heavy stress on the assertion
that Miss Sarah SanbOrn was the pref
test and brightest girl in the Penobscot
river valley and prove their claim by
showing how she married Gen. Cyrus
Hamlin, who was the favorite son OF
the vice president under Lincoln, and
who used to ride down from Bangor, Is
miles away, every evening when he went
counting and kept it up until he had
won and married her. when they went
away to New Orleans, where they both
died of yellow fever
This young general IN his D!ue uni
form and gold braid was. according TO
local tradition, the bravest ana moSC
generous man who lived. He spent
money freely, and the number OF men
with whom he drank rum today ana
footed the bills for the same Is larger
than the number OF houses at wnlch
Renedict Arnold called for a drink when
he marched to Montreal by the way OF
kennebec river.
No sooner do the neighborhood his
torians run out of material regarding
the glories of the Hamlin Sanbon
courtship than they switch Oft and be-
gin to boast of the day when Col. Eu-
gene Hale of Ellsworth, a member OF
Cove rnor Washburns staff, rode across
counties and subdued formidable dra1t
riot with no other weapons than corn
cob pipe and pouch of fine cut tobacco.
In the early days of the war the po-
litical and social leader OF the town was
Can't. John Odom, an aged giant, who
had been pressed into the British navy
in his youth, and who had been present
at the battle of Corunna, Spain, where
he had helped to dig the grave for Slr
John Moore. \ few years later, WE!le
his ship was frozen into the Baltic, he
had challenged the champion OF the
English fleet tC fight him with pare
knuckles, and had killed his opponent,
after half an hours fighting, thus en-
dearing himself forever to every ath-
letic youth in the county.
Until the Inauguration OF Presloeht
Lincoln, Capt. Odom had held the once
of keeper of Fort Point light, place
which had always been awarded to snip
masters who had grown too Old Tor actlVe
service at sea. When Capt. Odom was
removed and a man from Hampden-
whose only claim to the place consisted
cannon tc celebrate the election OF LIN
coln-was put in as lightkeeper, the hero
worshippers arose in mutlny against
such subyersions of ancient customs,
and were seeking some way OF gaming
revenge.
Nutterings of discomfort and threats
of retribution grew louder as the con
Hict between the States became lmml-
nent. The Neal Dow prohlbltory law
had closed every dram shop in town, SO
that every molasses- -aden brig from
Porto Rico brought barrels of strong
rum to the town, and men who liad 1or-
merlv purchased liquor by the glass
now bought by the pint and quart, ana
the more they drank the greater became
their Indignation. Not few OF the
hot-headed Young sailors who had come
home with their pay in their pockets
purchased new revoIvers and spent
hours in shooting at targets and days
in boasting what they would Go before
Abe Lincoln could compel them TO ell
list
Things went from bad to worse until
July. lroja. when Gov. " aShbuln, llnu-
inc that Prospect had not filled its
onota of men. ordered draft and ap
pointed Capt Ralph Cummings as or
of names. Before the day of meeting
such of the men as could afford the
money had paid the $500 communication
required by law and had escaped the
danger of conscription. Those who
could not raise the money were angered
at their poverty, and egged Oh Dy tne
crowd thev went to the Old Schoolhouse
with a fixed idea of making trouble.
Can't. Cummings had lately quit the
sea on account of Ill health, and thou9h
he was a brave man, it was wholly I'M
possible for him to oppose the reSolute
determination of 200 ugly men who
were looking for fight. While the list
of names was being made up in the
building the men outside wrought them
selves into frenzy by singing treason
able ballads and making very foolish
talk.
No sooner had Capt. Cummings open
ed the doors to the schoolhouSe and
called the meeting to order than the
men made a rush tor the PLATFORM,
scramblng down the alsles With clubS
and oaths and loud talk. They wrested
the box containing the names from the
sergeants and split it into toothplcks
upon the table, picking the slips OF pa
per into fragments, splitting upon them
ana ItlUUlIiS lllClll lllIo oiiS iiOOi eAiAoAAo
the tobacco Juice. This done, they turn
ed their attention to the sergeant, who
stood his ground, protesting and trying
to restore order. Overpowerlng HIM
with force, they picked him up and
threw him through the back window,
smashing the sash and breaking the
table. Taking him from the ground,
thev carried him back of the hearse
house and rolled him in the grass until
he was so dizzy he could not stand, dis
missing him with a caution to have
nothing more to do with any draft.
Capt. Cummings posted notices that
the draft would be continued the follow
ing Monday, and sent word to the Gov
ernor at Augusta. telling about the riot
and asking for troops to help him in en-
forcing the law. The next day, which
was sunday, was time of great ankle
ty all over the town. The late rioters
had been informed of what Capt. Cum
mings had done, and, feeling that they
had been over-hasty, they were very
much worried over the outcome OF
events when the soldiers should arrive
and compel obedience.
Two of the young ringleaders went
forward and enlisted and offered to COM
plete the quota by their own efforts II
the matter could be hushed up. Mon
day forenoon the same men assembled
~, coboolbouCo that had hapO