The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-11

believe they were going to trouble the yard.
They done it to tantalize Commodore
Hull.
'In all this excitement, the 7th Of August,
1885, on Friday, it was reported that Mrs
DR.. Thornton's young mulatto man said
that he was going to knock his mistress IN
the head with an axe, and he was arrested
and kept in Jail. Still the mob ragged with
great vigor, and as fast as they were arrested
they were lodged in jail. On the 9Th day OF
August, 1885, on Saturday, the mob sur
rounded the jail and swore they would pull
the Jail down, and they continued making
their threats and said their object was to
get Mrs. Thornton's mulatto man out
and to hang him without Judge or jury.
And every effort was made by the Marshal
of the district and the District Attorney,
Mr.. Francis Key, ST., and the Hon. William
A. Bradley, who was Mayor of Washington
at that time-every effort was made by
these officers to preserve peace and har-
mony among those men; but all of 1t ap-
peared in vain, and there was not sufficient
military force to guard the jail, and orders
came down from the Navy Department
to Lieut.-Col. Henderson, who was at that
time Meutenant-Colonel Of the Marine
Corps, by the Honorable Secretary OF the
Navy. Mr.. Woodbury., to send detech-
ment Of United States marines without
delay to the Jail at Washington, and Lieut.
Col. Henderson complied speedily. The
marines went up to the jail the 9Th day OF
August, 1885, on Saturday, and they did
their duty without fear or favor.
when the great excitement commenced.
the Hon. Major-Gen. Andrew jackson, who
was President of the United States at that
time, was absent from the city, and when
it reached its height the General ar
rived home. On his arrival, he sent a
message to those gentlemen mechanics
to know what was the matter with them;
that If there was anything he could do for
them in an honorable way to promote their
happiness he would do it. Some OF them
replied to the General that the negroes
had made threats as TO what they could
do. The Generals reply to them was:
by the Eternal God! In this city are
jails and courts. II those negroes have
violated any law whatever, they shall be
tried by the court and punished severely.
Now, gentlemen, II you have any disposition
to rebel against that decision let me know
right of and I'll settle it with you right
here
aThe General prevailed upon all the
officers Of the army and navy to stand
watch, and all the good citizens to preserve
the law.
by the Eternal Godv the General said,
the law must be preserved and shall be
preserved at all hazards
Capt William Ramsey, ST., United
States Navy was on the patrol with various
other officers, and these officers and the
good citizens of Washington in a couple
OF weeks had the city as quiet as q church,
and the laws were all respected and every
thing went on quietly Thank
God, everything was settled peaceably,
and after this furry the colored men calk-
ers continued working on the Colombia
frigate. and the mechanics worked on
her too"
The old negro kept always at hand a
generous supply Of superlatives, on which
he drew unsparingly in his oharacteri-
cations Of public men he had known.
Mr.. Clay was 'the greatest man that
ever stepped foot In the Senate Mr..
Webster was 'the brightest man Massa-
chusetts ever sent to Washington" Mr..
Calhoun was 'the ugliest man he ever
saw, but he always treated the colored
man good Gen. Taylor was -one Of the
bravest men that ever had command Of
the United States Army Commodore
Hull was always ready b fight And