New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-10


belief another spouting place along the
edge Of Ci:y Hall Park. the human vol
,sro of which Printing House Square
MAS fumarole might have blown its
head of. If history is justification
for violence radicals would have found
sanction for blowing mp. for ever since
1856 when the plateau now compris-
irr city Hall Park and its environs
was decided To the commonalty of New
York by the Dongan charter, this piece
of ground has been the one place on
The island of Manhattan dedicated to
free speech. II has witnessed many
rota BILE incidents which are not part
~ the memory Of the police, although
they might very well be part of
roice history.
-HE BAPTISM OF BLOOD BACK
IN 1891.
The ground was duly baptized IN
1851 with the blood of Jacob Leisler
and Muborne. his son-in-law, who were
brought out here and executed for
heir part in setting mp popular gov
eminent. II was Lcisler who took the
FIRST steps in bringing abou, co-opera-
ron among the colonies. co-opera-
lion which finally bore fruit in the
Revolution and the establishment of
the United States. His body was buried
ON the site of the Tribune Building
For 100 years this ground, so dedi-
lated. was the meeting. place of the
people on all occasions of public in
terest Here they used to come 10
celebrate the Kings birthday, Guy
Fawkes Day. and such like festivals.
I'm carly days-whcn the region was
known as the Flat. the Common. and
then the Fields, being outside the built
up section of the city-the land fell
away from II on every side. Toward
the north II slopcd to the pond known
as the Fresh Water, or Collect which
when drained furnished a site for the
Tonbs and the Criminal Courts Build
ing. on the east the land dipped to a
swamp. through which flowed the over
plus az water from the Collect. This
Is now the leather district. still being
known as the swamp The descent
toward Maiden Lane in Nassau st.
gives some idea Of the steepness of the
hillside in that direction. on the west
the farm land trended away to the
Hudson. whose edge was nearer To the
park by Two blocks than 1t is to-day
SOME OF THE SQUARES NEIGH
BORIS IN 1865.
% enters history in 1863 after the
odious Stamp Act was passed. At that
time a number Of public buildings were
grouped around the Common. Among
them were the Almshouse. whose site
io now occupied by the city Hall;
powder magazine. which was nearly
opposite Frankfort ST., and jail which
were it standing now, would be shad-
owed by the end of the Brooklyn
Bridge a whipping post was set up
in front Of the Jail where opposite the
entrance To the bridge, the /. w. w.
agitators could look at it while they
talked. If II were still IN its old place.
All Saints Day in 1865 had been Sc
lectcd Dos the colonies as day of pro-
test it passed without incident in
New York. but as the early November
darkness fell throng of several nun
dred men drew out of the city and
took their way in a struggling file to
the Common or Fields. At their head
we're the ire-cating Sons of Liberty. II
was the work of few moments to set up
a gibbet and hang upon ii an eftigy OF
Lieutenant Governor Golden and beside
il another of the traditional devil In
The fare of the wind blown torches the
latter was seen carrying a boot in its
hand An knew the significance of
this The reputed author Of the Stamp
Ac' was Lord Butte
THE MOB ON BROADWAY AND
At THE FORT.
Then the mob trooped back down
Broadway, carrying the gibbet and the
efiglCs These they planted against
the door Of the fort at the Battery
in the face of the armed soldiers on
the walls whom they dared to fire.
They hammered on the door for "a time
and then retired to Coldtn's stable,