The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1943-12-09

which hangs an ~ ~
interesting story. SsSs
On the date
mentioned there was a big political
demonstration in Hagerstown. 1t
was at time when it was easy to
stir up foment, being in the Recon
struction Days just after the close
, of the Civil War.
The scene was on North Jonathan
street, where a pole had been erect
ed and it was when an opposing
faction undertook to (and did) cut
down the pole that the trouble
started.
After q strenuous search we final
ly found a copy of Hagerstown
weekly paper which gave full ac-
count of the affair, punctuated by
editorial comment, denouncing what
the paper described as disgrace
full and greatly to be deplored."
Here is the account:
A procession headed by the most
patriotic of the party-office-hold-
ers and office-seekers as a general
thing marched id counter
marched through thu principal
streets of the town, as was usual on
such occasions, with music and ban
ners and flags floating in the breeze.
The grand parade over, there was
a dismissal for dinner, after which
certain fighting material began to
develop itself. The first 'set-to' oc-
Cured in the barroom of Stanhope's
Hotel, between two men of the same
party. One of these men held a flag
which he waved (for effect it was
said) and imagining that one of the
bystanders had offered the emblem
insult, proceeded to deliberately
knock him down. Three police Of
ficers, Charles Gall, Robert Sands
and Charles Ridenour (the first two
returned Union soldiers), appeared
promptly and attempted to pre-
serve the peace and quiet of the
town. They got the crowd out of
Stanhope's Hotel with little trouble,
but, on the outside, when someone
shouted that they were not police
men, they were quickly surrounded
by mob that made violent threats
and exhibited the most menancing
attitude.
The policemen held their ground
as long as possible, with Gall tell
ing the crowd that they might shout
for whom they pleased, but that
they must not fight Finally, the
policemen, finding that they were
being overpowered, retreated slow
ly down Jonathan Street. Stones
were hurled at them, but, by firing
their guns in the air, they were able
to check the mob for short time,
enabling them to take refuge in the
house of James Kuhn, a veteran
soldier. A pole had been erected in
front of Kuhn's house, from which
waved United States flag.
When the mob saw it, cry went
up to cut the pole down and the
fight was on. The street was literal
ly blocked by the mob, which ex-
tended from the Courthouse (sev-
eral blocks away to the scene of
the fighting. The shots of the Of
ficers, firing from the windows of
the house, were answered by the
mob, and when officer Gall exposed
his head, shot pierced his brain
and he fell to the pavement be-
meath, lifeless corpse.
The mob then rushed the house,
but the two remaining policemen,
with some friends who had come to
their assistance, made their escape
by the back door. However, Rob-
ert Sands, one of the policemen, was
overtaken and while held fast by
several men, received a dangerous
stab in the right breast, penetrating
the lung. At first it was feared that
Sands was injured fatally, but he
finally recovered. The pole was cut
down and falling upon the roof of
the house smashed it in, after which
the house was Quilted and literally
torn to pieces. 1t was supposed, it
was said, this closing performance
was done for the reason that Kuhn
and Rife, who kept saloon in the
house, had political luminosity
against them.