An Account of Anti-Catholicism in American History
Bloody Monday
Louisville Daily Journal
August 7, 1855
Louisville Daily Journal
August 7, 1855
Courtesy of Janis Fowler
THE ELECTION RIOTS.
BLOODY WORK.
MURDER AND ARSON.
TWENTY MEN KILLED.
We passed yesterday through the forms of an election. As provided for by statute, the polls were opened, and privilege granted to such as were "right upon the goose," with a few exceptions, to exercise their election franchise. Never, perhaps, was a greater farce, or as we should term it, tragedy, enacted. Hundreds and thousands were deterred from voting by direct acts of intimidation, others through fear of consequences, and a multitude form alack of proper facilities. the city, indeed, was, during the day, in possession of an armed mob, the base passions of which were infuriated to the highest pitch by the incendiary appeals of the newspaper organ and the popular leaders of the Know Nothing party.THE ELECTION RIOTS.
BLOODY WORK.
MURDER AND ARSON.
TWENTY MEN KILLED.
On Sunday night, large detachments of men were sent to the First and Second Wards to see that the polls were properly opened. These men, the "American Executive Committee" supplied with the requisite refreshments, and and as may be imagined they were in very fit condition to see that the rights of freemen were respected. Indeed they discharged the important trusts committed to them in such manner as to commend them forever to the admiration of out-laws! They opened the polls; they provided ways and means for their own party to vote; they bluffed and bullied all those who could not show the sign; they in fact converted the election into a perfect farce, without one redeeming or qualifying phase.
We do not know when or how their plan of operations was devised. Indeed we do not care to know when such a system of outrage--such perfidy--such dastardly-- was conceived. We only blush for Kentucky that her soil was the scene for such outrages, and that some of her sons were participants in the uefarious (sic) swindle.
It would be impossible to state when or how this riot commenced. By day break the polls were taken possession of by the American party, and in purauance (sic) of their preconcerted game, they used every stratagem or device to hinder the vote of every man who could not manifest to the "guardians of the polls" his soundness in the K. N. question. We were personally witness to the procedure of the party in certain wards, and of these we feel authorized to speak. At the Seventh Ward we discovered that for three hours in the outset in the morning it was impossible for those not "posted" to vote, without the greatest difficulty. In the Sixth Ward a party of bullies were masters of the polls. We saw two foreigners driven from the polls; forced to run a guantlet, beat unmercifully, stoned and stabbed. In the case of one fellow the Hon. Wm. Thomasson, formerly a member of Congress from this district, interfered, and while appealing to the maddened crowd to cease their acts of disorder and violence Mr. Thomasson was struck from behind and beat. His gray hairs, his long public service, his manly presence, and his thorough Ameribanism (sic), availed nothing with the crazed mob. Other and serious fights occurred in the Sixth Ward, of which we have no time to make mention now.
The more serious and disgraceful disturbances occurred in the upper wards. The vote cast was but but a partial one, and nearly altogether on one side. no show was given to the friends of Preston, who were largely in the majority, but who in the face of cannon, muskets and revolvers, could not, being an unarmed and quiet populace confront the mad mob. So the vote was cast one way, and the result stands before the public.
In the morning, as we state elsewhere, George Berg, a carpenter living on the corner of 9th and Market, was killed near Hancock street. A German named Fritz, formerly a partner in the Galt House, was severely, if not fatally beaten. In the afternoon a general row occurred on Shelby street, extending from Main to Broadway. We are unable to ascertain the facts concerning the disturbance. Some fourteen or fifteen men were shot, including Officer Williams, Joe Selvage and others. two or three were killed, and a number of houses, chiefly German coffee houses, broken into and pillaged. About 4 o'clock, when the vast crowd, augmented by accessions from every part of the city, and armed with shot-guns, muskets and rifles were proceeding to attack the Catholic church on Shelby street, Mayor Barbee arrested them with a speech, and the mob returned to the First Ward polls. Presently a large party with a piece of brass ordnance, followed by a number of men and boys with muskets. In an hour afterwards the large brewery on Jefferson street, near the junction of Green, was set fire to.
In the lower part of the city, the disturbances were characterized by a greater degree of bloody work. Late in the afternoon three Irishmen going down Main street, near Eleventh, were attacked, and one knocked down. then ensued a terrible scene, the Irish firing from the windows of their houses, on Main street, repeated volley's. Mr. Rodes, a river-man, was shot and killed by one in the upper story, and a Mr. Graham met with a similar fate. An Irishman who discharged a pistol at the back of a man's head was shot and then hung. He, however, survived both punishments. John Hudson, a carpenter, was shot dead during the fracas.
After dusk, a row of frame houses on Main street between Tenth and Eleventh, the property of Mr. Quinn, a well known Irishman, were set on fire. The flames extended across the street and twelve buildings were destroyed. These houses were chiefly tenanted by Irish, and upon any of the tenants venturing out to escape the flames, they were immediately shot down. No idea could be formed on the number killed. We are advised that five men were roasted to death, having been so badly wounded by gun shot wounds that they could not escape from the burning buildings.
Of all the enormities and outrages committed by the American party yesterday and last night, we have not time now to write. The mob having satisfied its appetite for blood, repaired to Third street, and until midnight made demonstrations against the "Times" and "Democrat" offices. the furious crowd satisfied itself, however, with breaking a few window panes, asd (sic) burning the sign of the Times office.
At one o'clock this morning a large fire is raging in the upper part of the city.
Upon the proceedings of yesterday and last night we have no time, nor heart now to comment. We are sickened with the very thought of the men murdered, and houses burned and pillaged, that signalized the American victory yesterday. Not less than twenty corpses from the trophies of the wonderful achievement.
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