From the Cincinnati Gazette, Nov. 15.
ALTON-MOB-ARSON AND MURDER.
We have seen a proof slip of the Cincinnati Journal, which contains a letter
to the editor, giving an account of the mob, arson and murder that occurred
at Alton on the night of November 8. It seems a printing apparatus was landed
that night, for re-establishing an abolition press, and deposited in Godfrey,
Gilman & Co's. warehouse. There was a party on the watch to destroy this
press and its accompaniments, who traced it to the place of deposit. At that
place there was an armed body of men for its defence.
About 10 o'clock at night, the mob assembled around the warehouse, and assailed
it with stones. Mr. Gilman, one of the proprietors, was present, and remonstrated
without effect. Finally gun shots were fired in at the windows, but without
doing personal injury. A shot was then fired from the house, by which a Mr.
Bishop was killed.
The mob then dispersed; but soon returned to the charge, and succeeded in setting
fire to the roof of the house. In an attempt to extinguish this fire, Mr. Lovejoy
was deliberately shot, and survived but a few moments. A parley ensued, and
the house party surrendered. After they came from the house, some of them were
fired upon and wounded. Mr. Roff, once a resident of Cincinnati, was very badly
wounded.
We make this abstract as coldly as possible, in the hope that it may be republished,
as an event of the times, in some few southern news papers. Hereafter, when
we hear both sides, we shall speak more at large. No coloring can so change
the facts, as to take them from them the character of Arson and Murder.
The perpetration of these crimes cannot but serve greatly to aid the cause it
was intended to put down.
We subjoin the following copy of a letter from Alton, which gives a little
different version of the story.
'Alton, Wednesday evening, Nov. 8.
Yesterday morning, at 4 o'clock A. M., a fourth abolition press was landed
from the Missouri Fulton, and put in Godfrey, Gilman & Co.'s warehouse,
under guard of the friends of Mr. Lovejoy. During the day of yesterday much
excitement prevailed, and during the evening many individuals collected with
a full determination to destroy it. The warehouse was again guarded by some
18 or 20 friends of the cause, and when the attack was made, Mr. Lovejoy fired
from a window and shot down a Mr. Bishop. The populace, infuriated at this,
and not being able to make entrance, set fire to the building. The individual
who applied the torch to the roof, was about to be fired upon (or was fired
upon) by Mr. Lovejoy, when he, Mr. L. received a mortal wound from some one
of the assailants. Two others inside received wounds, but not dangerous.- The
press was then given up and destroyed. To-day, we have peace and quietness,
and trust in God that is may continue.' |