POLICE RIOT--DEAD-RABBITS' RIOT--BREAD RIOT.
Creation of the Metropolitan District.--Collision between Mayor
Wood's Police and the Metropolitan Police.--Seventh Regiment called
out.--Dead-Rabbits' Riot.--Severe Fight between the Roach Guards and
Dead Rabbits.--Police driven back.--Barricades erected.--Military called
out.--Killed and Wounded.--Bread Riot.--Financial Distress.
The year 1857 was a remarkable one in the history of New York City, and
indeed of the whole country. The year previous had been characterized
by intense political excitement, for the presidential campaign had
been carried on as a sectional fight or a war between the upholders
and enemies of the institution of slavery as it existed at the South.
Pennsylvania alone by her vote defeated the antislavery party, and
the South, seeing the danger that threatened it, had already begun to
prepare for that tremendous struggle, that afterwards tested to the
utmost the resources and strength of the North; while a financial storm
overwhelmed the entire country in disaster. To these were added local
causes, which affected New York City particularly, and made it a year of
uncommon disturbance.
The Republican party being largely in the ascendant in the State,
determined to revolutionize the municipal government, and place the
Democratic city partially under Republican rule. Many bills were passed
during the session of Legislature, peculiarly obnoxious to the city
authorities, but that which excited the most bitter opposition was
called the Metropolitan Police Act, by which the counties of New York,
Kings, Westchester, and Richmond were made one police district, to
be controlled by a board of commissioners, consisting of five members
appointed by the Governor and Senate, and to hold office for five years.
This board having organized, proceeded to create a police department.
Mayor Wood denied the constitutionality of the act and retained the old
police--so that there were two police departments existing at the same
time in the city. The Mayor resorted to all kinds of legal measures to
defeat the action of the board, and the question was finally referred to
the Court of Appeals for decision.
In the mean time the death of a street commissioner left a vacancy to be
filled. Governor King, acting under the recent law, appointed Daniel D.
Conover to fill it, while the Mayor appointed Charles Devlin. A third
claimant for the place appeared in the deputy, who asserted his right to
act until the decision of the Court of Appeals was rendered. Conover had
no idea of waiting for this, and proceeded to assume the duties of his
office. The Mayor of course resisted, and so Conover got out a warrant
from the Recorder to arrest the former on the charge of inciting a riot,
and another on the charge of personal violence. Armed with these papers,
and backed by fifty of the new policemen, he proceeded to the City Hall.
The Mayor, aware of the movement, had packed the building with his own
police, who refused him admittance. The new police attempted to force an
entrance, when a fight followed, in which twelve policemen were severely
injured. While things were in this critical condition, the Seventh
Regiment passed down Broadway on its way to the boat for Boston, whither
it was going to receive an ovation. A request for its interference was
promptly granted, and marching into the Park they quickly quelled the
riot, and the writs were served on the Mayor.
Intense excitement followed, and so great was the fear of a terrible
outbreak, that nine regiments were put under arms, ready to march at a
moment's notice.
But on the 1st of July the Court of Appeals decided the act to be
constitutional, and the disturbance ended. But of course, while this
strife was going on between the police, but little was done to arrest
disorder in the city. The lawless became emboldened, and in the evening
before the 4th of July a disturbance began, which for a time threatened
the most serious consequences.
DEAD-RABBITS' RIOT.
The origin of the term "Dead Rabbits," which became so well known this
year from being identified with a serious riot, is not certainly known.
It is said that an organization known as the "Roach Guards," called
after a liquor dealer by that name, became split into two factions, and
in one of their stormy meetings some one threw a dead rabbit into the
room, and one party suddenly proposed to assume the name.
These two factions became bitterly hostile to each other; and on the day
before the 4th of July came in collision, but finally separated without
doing much damage. They were mostly young men, some of them being mere
boys.
The next day, the fight was renewed at Nos. 40 and 42 Bowery Street,
and clubs, stones, and even pistols were freely used. The "Dead Rabbits"
were beaten and retired, yelling and firing revolvers in the air, and
attacking everybody that came in their way. Their uniform was a blue
stripe on their pantaloons, while that of the Roach Guards was a red
stripe. People in the neighborhood were frightened, and fastened their
doors and windows. No serious damage was done, however.
About ten o'clock, a policeman in Worth Street, while endeavoring to
clear the sidewalk, was knocked down and severely beaten. At length,
breaking away from his assailants, he hastened to the central office in
White Street, and reported the state of things. A squad of police was
immediately dispatched to arrest the ringleaders. On reaching Centre
Street they found a desperate fight going on, and immediately rushed in,
to put a stop to it. The belligerents at once made common cause against
them. A bloody hand-to-hand conflict followed, but the police at length
forced the mob to retreat. The latter, however, did not give up
the contest, but mounting to the upper stories and roofs of the
tenement-houses, rained down clubs and stones so fiercely, that the
police were driven off with only two prisoners.
Comparative quiet was now restored, though the excitement spread in
every direction. It lasted, however, only an hour or two, when suddenly
a loud yell was heard near the Tombs, accompanied with the report of
fire-arms, and crowds of people came pouring down Baxter and Leonard
Streets, to get out of the way of bullets. Some wounded men were carried
by, and the utmost terror and confusion prevailed. The air was filled
with flying missiles and oaths, and shouts of defiance. Now the Dead
Rabbits would drive their foes before them, and again be driven back.
The bloody fight thus swayed backwards and forwards through the narrow
streets for a long time. At length twenty-five Metropolitan Police
appeared on the scene, while fifty more were held in reserve. Though
assailed at every step with clubs and stones, they marched steadily on,
clearing the crowd as they advanced, and forcing the Dead Rabbits into
the houses, whither they followed them, mounting even to the roof, and
clubbing them at every step. After clearing the houses, they resumed
their march, when they were again attacked by the increasing crowd, many
of them armed with muskets and pistols. Barricades were now erected,
behind which the mob rallied, and the contest assumed the aspect of
a regular battle. The notorious Captain Rynders came on the ground,
between six and seven o'clock, and attempted to restore quiet.
Not succeeding, however, he repaired to the office of the Police
Commissioners, and told Commissioner Draper, if he had not police force
enough to disperse the mob, he should call out the military. The latter
replied that he had made a requisition on Major-General Sandford, for
three regiments, and that they would soon be on the ground. But it was
nine o'clock before they made their appearance. The police then formed
in two bodies of seventy-five men each, and supported, one by the
Seventy-first Regiment and the other by the Eighth, marched down
White and Worth Streets. This formidable display of force overawed the
rioters, and they fled in every direction. This ended the riot, although
the military were kept on duty during the night.
At times, the fight was close and deadly, and it was reported that eight
were killed and some thirty wounded.
BREAD RIOT.
In the autumn, there came a financial crisis, that was so wide-spread
and disastrous that the lower classes suffered for want of food. Banks
suspended specie payment, manufactories were forced to stop work, and
paralysis fell on the whole industry of the nation. It was estimated
that ten thousand persons were thrown out of employment. These soon used
up their earnings, and destitution and suffering of course followed.
Their condition grew worse as cold weather came on, and many actually
died of starvation. At length they became goaded to desperation, and
determined to help themselves to food. Gaunt men and women, clad in
tatters, gathered in the Park, and that most fearful of all cries, when
raised by a mob, "Bread," arose on every side. Propositions were made to
break open the stores, and get what they needed. Flour was hoarded up
in them because so little could be got on from the West. The granaries
there were groaning with provisions; but there was no money to pay for
the transportation. There was money East, but kept locked up in fear. As
this became known to the mob, their exasperation increased. To know that
there were both food enough and money enough, while they were starving
to death, was enough to drive them mad, and there were ominous
mutterings. Fortunately, the authorities saw in time the threatened
danger, and warded it off. A great many were set to work on the Central
Park and other public works, while soup-houses were opened throughout
the city, and private associations formed to relieve the suffering; and
the winter passed without any outbreak, though more than five thousand
business-houses in the country failed, with liabilities reaching three
hundred millions of dollars.