Details of the mob at Milwaukie — Disgraceful Scenes.
We find in the
Milwaukie (Wis.) papers full particulars of the mob which attacked the banks in that city, a few days ago, because they refused to redeem the bills of country banks, as had been previously promised.
From the Daily Wisconsin's reports we take the following:
‘
The mob first commenced at the Second Ward Bank, about ten o'clock, and we are informed that they gathered about there in large numbers, and soon cleaned out that institution, of which
Wm. H. Jacobs is
President.
Then they came surging down East Water street, headed by a band of music, to
Alex Mitchell's Bank, and gathered there by thousands.
There were several individuals in the bank at the time, and they were unable to get out. First, they attempted to force open the doors, but the doors were barred, and entrance denied.
Then the rocks began to fly into the windows of
Mitchell's Bank, and also into the windows of offices above and beneath the bank.
It was not long before the windows were completely honey-combed.
Great boulders were dug up from the pavement, and hurled in with a violence that must have resulted in killing any person, had he been struck favorably by them.
There was no particular noise during the riotous proceedings, except that there would be now and then a shout as the rocks flew through the windows, and there was that continued muttering, cursing and talking which always characterizes mobs of this kind.
Occasionally, as some fright would arise, the crowd would retreat in confusion, and discovering it was a fright without cause, would advance again.
On the outskirts of the crowd were peaceable citizens, looking on in amazement, and not knowing what to do, nor what to look for next.
The stairs to upper stories of buildings in the vicinity were crowded with men, women and children.
The windows of the buildings in the vicinity were filled with heads of both sexes, looking on the scene in silence and wonder.
Everybody seemed spell bound, although there were many and many who bit their lips and knit their brows, and felt within themselves, and said to those next to them, that this outrage had gone too far; that the citizens must rise up and put it down.
Meanwhile the men had broke into
Mitchell's Bank, and many of them rushed in. They were resisted by the few who were inside — among them was
Mayor Brown; but the mob was too powerful for them.
Now they went to work at the counters, tearing them down, cutting out the windows, seizing all the papers they could find, and tossing them out in the street.
Property of all kinds was hurled in the street, and the bank was completely gutted.
Luckily, however, a large proportion of the valuables were in the vault, into which the crowd were unable to enter.
Mr. Mitchell got out in sight of the crowd and attempted to speak.
But stones and clubs flew thicker and faster, the rabble roared, and he was obliged to retire.
Now came the turn of the State Bank, directly opposite.
It only needed a start, and soon the windows of that institution were completely dashed in. A stone struck one of the clerks,
Mr. Hayden, and injured him considerably.
Mr. Inbusch, the
President, barely escaped being struck on the head with a rock.
The destruction at that bank was nearly as great as at
Mitchell's. They entered and tore up all the counters, broke up the furniture, and gutted out everything.
The same violence was used in the banking office of
J. H. Martin, under the State Bank.
They afterwards took all the furniture of these three institutions, and piling it into the streets, with all the paper and books they could get hold of, set them on fire.
They also broke the windows of the banking office of
Mr. Bellinger, under the State Bank, and gutted out his place of business.
The same vandalism was practiced upon the loan and insurance agency office of Allis &
McGregor.
Rocks were thrown into the windows of the Bank of Milwaukie.
By this time
Mayor Brown had ordered out the Montgomery Guards, but we understand (and if it is so, we regret to be compelled to say it,) that he ordered them out with blank cartridges.
This was only an invitation to the mob to fight, and a reckless imperilling of the lives of the Guards.
But the Guards marched against the crowd for some distance, driving them out of Michigan street into East Water, where they came to a halt.
Here the mob gathered about them, and for some reason or other the guards soon retired and marched back again to their armory.--Then the mob went to their work of destruction again; but the indignation and anger of the citizens had by this time become unrestrainable, and they determined to arm themselves with anything they could get hold of, and put down the mob, if they lost their lives thereby.
All this time
Capt. Hibbard and his company of Zouaves were at their armory, ready to act as soon as orders were given them from proper sources.
Gov. Randall had been telegraphed to, and the answer came for them to disperse the mob. Their captain led them forth, a single hundred against thousands of mad desperadoes.
The mob retired before them.
They formed in close order, and walked right through the middle of the rabble without a single gun being fired.
One of the mob threw a butcher-knife, which came near hitting one of the Zouaves, and the latter picked it up and stuck it in his belt as a trophy.
Occasionally the crowd would hoot at them, and at one moment they seemed about to make a rush back upon the ‘"boys,"’ but the latter stood resolute with cocked muskets, and well was it for the crowd that no advance upon the troops was made.
The Zouaves finally cleaned out East Water street, and as we write are guarding the streets above and below the banks, and near the
Newhall House, with orders to fire upon any one that attempts to break their lines.
One or two fire companies also came out and assisted in dispersing the crowd, by squirting streams of water upon them.
By two o'clock order had been comparatively restored, but the mad spirit is not, of course, thoroughly quelled, and it behooves all our citizens to be on their guards.
This is not a war against the banks, but against your homes and against the city.
Every man must be prepared to risk his life, if necessary, to put down any further outbreaks, should they be attempted.
It is a question of law and order against an infamous mob.
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