SERIOUS RIOT.- A serious riot occurred at Ireland- the 'New
City' at Hadley Falls- last evening, between seven and nine o'clock. On Monday
week, the Irish laborers, three or four hundred in number, employed by Boody
and Stone in constructing the great canal, in consequence of reduction in wages,
refused to work. Yesterday a small number, a dozen or more, concluded, on pledges
of protection, to go to work, at the terms offered. The other Irishmen in consequence
threatened vengeance upon them. Fearing that their shantees might be torn down
as threatened, the chief engineer, Mr Anderson, accompanied by a constable and
a number of other individuals, repaired to the ground, to protect the few who
had gone to work from their infuriated compeers.The latter soon came upon the
constable and his associates, armed with clubs and other weapons of Irish warfare;
and commenced an attack. The constable, Mr Theodore Farnham, in attempting to
arrest some of the leaders in the riot, was knocked down with a club, the blow
of which gashed his lip to the bone, and he was then trampled upon, by the maddened
crowd, until he was almost senseless. Mr. Anderson, the Engineer, was struck
with a rail, and one cheek badly gashed; and an Irishman, who aided to suppress
the riot, was hurt upon the head. The windows in a temporary grocery store,
owned by a Mr Day, were also broken in. One of the leaders of the riot was arrested,
brought to Northampton in the evening train of cars, and lodged in Jail for
safe keeping. This morning he was taken to Springfield, by sheriff Wright.
As soon as possible, after the evening train arrived in Northampton, an extra
train was fitted out, and despatched, with about twenty-five men, armed with
muskets, accompanied by sheriff Wright, to the scene of disturbance. All, however,
being quiet, the men returned about two o'clock.
No further disturbance had occurred this morning at 9 o'clock. Sheriff Rice
of Hampden was on the ground this morning, and it is presumed that the prime
movers in the affray will be arrested in the course of the day.-
Hamp. Gaz. Jan. 11. |