USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > Centennial history of the city of Washington, D. C. With full outline of the natural advantages, accounts of the Indian tribes, selection of the site, founding of the city to the present time > Part 16
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the Fourth Ward, a sudden attack was made upon a naturalized citizen in the ranks of the voters, and an effort was made to drive all such voters from the polls. In this onslaught, and in the defense which it rendered necessary, several citizens were wounded, natives as well as naturalized. Richard Owens, commissioner of the ward, was badly shot in the arm and wounded in the head; F. A. Klopfer was struck in the forehead by a slung-shot; George D. Spencer was seri- ously bruised by a stone; Justice Goddard was struck in several places with bricks; Justice Doun was similarly wounded with stones; Officer H. Degges, Policeman Birckhead, and Chief of Police Baggott were all more or less severely wounded and driven from the field. The result of all this was that naturalized citizens became badly demoral- ized and generally retired from the scene.
About 10:30 A. M., the imported rowdies appeared at the lower precinct of the Second Ward, where they fired about a dozen pistol shots, one of them taking effect in the forehead of a bystander. Rep- resentations being about this time made to the Mayor that it was impossible to keep the polls open at the first precinct of the Fourth Ward, that official made application to the President of the United States for the services of the company of marines then in the city, to maintain the peace. This request of Mayor Magruder was referred to the Secretary of the Navy, who promptly ordered out one hundred and ten of the marines, under the command of Major Tyler and Cap- tain Maddox, and placed them at the disposal of the Mayor. The marines were marched to the precinct in question, accompanied by General Henderson in citizen's clothes. As soon as it became known that the marines had been ordered out, a number of young men secured possession of a six-pound brass swivel gun, and hitching a long cord to it, dragged it along Seventh Street, with the avowed object of resisting the marines. Upon arriving at the polling place in the first precinct of the Fourth Ward, the marines, who were accompanied by the Mayor, the corporation attorney, Marshal Hoover, Ex-Marshal Wallach, Captain Baggott, and several other policemen, found the swivel party on the ground, with their gun ou the sidewalk, under the shed of the Northern Liberties Market House. The Mayor ordered the polling place to be opened, and was informed by the opponents of naturalized citizens voting that that should not take place. About one thousand five hundred persons were present, whom the Mayor then addressed; but his address, instead of quieting them and calming the disturbance, only served to excite the angry crowd the more. Soon the order was given to capture the swivel
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gun, and a section of the marines, under Major Tyler, advanced for this purpose with fixed bayonets, which induced the abandonment of the cannon and the retirement of the party in charge. This party, however, in retiring, hurled volleys of stones, and fired upon the marines with revolvers, one of them being shot in the jaw. The order was then given to the marines to fire upon the crowd, which order being obeyed, two persons immediately fell on Massachusetts Avenue, and in other directions many were shot, and several of them mortally wounded. The crowd thereupon took to flight in all directions, and the marines were marched back to the City Hall.
There were killed in this riot and its suppression the following persons: A Mr. Allison, aged fifty-five years; F. M. Deems, a clerk in the General Land Office; Archibald Dalrymple, baggage-master on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; a colored man named Neale, from the northern liberties; another colored man from Georgetown, named Redding; an infant child was killed on English Hill, and several were severely wounded. The polls at the first precinct were reopened about three o'clock in the afternoon, and remained open until the legal hour for closing arrived. The "Plug Uglies," finding themselves so unwel- come in the city and their disinterested services in the cause of " Americanism" so disappointingly unappreciated, silently and slyly stole away, some of them walking to Bladensburg and others jump- ing upon the ears just as the train was starting from the depot for Baltimore. In order to insure the safety of the citizens from further attack, many of whom had been personally threatened with violence, a strong body of Major French's flying artillery was brought down from Fort Mellenry, arriving here in the evening of election day. No further trouble was experienced however from the Baltimore immi- grants at that time.
But the Know-nothing sentiment had not expired when the election for Mayor occurred in June, 1858. The opposing candidates for the mayoralty at that time were the then late postmaster of Washington, James G. Berrett, Anti-Know-nothing candidate, and Ex- Marshal Richard Wallach, of the District of Columbia, the Republican candidate. The result of the election was that Mr. Berrett was elected by a vote of 3,688 to Mr. Wallach's 3,117.
In June, 1860, the same contest was waged over again, between the same candidates for Mayor, James G. Berrett receiving 3,434 votes to 3,410 for Richard Wallach. William B. Magruder, as an inde- pendent candidate, received 147 votes. Mr. Wallach then gave notice that he would contest the election of Mr. Berrett on the ground of
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fraud. This promised or threatened contest, however, never came to trial, because Mayor Berrett, on Saturday, August 24, 1861, was arrested at his residence by a portion of the Provost Marshal's guard, and taken to Fort Lafayette, he having several days previously refused to take the oath prescribed by act of Congress for members of the board of police commissioners. Both branches of the city Council were there- upon convened in special session to perform the duties devolving upon them in consequence of the Mayor's arrest. The residence of the Mayor, though searched, furnished no evidence of complicity with the Rebellion. Mr. Berrett also said that he was a strong Union man. But it being necessary that there should be a Mayor to execute the laws of the corporation, the two boards, on the 26th of the month, elected Richard Wallach to fill that office until the regular Mayor's return. James M. Carlisle, corporation attorney, resigned his position and Joseph H. Bradley was appointed to the place, September 1, 1861. Mayor Berrett was released from prison. He resigned the mayoralty on the 14th, and returned to Washington on the 16th. The Mayor's resignation did not reach the city until the 23d, and then the question arose as to whether the city had a Mayor. The corporation attorney decided, however, that Mr. Wallach was Mayor according to law, because Mayor Berrett had resigned, and hence had no claim to the office. Notwithstanding this opinion of the attorney, the two councils, in order to make assurance doubly sure, on October 17, 1861, elected Mr. Wallach to the office, to fill out the unexpired term of Mayor Berrett.
At the election held in June, 1862, Mr. Wallach was elected by the popular vote to the office, receiving 3,850 votes to 958 east for James F. Halliday. On June 6, 1864, Mayor Wallach was again reelected to the office by a vote of 3,347 to 2,373 cast for John II. Semmes. June 4, 1866, Mr. Wallach was once more reelected Mayor of Washington by a vote of 3,621 to 1,345 for Mr. Easby.
It is altogether likely that in 1868 greater interest was attached to the election of Mayor than at any other such election. The reason for this was that the negroes voted that year for the first time. The registration showed the following state of things as to the number of negroes having the right to vote: In the First Ward the negro majority was 218; in the Second Ward the white majority was 176; in the Third Ward, 1,031; in the Fourth Ward, 1,310; in the Fifth Ward, 593; in the Sixth Ward, 1,076, and in the Seventh Ward, 263. Total white majority, 4,231. It therefore appeared clear that if the white voters chose to do so they could defeat any candidate the negroes
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favored. The two candidates for Mayor were, on the part of the Democrats, John T. Given, and on the part of the Republicans, Sayles J. Bowen. On the face of the returns Mr. Bowen was elected by a majority of 83; the vote being 1,230 to 1,147. The Council, however, was Democratic by a small majority, and they had to appoint a joint committee to count the ballots. The National Intelligencer said, "It is to be hoped they will perform their duty, as there may have been mistakes made by the judges." While the count of the vote was in progress the Republican members of the Boards of Aldermen and Common Council declared Mr. Bowen Mayor pro tempore, and the Democratic members similarly declared W. W. Moore Mayor pro tempore, each protesting against the illegality of the other's action. Mr. Bowen obtained possession of the Mayor's office and proceeded to act as Mayor.
On account of the difficulty thus existing, the councils, in joint convention, on June 11, elected a Mayor ad interim, in the person of Thomas E. Lloyd. On Saturday, June 13, Mr. Lloyd, as Mayor ad interim, waited upon Mr. Bowen as Mayor de facto, and handed him a communication demanding of him the possession of the office, which Mr. Bowen refused to grant. Mr. Lloyd then called upon Major A. C. Richards, chief of police, and protested against the presence of metropolitan policemen as guards at the City Hall, to which Major Richards replied that the board of police commissioners would be in session on the 18th, and that he would lay the communication before them. On the 18th the city councils deposed Frederick A. Boswell from his office as register of the city, for failure to perform his duties in connection with the election of June 1, 1868, in that he did not notify certain individuals of their election as he was required by law to do, and a committee on the part of the Boards of Aldermen and Common Council submitted charges against Major Richards for unlaw- ful aets in connection with the performance of his duties. The result of the struggle between the parties was that Mr. Bowen served as Mayor from that time to June, 1870.
Early in January, 1870, the movement directed toward a change in the form of the government of the District of Columbia received an impetus which carried it forward to success. A meeting of citizens was held, January 12, for the purpose of securing this reorganization, at which there were present S. P. Brown, Dr. Lindsley, W. II. Phillips, A. R. Shepherd, Hallet Kilbourn, William B. Todd, William H. Ten- ney, J. A. Magruder, Esau Pickrell, and Dr. Charles II. Nichols. A committee of five persons was appointed at this meeting to draft a
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bill providing that the District of Columbia should be provided with a Territorial form of government, similar to that of the several Territories of the United States, consolidating the three municipal governments then existing into this one government, except that the governor and the upper branch of the legislature should be appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate, and the lower branch of the legislature and a delegate to Congress should be elected by the people. Meetings were held by different classes of citizens, some in favor of the change in the form of government, and others in opposition thereto. At length, about February 1, at a mass meeting held in Lincoln Hall, a committee of one hundred and fifty persons was appointed to take general charge of the matter, which committee appointed a subcommittee to draft a suitable bill, which was approved at a large meeting held at Metzerott Hall, March 3, 1870, in several very able speeches, especially one by Hon. A. G. Riddle. This bill passed the Senate May 27.
In the meantime there was held a highly interesting and important election for Mayor of the city of Washington, the Mayor, Sayles J. Bowen, and M. G. Emery being the respective candidates. The result of the election was that Mr. Emery was elected by a vote of 10,096 votes to 6,877 for Mayor Bowen. Mr. Emery was the last Mayor of Washington, his term expiring in June, 1871, when what is called the Territorial government went into operation.
This Territorial form of government, as has been intimated, con- sisted of a Governor and other executive officers, and a Legislature composed of a Legislative Assembly and a House of Delegates. It was established under an act of Congress passed February 21, 1871. The first officers appointed under this act were Henry D. Cooke, formerly of Sandusky, Ohio, Governor; and a board of public works consist- ing of Alexander R. Shepherd, S. P. Brown, James A. Magruder, and A. B. Mullett. Governor Cooke received his commission February 28, and assumed the duties of his office May 15, 1871, although the Territorial government did not get into operation until June 1 follow- ing. The Legislative Assembly of this Territorial government consisted of seventeen members, and the House of Delegates of forty-six mem- bers. The delegate in Congress was Hon. Norton P. Chipman. The delegate in Congress and the forty-six members of the House of Delegates were elected by the people. Governor Cooke resigned his position September 13, 1873, and was succeeded by Alexander R. Shepherd, who served until June 20, 1874, when by reason of an investigation by Congress into the operations of the Territorial gov-
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ernment, made at the instance of certain citizens of the District, who could not then, but who can now, appreciate the great work that was being accomplished in the way of improving the city, which had ever since it came into existence rested with more or less complacency in a quagmire of lethargy and general dilapidation, the Territorial form of government was abolished and a government by commissioners established in its place; though to the impetus given to the improvement of the city during the brief period of the Territorial government by the large brain, splendid executive ability, correct appreciation of the necessities of the District, and the indomitable energy of Alexander R. Shepherd, do the inhabitants of the city owe its present beauty and magnificence, and the world-wide reputation it now enjoys as one of the finest capital cities of the world. This enviable reputation is now and must continue to be inseparable from the name of the city of Washington so long as it shall remain the Nation's Capital. But the improvements brought about through the impetus thins given to the work by Governor Shepherd will be more fully and appreciatively treated in another chapter by a more competent hand.
The following are the names of the officers of the District of Columbia under its Territorial form of government:
Delegate to Congress- Norton P. Chipman, from April 21, 1871, to March 4, 1875.
Secretaries - Norton P. Chipman, from March 2, 1871, to April 21, 1871; Edwin L. Stanton, from May 19, 1871, to September 22, 1873; Richard Harrington, from September 22, 1873, to June 20, 1874.
Board of Public Works - Henry D. Cooke, while Governor; Alex- ander R. Shepherd, from March 16, 1871, to September 13, 1873; S. P. Brown. from March 16, 1871, to September 13, 1873; A. B. Mullett, from March 16, 1871, to June 2, 1873; James A. Magruder, from March 16, 1871, to June 20, 1874; Adolph Cluss, from January 2, 1873, to June 20, 1874; Henry A. Willard, from May 22, 1873, to June 20, 1874; John B. Blake, from September 13, 1873, to June 20, 1874.
Board of Health - N. S. Lincoln, from March 15, 1871, to March 22, 1871; T. S. Verdi, from March 15, 1871, to July 1, 1878; H. A. Willard, March 15, 1871; John M. Langston, from March 15, 1871, to November 10, 1877; John Marbury, Jr., from March 15, 1871, to July 1, 1878; D. Willard Bliss, from May 23, 1872, to July 1, 1878; Robert B. Warden, from November 10, 1877, to July 1, 1878; Christopher C. Cox, from April 3. 1871, to July 1, 1878.
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By the act of Congress of June 20, 1874, which abolished the Territorial form of government for the District, the executive munici- pal authority was vested temporarily in three commissioners, appointed by the President of the United States. These commissioners were Ilon. William Dennison, of Ohio; Henry T. Blow, of Missouri; and John H. Ketcham, of New York. The first of these served from July 1, 1874, to July 1, 1878; the second, from July 1, 1874, to December 31, 1874; and the third, from July 3, 1874, to June 30, 1877. Seth L. Ledyard was commissioner from January 18, 1875, to June 30, 1878; Thomas B. Bryan from June 30, 1877, to July 1, 1878; and Captain Richard L. Hoxie from July 2, 1874, to July 1, 1878.
The temporary form of government gave way at this time to a permanent form of government provided for by an act of Congress passed June 11, 1878. This government is administered by a board of three commissioners, two of whom are appointed from civil life by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, and the third is detailed from time to time by the President from the Engineer Corps of the army. These commissioners control, either directly or indirectly, the appointments to and removals from office in the District, except in case of teachers and janitors in the public schools. The commissioners under the permanent form of gov- ernment have been as follows:
Josiah Dent, from July 1, 1878, to July 17, 1882; Seth L. Phelps, July 1, 1878, to November 29, 1879; Major William J. Twining, June 29, 1878, to May 5, 1882; Thomas P. Morgan, November, 29, 1879, to March 8, 1883; Major Garrett J. Lydecker, May 11, 1882, to April 1, 1886; Joseph R. West, July 14, 1882, to July 22, 1885; James B. Edmunds, March 3, 1883, to April 1, 1886; William B. Webb, July 20, 1885, to May 21, 1889; S. E. Wheatley, March 8, 1886, to May 21, 1889; Colonel William Ludlow, April 1, 1886, to January 26, 1888: Major Charles W. Raymond, January 26, 1888, to February 14, 1890; Henry M. Robert, February 14, 1890, to October 14, 1891; Lemon G. Iline, May 21, 1889, to October 1, 1890; John W. Douglass, May 21, 1889, to the present time; John W. Ross,1 October 1, 1890, to the
1 John W. Ross, commissioner of the District of Columbia, was born in Lewistown, Illinois, June 23, 1841. He attended private schools in Lewistown, and took a four years' course at the Illinois College, and one year at the Harvard Law School. He was admitted to the bar, upon examination in open Supreme Court, at Springfield, in 1866, and was elected as a Democrat to the Illinois Legislature in 1868, and again in 1870. He removed to Washington in 1873, and since that time has resided here, and has been engaged most of the time in the practice of the law. In 1883, he was appointed lec-
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present time; Captain William T. Rossell, October 14, 1891, to the present time.
Dr. William Tindall has been secretary to the commissioners since July 1, 1878. Dr. Smith Townsend was health officer from 1878 to 1891. The attorneys of the District have been Edwin L. Stanton, William Birney, Alfred G. Riddle, and George C. Hazleton.
On a preceding page has been given the date of the appointment of the first police force. By an act of Congress passed in 1842, an auxiliary guard, or watch, was established for the protection of public and private property against incendiaries, and the enforcement of police regulations in the city of Washington was also provided for. This auxiliary guard was made to consist of a captain, appointed by the Mayor, at a salary of $1,000 per year, and fifteen other persons, to be employed by the captain, five of them at a salary of $35 per month and the other ten at a salary of $30 per month. They were to occupy such building as might be furnished by the United States or by the corporation of Washington, and which might be approved of by the President of the United States. They were to be subject to such rules and regulations as might be prescribed by a board to consist of the Mayor of Washington, the United States attorney of the District of Columbia, and the attorney for the corporation of Washington, with the approval of the President of the United States; and the sum of $7,000 was appropriated by the act for the purchase of the necessary implements to be used in the discharge of the duties of the police. Annual appropriations were made of the same amount for the next ten years.
An act was passed March 3, 1851, authorizing an additional force of fifteen men, and the bill placed in the hands of the Mayor the authority to appoint them. The compensation of half this force was fixed at $500 per annum, and that of the other half at $400 per annum. The annual appropriation under this legislation was $15,000.
August 4, 1854, an act was passed increasing the appropriation, and making the salaries of the private members of the force all $500 per year. On January 3, 1855, the salary was again increased to $600 per year.
turer in the law school of the Georgetown University, and served in that capacity until 1888. He was appointed trustee of the public schools of the District of Columbia in 1886, and served three years as president of the school board, and until appointed com- missioner of the District of Columbia. He was appointed postmaster of the city of Washington by President Cleveland, and qualified February 1, 1888, and served in that capacity until October 1, 1890, when he was appointed by President Harrison commis- sioner of the District of Columbia.
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March 3, 1859, Congress passed an act appropriating $12,530.52, "to repay to the corporation the compensation of twenty policemen from July 13, 1858, to June 30, 1859," and continuing the force of twenty policemen, and on June 20, 1860, an appropriation for the year was made of $32,400.
By the act of August 6, 1861, the Metropolitan Police District of the District of Columbia was created, comprising the corporations of Washington and Georgetown, and the county outside of the cities limits. By this act the President was authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, five commissioners,-three from Washington, one from Georgetown, and one from the county,- who, together with the Mayors of the two cities, were to constitute a board of police, selecting a president and treasurer from among themselves, the treasurer to give bonds in the sum of $10,000. The board was empowered to appoint a police force, to consist of a super- intendent, ten sergeants, and a patrol force not to exceed one hundred and fifty men for the regular service.
The board was authorized to divide the District into precincts, not. to exceed ten in number; to establish stations; to detail and change sergeants and patrolmen to such part of the District as they might deem advisable; and to appoint and swear in any number of additional patrolmen for special service. The superintendent of police was to receive a salary of $1,500 per year, each sergeant $600, and each patrolman $480. All rewards or fees, and all moneys arising from the sale of unclaimed goods, were to constitute the "Policemen's Fund," which was to be used to defray the necessary expenses of any member of the police force disabled in the discharge of his duty.
The board of metropolitan police was declared to possess powers of general police supervision and inspection over all licensed venders, hackmen, cartmen, dealers in second-hand merchandise, intelligence offices, auctioneers of watches and jewelry, suspected private banking houses, and other doubtful establishments within the District of Col- umbia. It was also authorized to prepare and publish all the laws and ordinances in force in the District of Columbia having relation and being applicable to police and health matters, as the police code of the District, which was constituted the law upon such matters as it contained.
June 25, 1864, an act was passed authorizing an increase of fifty per cent. in the compensation of the entire police force, to commence July 1, 1864, such increase to be borne by the cities of the District and the county in proportion to the number of patrolmen allowed to each,
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and a special tax not exceeding one-fourth of one per cent. An act was passed July 23, 1866, authorizing a large additional force and prescribing the titles of the members, - major, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and privates. Each member was to provide a uniform at his own expense. Private detectives were prohibited, except upon special anthority, and these private detectives were required to give bonds in the sum of $10,000 for the faithful performance of their duties, and to be subject to the control of the board of police.
By an act of March 2, 1867, no one could serve as policeman or watchman who had not served in the army or navy of the United States and received an honorable discharge. By an act of July 20, 1868, an appropriation was made of $211,050 for salaries and other necessary expenses. The corporate authorities of the two cities and the county were authorized to levy a special tax of one-third of one per cent., to pay their proportionate expenses. The appropriations made by Congress for the support of the police force of the District from August 23, 1842, to the close of the year 1877, were $2,890,350 21.
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