"On
St. Patrick's Day, Friday, March
17th, 1837, a number of effigies were suspended by
cords in different parts of the city by boys for the purpose
of ridiculing the reverence of the Irish inhabitants for their
patron saint. About ten o'clock in the morning, an incensed
Irishman, attempting to pull one down at the foot of Ferry Street,
was driven away by some men and boys guarding it. He collected
a large body of his fellow-countrymen and returned to accomplish
the removal of the effigy. Stones were thrown and the
wildest disorder prevailed for a time during the brief melee
at the intersection of Ferry and River streets. John
P. Cole was shockingly mained, and other citizens were
injured by flying missiles. The mob proceeded along Ferry
Street, and near the corner of Third knocked down and maltreated
a man in a horrible manner. An attack was made on Theodorus
Valleau's store at that point and the building was
badly damaged. Richard P. Hart, the mayor
of the city, attended by other officials , went there, and ordered
the rioters to disperse.
Shortly
afterward the store of Amory Felton, on the
corner of Ferry and Fourth streets, was attacked and nearly
all the doors and windows were broken. At noon the Citizens'
Corps was ordered under arms by the mayor. A
number of people were seriously hurt by the mob at the intersection
of Ferry and Fifth streets. Some of the rioters were arrested
there, and lodged in the jail. The Rev. John Shanahan
of St. Peter's Church earnestly exhorted the excited Irishmen
to retire to their homes and to avoid making any further disturbance
of the peace. Many heeding his advice quitted the crowded
streets.
In
the evening, there was considerable rioting in Fifth Street,
south of Ferry Street. Stones were again thrown and several
guns were fired. William Wallace, Eliza Clohesy,
and Joseph Grimes were shot and dangerously
wounded. Many other pesons were hurt. The appearance
of the Citizens' Corps at the scene of the rioting caused the
participants to retire without compulsion. About twenty
of the ring-leaders were committed to jail."