Wednesday 21 [October 1835]
[Two summary phrases appear in the left margin:] Hosea Ballou
Assaulted
[and]
Anti Slavery Excitement
The Rev'd Hosea Ballou was
assaulted in
Cornhill this morning
by John F Myers, a dry goods dealer in
Washington St. who inflicted
a severe blow upon his face, which staggered him off the sidewalk:
Myers was apprehended, and a dirk found upon him: he was
examined,
and in default of bail, committed. Our City was such a scene of
tumult & confusion this afternoon as has not been
witnessed
before for many a year: the Female Anti Slavery Society announced
a meeting for this afternoon, and 2 or 3000 persons assembled in
front of
46 Washington St, expecting
George Thompson would be
present: the mayer assured the populace he was out of
the
City, when they cried for Garrison: the sign "Anti Slavery
So-
ciety" was taken down, and torn into a thousand pieces: some
persons who unfortunately resembled Garrison, were roughly
handled: Garrison escaped by a
back window, into a carpenter's
shop in
Wilson's Lane, where for some time he lay concealed
under a heap of shavings, till one of the apprentices
gave the
information where he was, when he was taken by the crowd
into
State Street, with the avowed purpose of applying a coat of
tar & feathers: the
Mayer
assisted by a number of his friends,
came to his rescue, and as he was opposite the south door of the
City Hall, the Mayer made a rush, and was fortunate enough
to get him into
City Hall: from one of the windows, he desired
the multitude to disperse, and soon after Garrison was
conducted to jail for safe keeping.