The streets from Forty-first to Sixty-third and the avenues were full of knots and throngs of laboring men, some counseling violence at once, others discussing their power to effect anything, many drowning bitter judgment in frequent potations of ardent spirits. The telegraph poles were cut down, and thrown across the track of the street cars; which were not allowed to run on the Third and Fourth avenue railroads. The rioters were composed of the employees of the several railroad companies; the employees of Brown’s iron factory, in Sixty-first street; Taylor’s factory, in Forty-first street; Cummins’, street contractor, and numerous manufactories in the upper part of the city. The crowd marched through many of the streets in the upper part of the city, compelling laborers in every quarter to knock off work and fall in. A few demurred, but were brought into the ranks by furious threats. Thus compelling all whom it met to swell its ranks the crowd soon reached vast proportions, every moment increasing in boldness. Well dressed men appeared to be specially obnoxious to it. The general cry was, “Down with the rich men.” Three gentlemen talking together on Lexington avenue were set upon and knocked down, narrowly escaping with their lives. One of the Guard endeavored to make his escape by climbing the rocks near Forty-second street. No sooner, however, was his intention discovered, than another portion of the rioters seized him, and taking him to the top of the rock stripped his uniform off him, and after beating him almost to a jelly, threw him over a precipice some twenty feet high on the hard rocks beneath. Not contented with this, stones and dirt were thrown at him as he lay helpless until he was half buried. [Illustration: DRAFT RIOTS AT NEW YORK CITY—ANDREWS LEADING THE RIOTERS.] Soon after the defeat of the soldiers a strong squad of police made their appearance in line of battle. As soon as the mob caught sight of them they fired a volley of stones, knocking down two of the officers. The police drew their clubs and revolvers, but after a contest of a few minutes they were also forced to retreat, which they did in good order until near Fortieth street, when one of them discharged his revolver four times into the midst of the throng, shooting a horse that was attached to a wagon standing on the corner. A rush was made at once for the officer, who immediately retreated into a store near by, the people of which at once barred the door and endeavored to give him protection. The crowd, however, went to the back of the house, tore down the fence, and rushed into the building, seized the policeman, knocked him down, and beat him in a fearful manner.