The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873Headley, Joel Tyler
History
The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873
Headley, Joel Tyler
Draft Riot, New York, N.Y., 1863; New York (N.Y.) -- History; Riots -- New York (State) -- New York
JAMES COSTELLO (colored).--James Costello, No. 97 West Thirty-third
Street, killed on Tuesday morning, July 14th. Costello was a shoemaker,
an active man in his business, industrious and sober. He went out early
in the morning upon an errand, was accosted, and finally was pursued by
a powerful man. He ran down the street; endeavored to make his escape;
was nearly overtaken by his pursuer; in self-defence he turned and shot
the rioter with a revolver. The shot proved to be mortal; he died two
days after. Costello was immediately set upon by the mob. They first
mangled his body, then hanged it. They then cut down his body and
dragged it through the gutters, smashing it with stones, and finally
burnt it. The mob then attempted to kill Mrs. Costello and her children,
but she escaped by climbing fences and taking refuge in a police
station-house.
ABRAHAM FRANKLIN (colored).--This young man, who was murdered by the mob
on the corner of Twenty-seventh Street and Seventh Avenue, was a quiet,
inoffensive man, of unexceptionable character. He was a cripple, but
supported himself and his mother, being employed as a coachman. A
short time previous to the assault, he called upon his mother to see
if anything could be done by him for her safety. The old lady said she
considered herself perfectly safe; but if her time to die had come, she
was ready to die. Her son then knelt down by her side, and implored the
protection of Heaven in behalf of his mother. The old lady said that it
seemed to her that good angels were present in the room. Scarcely had
the supplicant risen from his knees, when the mob broke down the door,
seized him, beat him over the head and face with fists and clubs, and
then hanged him in the presence of his parent. While they were thus
engaged, the military came and drove them away, cutting down the body of
Franklin, who raised his arm once slightly and gave a few signs of life.
The military then moved on to quell other riots, when the mob returned
and again suspended the now probably lifeless body of Franklin, cutting
out pieces of flesh, and otherwise shockingly mutilating it.
AUGUSTUS STUART (colored).--Died at Hospital, Blackwell's Island, July
22, from the effects of a blow received at the hands of the mob, on
Wednesday evening of the Riot Week. He had been badly beaten previously
by a band of rioters, and was frightened and insane from the effects
of the blows which he had received. He was running toward the arsenal
(State), Seventh Avenue and Thirty-seventh Street, for safety, when he
was overtaken by the mob, from whom he received his death-blow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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