Middletown 150 Yrs. Ago: Republican Victory in Connecticut--But Not Middletown; Fire Scare at McDonough Hall--Political Ploy?

From The Constitution, Wednesday, April 8, 1863 (volume 26, number 1319)

War News

The defeat of the rebels under Pegram near Somerset, Ky., was very complete. They numbered over 2,600 men, and were two to one compared with our force under Gen. Gilmore. The rebel loss is put down at fifty killed and nearly four hundred prisoners including twenty commissioned officers. Our loss in killed, wounded and missing does not exceed thirty. Letters from Hilton Head state that Gen. Hunter had issued orders recalling the negro brigade from Jacksonville, for the purpose, as was supposed, of taking part in the attack on Charleston. The Bayou Expedition which attempted to penetrate Yazoo river near Vicksburg has not been successful; and it does not appear that any of the plans for reducing this great rebel stronghold at the west are likely to result in anything decisive at present. Vicksburg is in the way of becoming the Sebastopol of the war.

THE ELECTION -- UNION VICTORY ! -- Glorious Result !!

Connecticut has just passed through one of the most exciting and fiercely contested elections that have ever taken place, and with a splendid result. Buckingham is re-elected by a majority of from 2000 to 3000, we have elected three out of four Congressmen, and have a large majority in both branches of the Legislature ! Connecticut has taken her stand beside New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and administered a withering rebuke to disloyalty. The people have arisen in their strength, have trampled copperheadism in the dust, and declared that the Union must and shall be preserved.

The Election in Middletown.

The Republicans and Union men have done well in this town this year. We have carried three of the four districts, and came within thirty-five votes of electing our first representative. The democratic majority in the first district is owing to the large Irish vote which was given to the Seymour ticket almost without exception. The number of votes polled this year was 1541. Last year it was 1402. Two years ago it was 1654, which was larger even than this year. Although we have not elected our representatives, the Union men of Middletown have done well considering the extraordinary difficulties they have had to contend with. 

Outrage.—Fire.—On Thursday evening, while Miss Dickinson was speaking to a crowded audience at the Union meeting in McDonough Hall, the gas lights suddenly went out, and the room was in complete darkness. The gas had been turned off at the gas works and of course the lights went out all over town. Simultaneously with this, a cry of fire was raised at the door of the hall, and in the street, and it was evidently the intention to create an alarm and if possible a panic in the dense throng of near two thousand persons who were crowded within the building. If the evil-minded authors of this plot had succeeded in their designs, it is impossible to estimate the fatal results which would have followed, in the sacrifice of life, in broken limbs, and in the destruction of property. But through the admirable presence of mind of Miss Dickinson and others on the stage, aided by the efforts of gentlemen in the audience, order was maintained until the lights were restored. The large vacant building in the rear of David Allen’s store, and owned by him, had been set on fire, and the flames broke out at the same time that the gas was turned off. Both acts were parts of the same plot, and were evidently contrived for the purpose of breaking up the meeting at the Hall. It was a dastardly attempt. Those who were engaged in it deserve the penitentiary or the gallows, and a political party which will foster such villains will bring upon itself the execration and contempt of all honest men. But the plot did not succeed. The audience remained quiet. Miss Dickinson became more eloquent than ever, and after she had finished Hon. Mr. Jenckes, just elected to Congress from the Eastern district of Rhode Island, made a short and most admirable address. The disturbance was made at a quarter before nine o’clock, and the meeting continued until half past ten.

Another Death.—Edward Hamilton Brewer, of this city, a member of Co. B, 14th regiment C. V., died near Falmouth on Thursday, the 2d inst. He had been quite sick, but was getting better, and expected soon to return home. A despatch was received last week that he was taken down again with a violent attack, and there was little hope of his recovery. The next day another dispatch told that he was dead. He was an only son of the late Dr. Hamilton Brewer, and a grandson of the late Nathan Starr. He was a young man of much promise, intelligent, earnest, and a sincere christian. He was an active and valued member of the North church. Deceased was aged 20 years, 11 months, and 17 days. The funeral will be attended at the North Congregational Church on Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend.

Fire in Cromwell.—On Saturday morning about five o’clock the large double house on the river road in Cromwell took fire and was consumed with nearly all its contents. It was owned and occupied by Martin Herney, and had been built but a short time. The origin of the fire is not certainly known, though it is supposed to have been from the contact of ashes with a wooden vessel which contained them. Word was sent to this city for help, and some of our firemen promptly responded and started for Cromwell with one of their machines. They had gone about half the distance when they learned that the building was “past praying for” and they might as well go back. Considerable wind was blowing at the time, and one of the neighboring buildings was in some danger, but was saved by a liberal application of water and wet blankets. Most of the furniture was destroyed. We learn that there was an insurance on the house.

Sale of Real Estate.—The Pameacha property on the east side of bridge, consisting of five factory buildings and one dwelling house, has been sold by Mr. Ambrose Wolcott to Wilcox & Hall for $15,000. Messrs. W. & H. have occupied the buildings for some time past, where they have done and are doing an extensive business in the manufacture of grommets. They intend to make some improvements in the works, and will introduce two powerful turbine wheels in place of the wooden structure now in use. This is one of the finest locations for manufacturing purposes in town, and in the hands of its present proprietors is likely to become a more thriving centre of business than it ever was under the old Pameacha Manufacturing Company.

Haddam Neck.—Mr. and Mrs. Elias Selden, of Haddam Neck, celebrated their golden wedding on the 24th of March. Their five children are all married, all living, and all have children. For fifty years there have been but two deaths in the family, one of which was that of a daughter-in-law, and the other that of a grandchild less than a year old.

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