On March 24, 1834, the Bank of Maryland collapsed, and its depositors lost between two and three million dollars. Nevertheless, as Niles Weekly Register noted, the people of Baltimore “bore all this with astonishing meekness.” The bank’s affairs were put into the hands of trustees, but for seventeen months neither explanation nor accounting was made. During that time an intense pamphlet war was waged, and it became clear that a “stupendous fraud” had been committed. On August 6, 1835, three days after a particularly damning pamphlet had appeared, a crowd gathered to punish the defrauders. Their first attacks were made against the houses of the persons accused, and were limited to breaking windows; the crowd itself was not large and twice dispersed at the mayor’s request. Still there were rumors of worse to come, and the mayor called a meeting of respectable citizens to consider how further disturbances should be dealt with. On August 8, the mayor organized a citizens’ militia. That night, after the rioters destroyed one house, the militia confronted the rioters, and between ten and twenty were killed and about a hundred wounded. On August 9, the mayor deplored the “resort to deadly weapons” and released the prisoners who had been taken by the militia the previous night. That evening, with no opposition, many houses were sacked; still, when one bank director’s wife told the crowd that she, not her husband, owned their house, they departed. For one day the rioters were unopposed. On the next, a counter-attack began. A meeting of “all such inhabitants as valued their rights and were disposed to protect them” elected the aged General Samuel Smith leader of a volunteer army, armed groups policed the city, and quiet was restored.
The account which follows is from Niles Weekly Register of August 15, 1835. See J. T. Scharf: History of Maryland (1879).
On Monday the 3d inst, as mentioned in the last Register, another weighty pamphlet appeared—and this, with certain comments upon it by Mr. Poultney, are put forward as the cause of the riots that followed—for a “feverish” state was soon visible: but still we had no idea that events would be pursued to the extremities which they reached. Nor would they, (as we still believe), had prudent and proper measures been adopted, as the emergency required, at the beginning of our troubles.
On Thursday evening, the 6th inst, a small number of persons assembled opposite to the splendid residence of Mr. Reverdy Johnson, on Monument Square. They dispersed, however, after breaking a few panes of glass, at the request of the mayor …
On Friday evening, the 7th, the mayor was on the ground, in Monument Square, attended by the city bailiffs, the watchmen, and many citizens, for his support. The crowd was much larger than on the preceding night, and more panes of glass were broken. They were addressed by the mayor, and by Gen. W. Jones, of Washington, who happened to be in the city. They were respectfully listened to, and the crowd dispersed at about 11 o’clock. But now the designs of the rioters began to develop themselves; and many of the citizens attached to the mayor’s party, having mixed with the crowd to learn what they could, stated that it was intended, on the following night, to make a serious attack on Mr. Johnson’s house, and then, to finish, for the present, by attacking that of Mr. John Glenn, in Charles Street. The events of that evening were, therefore, looked to with fearful anxiety.…
At about seven o’clock on Saturday night, the mayor, having previously called together a considerable number of citizens, it was agreed to station some hundreds of citizens, each provided with a staff or insignia of office, to guard every avenue leading to Reverdy Johnson’s house in Monument Square. About thirty of this guard were mounted on horses. By dark, multitudes of people had assembled. The principal point of concentration, at this time, was in Baltimore Street at the intersection of North Calvert, which leads to the square. Here the crowds made frequent rushes upon the guard. Brickbats and stones were showered upon the guard like hail, and ultimately by the guard returned. A number of the latter were severely bruised and wounded. They however kept their posts. A large portion of the rioters, finding it impossible to get access to Johnson’s house, started off to the house of John Glenn, in North Charles Street, which was not guarded, and commenced throwing stones and missiles at the windows and front door. The house was of brick, strongly built, and the door was barricaded in anticipation of an attack. For a brief space of time the assailants were diverted from their assaults upon the house by a number of the mounted guard rushing down and firing upon them. The assailants, however, soon renewed their attacks upon the house, and after a continued effort of near half an hour, it was taken possession of, and all the furniture it contained was broken up, and thrown into the street, and utterly destroyed.
The work of demolition was renewed sometime during yesterday, by numbers of young men and boys, who got in and continued through the afternoon to break up the woodwork, and to beat down the jams of the outer wall. A portion of the front wall of the second and third story has been thrown down, and the house exhibits the appearance of a wreck.
The guard stationed in different parts of the city, finding themselves so severely attacked, armed with muskets. At about one o’clock on Sunday morning, a company of some twenty-five, or perhaps thirty armed citizens, marched against the rioters, in Charles Street. They were received with a shower of stones, and in return fired into the crowd they opposed. They loaded and fired, we understand, there, several times. The police and guard also fired upon their assailants at their several stations, a number of times. It is supposed that in all there were eight or ten persons killed and dangerously wounded. A much larger number were less severely wounded. It is impossible to ascertain at this time, how many, and who, have been killed. Some of the mortally wounded have since died.
Last night (Sunday) at dark, the attack was renewed upon Reverdy Johnson’s house. There was now no opposition. It was supposed, that several thousand people were spectators of the scene. The house was soon entered, and its furniture, a very extensive law library, and all its contents, were cast forth, and a bonfire made of them in front of the house. The whole interior of the house was torn out and cast upon the burning pile. The marble portico in front, and a great portion of the front wall were torn down by about 11 o’clock. Previous to this, however, an attack was commenced upon the house of John B. Morris, in South Street, one of the trustees of the bank of Maryland. His dwelling was entered and cleared—and the furniture and other contents piled up in the street and burnt. In the course of the proceedings, the house took fire inside, as R. Johnson’s was also near doing, from the bonfire near it. In both instances, the engines were brought promptly to the spot, and the fire put out, so that the neighboring dwellings should not suffer.
From John R. Morris’ house they proceeded to that of the mayor of the city, Jesse Hunt, esq. broke it open, took out the furniture, and burnt it before the door. They also destroyed the furniture of Evan T. Ellicott, and much injured his dwelling, in Pratt Street. They proceeded to the new house of Hugh McElderry in North Calvert Street, now finishing, broke the front windows, entered the door, and began to destroy the house, when the builder appeared and stated that as it was not finished, the key had not been given up, and that all the injury it might sustain would fall upon him, and thus complete his ruin. Upon this assurance, they desisted and retired. They were directors, it will be recollected, of the bank of Maryland.
They also attacked Capt. Willey’s hardware store, in Franklin Street, and commenced destroying its contents, but desisted at the urgent solicitations of Mr. Lynch, who assured them that he and not Mr. W. was the owner, and that Capt. Willey had left town.
The house of Dr. Hintze was assailed; but his lady making her appearance, and declaring that the property was her own, she having received it from her father’s estate—they listened to her appeal and departed without doing any injury.
Captain Bentzinger’s house was also attacked, and all his furniture destroyed. This, as well as the attack on Capt. Willey and Dr. Hintze, was because of their opposition to the rioters; and, we are told, that more than 30 others were marked, on the same account. Among them the sheriff.
The very valuable libraries of Mr. Johnson and Mr. Glenn were destroyed, worth many thousand dollars, each. All their stock of wines, and many other valuable articles, fell a prey to the crowd, and were offered for sale, at small prices! …
On Sunday, the people, without a head, had nothing to do but to look on and tremble. No one felt himself safe—as everything was given up. Anarchy prevailed. The law and its officers were away!
But Monday morning changed the aspect of things.—It now appeared that the people were called upon to defend, not only their property, but also their lives—and it was manifest that there was a general, but gloomy, resolution entertained to do both. Things had reverted to their original elements—there was no law, and a head was wanted to bring order out of confusion. This was easily found in Gen. Samuel Smith—who being elected chairman by a great assemblage, at the Exchange, accepted the trust reposed in him, and, with the alacrity of youth, though in his 85th year, took his seat, and told the assembly that the time for resolving had passed away, and that for action had arrived. The flag of the union had been previously raised, and, with it at their head, the people marched to the Park, when being addressed briefly by General Smith and others, and told what they ought to do, they speedily retired to prepare themselves instantly to obey. The orders were to arm, and to repair to the City Hall. The fire companies were also called out, and appeared on the ground in great force.…
On Monday evening a large display of citizens, in arms, attended at the mayor’s office; they were stationed in different parts of the city, with the firemen, ready also for action, and peace prevailed during the night. The streets were as quiet as the grave—except in the heavy tread of detachments of armed men to reconnoiter its different parts.