Newspaper Office Mobbed at Newport
From the Republican published in Wilmington Ohio by W B Fisher, Editor
Friday, November 4, 1859
Destruction by a mob, of "The True South" an abolition newspaper published at
Newport.
For several months past, an old man named William S Bailey has been publishing an Anti-Slavery paper in Newport, Ky. called the "FREE SOUTH". Neither the man nor the paper were deemed by any one to be of much force, either for good or evil. Lately, however, since the Harper's Ferry riot has been the subject of discussion some of the "Chivalry" of Newport took it into their heads that old Pop Bailey was publishing an incendiary paper. They reasoned thus, we suppose, if old Brown, with 16 white men and 26 and 5 negroes, could capture a town in Virginia of 2000 inhabitants, including the United States Armory, there is no knowing what amount of mischief old Bailey could do with a printing office in Newport, where there is nothing but the U. S. Barracks with a few hundred soldier in it.
Being familiar we presume with the old law that an "ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure" the Newport folks determined to take time by the forelock; and at the same time take old Bailey out of town. Accordingly on last Friday night, a mob of about 30 men entered his office and in despite of the remonstrance's of the old man and his daughters, they carried the forms for the next issue of the paper out into the street and pied them. Before the gallant band returned to do further mischief, one of the daughters put out the lights, and the brave men retired from the scene of their mischievement, threatening to return the next day to finish the work.
On the following day a public meeting was held, and a resolution was passed to the effect that the printing material should be removed out of the state and taken to Cincinnati. Accordingly the meeting adjourned and proceeded to the office when they carried out the remaining materials and loaded them into a wagon; all except the press, which proved to heavy for them to carry down stairs.
Besides just as they got the press to the head of the stairs one of the brave daughters of Mr. Bailey emptied upon the heads of the crowd a point pot of yellow Ochre which scattered them. They then escorted the wagon down to the river, but the Ferry boat was on the other side, and as they safety of the commonwealth of Kentucky appeared to depend on the speed with which their treasonable printing office was disposed of, the brave defenders of their firesides and families threw the whole of it into the river.
We are happy to be able to announce that Newport is still
in the hands of its friends; and the United States Barracks in the possession of
the Government troops; but also for those incendiary types, the turbid waters of
the ruthless Ohio are sullenly rolling over them.