The author of this letter, J. E. Fisher, has not been further identified due to his common name but the content of the letter is interesting for it mentions the 1857 Police Riot in New York City. This incident was described in a recent article entitled. “In 1857, NYC Police Didn’t Keep the Peace—They Caused a Riot” by Joseph A. Williams. In it he informs us that “two rival police forces were operating at the same time in New York City…. The unusual situation was the outcome of a corrupt mayor and opposing political parties heading the state and city governments and would eventually erupt in a bloody, all-out police brawl.

“The tensions took root in a city seeped in corruption. The administration of Democratic Mayor Fernando Wood was regularly accused of graft, electioneering, demagoguery and bribery. Despite the mayor’s sleaziness, he had a solid base of support from New York City’s immigrant lower classes, particularly the Irish, who felt that the mayor protected them from a patronizing, anti-immigrant elite class. Mayor Wood’s deliberate failure to enforce temperance laws which would have restricted drinking saloons, made him a hero among the underclass. To help maintain his grip on the city, Wood misused New York’s police as a cudgel to guarantee election results and his power. Many of the police, meanwhile, took part in the graft and bribery common of the era.

“However, the recently formed Republican Party, coming into control of the New York State government, strategized a means to break the mayor’s and the Democratic Party’s control over the city. In April 1857, the State Legislature passed a law which disbanded New York’s Municipal Police, ostensibly for corruption and to enforce liquor laws, and replaced it with a State-controlled Metropolitan Police force that encompassed the area of Manhattan, then independent Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Westchester County. Wood claimed the new police was illegal since it violated the principle of home rule, and sued. A decision would not be made for months.

“In the meantime, Wood’s Municipal force and the State’s Metropolitans were operating in the same city at the same time. At the various station houses throughout the city, roll calls were taken and individual policemen were to announce their support— either to Wood or to the State. Fifteen police captains remained loyal to Wood, and only about 300 of the 1,100 rank-and-file police joined the new police. Each side dismissed those police who were not loyal and filled the vacancies by appointing new officers. With the stage set for conflict, the two forces often competed with each other.”

To read the details of the conflict that erupted on the morning of June 16th, I’ll refer you to the rest of Williams’ article. See: …”They Caused a Riot.”

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

New York [City]
June 18th 1857

Mother,

I received your letter in due season and was very glad to hear from you. The weather has been quite stormy for several weeks raining nearly half of the time.

We are having quite an exciting time here now in regard to the new police & street commissioner [Daniel Conover] appointed by the Governor [John King] Tuesday. The police had quite a fight yesterday. The Major [Fernando Wood], Sheriff [James C. Willett] & several others were arrested. The Governor arrived last night. The Military are kept in readiness to be called out at any moment.

I received a letter from Harvey Goodrich a few days ago. He wrote that Bradford’s boy was dead. What do they say about it? I should think Mr. Sawyer’s folks would feel bad about it. Augustus & wife are well. We received a letter from Henry yesterday. He thought he should be at home next week or week after. That letter you received having no stamp on it was stamped before it left the store. I stamp the letters, but the last lot of stamps we bought did not have gum enough on them. We received notice of quite a number of letters that the stamps came off.

Ellis & folks are well. He thought of being in Francestown the latter part of this week but it has been so stormy I hardly think he will. Tell George Fisher to write. Has Isaiah Parker gone back? Write often. Write all the news. Why does not Maria write? Yours in haste. — J. E. Fisher