This violent civil disturbance grew out of a public meeting called by the Locofocos to protest runaway prices, as hungry workers plundered private storerooms filled with sacks of hoarded flour.
Commodity prices had skyrocketed over the winter of 1836–37, an inflationary boom fueled by foreign investment and two successive years of wheat crop failures.
[5]: 100 [7]: 828 The prices of rent grew such that efforts were underway to organize tenants to refuse to leave their residences when their leases expired, and force their land lords to court.
This was picked up in newspapers, who added reports that vast supplies were being hoarded by merchants for the purpose of driving up prices yet higher.
The people will meet in the Park, rain or shine at four o'clock Monday afternoon to inquire into the cause of the present unexampled distress, and to devise a suitable remedy.
The mayor addressed the crowd and urged them to desist and disperse, but was met with stones and ice thrown with sufficient fury, that he was forced to seek safety.
[5]: 106–7 The crowd assaulted the warehouse, broke down the doors and out the windows, and began to roll and tumble barrels of flour into the street where they were fell upon by those present.
Herric & Son and repeated the looting ritual until they were assuaged by the owner, who addressed the crowd, and promised to gift his flour to the poor the next day.