As was tradition on the first Sunday of May, the Catholic German immigrant community of Paterson, New Jersey, on this day in 1880, ascend the summit of a nearby mountain, to sing with the rising sun. An inebriated and rowdy bunch of celebrants cross through the potato fields of the Dalzell family farm, and are ordered to leave, leading to fisticuffs. One of the revellers is shot dead. The barn is set on fire. More gunshots wound two children in the crowd. The farm house is set on fire. The Dalzells flee to another building. The mayor, sheriff and police arrive but are unable to control the crowd of 10,000. Catholic priest, William McNulty, pleads for the mob to stop, riding on top of the police carriage to protect the family as they are hurried away. Nobody will be convicted of anything.