on october 21, 1835, "an assemblage of fifteen hundred or two thousand highly respectable gentlemen", as they were described in the "boston commercial gazette", surrounded the building housing boston's anti-slavery offices, where garrison had agreed to address a meeting of the boston female anti-slavery society after the fiery british abolitionist george thompson was unable to keep his engagement with them. mayor theodore lyman persuaded the women to leave the building, but when the mob learned that thompson was not within, they began yelling for garrison. lyman was a staunch anti-abolitionist but nonetheless wanted to avoid bloodshed and suggested garrison escape by a back window while lyman told the crowd garrison was gone. the mob spotted and apprehended garrison, tied a rope around his waist, and pulled him through the streets towards boston common, calling for tar and feathers. the mayor intervened and had garrison taken to the leverett street jail for protection.