Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-08-05
TERRIBLE nor n eAIHo.
Attack on Free ssr. Gang d
Deqsr'dSs -.
Fire Arms Used 4 Several PesSonS
BUlL VI EGbr VI RED
Orgsnisatioa u . vigilssce Committee
several Of the Dsspsradoss Are"so
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN eAlho!
BUlLD1 EGsr FIRE D.

CARo, July e.
ps.s T.s~,-Our city y nov In STATE
Of great excitement Riot and lswIessneee
ran rampant last night; blood Was shed,
and the city had narrow escape from con
aaers,ioD I hasten TO give you the details,
40 far as can gather them.
L. seems that number Of slaves escaped
from Missouri in this vicinity, . few days
ago. IL was sscertsined that they had made
their way to Cairo, and sumLer Of Mis-
sourians came over In pursuit Of them
They we're here joined by number Of the
mos, desperate characters Of the city, who
supposing that the fugitives were sscreted
among tie free negroes Of the place, de-
tersuined to make search for them SITTER
dark.
About ! o'clock this morning our citizens
who knew nothing Of the affair. were
alarmed by the repeated discharge Of fire
arms. accompanied by the yels Of men and
the screams Of women. II WAS terrific, and
brought the people to the streeta A gang
Of men, armed 10 the teeth cursing the mig
gers, made their way 10 that portion Of the
city, occupied by the free blacks.-They
| surrounded and immediately commenced an
assault upon one Of the houses, forcing in
the doors and windowa number Of
blacks isclndisg two or three women, were
cape they we're ired I'd" upon rAs NJ 7s4ls Y us
fifty shots were fired. some of them by the
negroes. There wsa an instant stampede Of
the blacks from all arts Of the city, and
they were pursued, and in some instance:
fired at The assaulting party declared
their determination to drive every one Of
them from Cairo, no matter at what cost
onc OF our constables was soon upon the
| ground, and yaliantly interfcred in behalf
| 1T two negro women who were being NAL
Treated Tie also endeavored to force tbs
mob to cease their violence. telling them
that If they did not he would have them ar.
rested They laughed in his face, and pro
secuted their work Of destruction. they
entered the house they had broken open,
piled the furniture up in the centre Of II
room, md with yell set it on fire. The
constable, aided by some citizens. fortunate
~ extinguishcd the flames. A high wind
was blowing at the time. and If the fire had
once got under way, IA was intended, Cairo
would by this time have been in ruins
After performing this act, and causing a
scs'terment' among the negroes, the rio
tiers retired.
visited the scene this morning The
house isa perfect wreck The doors and
windows are all demolished and the westhe.
boarding riddled with bullets. There are
three bullet holes in the headboard Of tn.
bedstead in which the women slept. Sew.
eral Of the negroes We're wounded, but non,
seriously or severely, as | can learn, al
though il is miraculous how they escaped
--'pne Of the rioters, whose name is ALL
was shot by one OF his own party by mis-
take. The ball struck him ON the chin, an,
glanced around his jaw into his neck. Hi
jaw Is completely shattered. and all hi
teeth knocked out He is in very critica
condition
The excitement this morning was very
great, the citizens generally condemning tn.
outrage Mayor 5 5. Taylor called the ci
tizens together At 10 o'clock, and the meet
ing determined that the rioters should b,
brought to justice Mr. W. NJ. Williams
was appointed Marshal, and fifty resolut,
men volunteered to aid in the arrest.-The,
were divided into three squads, AID imme
diately marceed off in different direction
in search Of the rioters, one squad pacip,
up each side of the town, and the thr,
through the center Each man was arme,
with a six shooter, and they went deter
mined to capture the rioters dead or aliv,
At o'clock they had arrested three-Ew
ing. Shannon and Latting.-The rest coul,
not be found