, 1865-12-26
REIGN OF TERROR AT MEMPHIS,
Text and Comment Thereon by the
Local FreAs-Ser1ous Chargcs Against
tho Colorcd Troopt-One Thousand
White Militia to be Called Out.

Again We arc called upon to record one OF
those atrocious crimes that, committed in q
fienaish spirit, and BY an overpoweEingg force,
eEty, the utter inability Of our present pro-
tective power, md the necessity for an early
application Of some complete remedy. At a
late hour on Monday body OF fifteen col
ored soldiers, mostly dressed in the
uniform Of artnlerymen, made their ap-
Pearancc suddenly in the store Of Mr, ]. ".
burn avenue, where he Kept q grocery. The
h$RI1fs Immediately commenced an iniis.
cIa atc plunder at which A1r. Hunks rcmon.
strdfed. Remonstrante being unayailing, he
seized his pistol and discharged either one OF
VAS wounded BY the act, it is not reported,
but Immediately the negroes rushed In q body
upon Ar. Hanks, driving him back from hts
store to the door Of the rear room, where he
tell, pierced by bullet that entered behind
his ear, and came out at the other side Of the
head, in the back part. These are the facts
ncr Frnnk Erickson. shortly after the mur,
der. Hanks, shortly before the entry Of ths
negroes into his store, finished a letter to his
father and mother, the purport Of which waa
expressions Of regret at his inability to spend
Christmas with them according to promise
the reason being that the negroes were get.
ting SO bad In his section, breaking into house
every night, stealing, ETC., that be was obllg-
ed to stay at home TO protect himself and bis
property. He stated Tint he had been forced
to shoot a negro come time before, whom he
heard had died next day, but whether he had
Or not, he didn't know nor care. The balance
Of the letter reciied the riot which occurred
On Saturday night, and closed "yours till
1t Is said that the negroes entertained par-
tlcnlar feeling. Of enmity against 1{r. Hanks,
owing to the fact that he shot the negro, as
stated before, whom he caught In the act Of
stealing side Of bacon from his store. On
ne inquest It was shown that Mr.. Hanks
tred drst. There were In all some seven or
eight shots fired, only one taking effect as
stated. One oi the negroes left whip In the
store, and Ind On at the time an oYercoot,
which led to the supposition that be was q
hack driver. Great. excitement reIsned
difficult to arrive at all the facts.
Previous to tile murder Of Mr. Hanks, these
HcDds In human form entered the grocery
store Ct Mr.. CoLwin, on South street, aud be-
gnn the work of Wholesale plundc!F, leaving
Ia said that one negro, who was the last to
leave, was knocked down by q partner Of
Mr. CorWin and held for some time, but no
assistance being at hand, he was necessarily
released.
Rocco, who keeps grocery store at the cor
ner Of fernando And South streets, after
which the store Of Mr.. Price, at the corner Of
fernando and Elliott streets, was visited.
Mr.. Price was absent at the time, and the
only opposition met by the negroes
H.s kan bc1d dma b1 Roy tae ~hs iSera o9s s,nsa Of
themselves to whatever suited their
their fancy. After this they called at the
store Of Washington, a colored man, corner
Of DeSoto and Elliott streets, but fortunately
the proprietor had been warned OF their np-
proach, and closed his doors. Several other
stores and dwellings were visited, and the
work Of p1under was carried On until the store
Of MIR. Hanks was reached.
EFrom the Bulletin, Editorial. aoth.J
Each day adds another chapter to ceaseless
rccItnls OF out1ages practtced by organized
bandits. We are told that negroes, assuming
the garb Of soldiers, nrc chicfcst Of burglar
fous bands who 40 infest Southern districts.
This fact does not affect the necessity for
the recurrence Of events like those! which
every day, for weeks past, has left Disgrace
full, If not q bloody record. Whose fault
It may be, it Is bootless to Inquire. War hos
been declared between negroes aud the police,
aEd citizens, sooner or Inter, must be In
concurrent with that of the military authorf-
ties, tend tosrelieyc universal applehensions
of danger, which makes women, left alone in
the suburbs, anxious for their own and the
security Of Their children, which make their
nights elcepless, and prevents people from
the Interior visiting the negro-governed city.
From Communication in the BuIle,in.l
There seems to bo good deal Of alarm
amongst some Of our people In town and
there Is to be a rising Of the negroes for the
indiscriminatc slaughter Of the whites. do
not believe this will be, nor do suppose TINT
you believe anything Of the kind but
one ns thing is .;s Certain, ,!.,,, thsEe is g9od
community that should at once be
stoR8pn seoR8 IL the Ae5s Of avesy bey sy shos Ms
by white man Or riot between white men
and negroes, and very seldom Is the real cause
Of the difficulty found ont. The fact is, sirs,
there Is too much liberty in allowing parties,
both white and black, to carry arms. History
and statistics show that in all countries where
that shooting and stabblng will prevail. I
have been in Memphis for some years and
trayersed the streets Of the city at nil
hours, day and night, aud never yet
had to carry arms for self defence. The city
authorities should By ail means enforce the
Inv s. against st. carrying M Concealed weapons. I
ter Of the worthy Major General command
ing here that be will aid the civil power all
he can, but he hts only colored troops
to back up his authority. Why
not have some volunteer companies Of militia
to do patrol duty for q Whi1c-that il, II we
want peace, aud God knows we hare Ind
satisfy any people for the next hundrel- Let
some OF our leading citizens take this matter
IN hand and act with tho militfa.
ONE THOUSAND WHITE MEN 70 BE CALLED
OUT AND ARMED.
%Ir1 3a afok7