Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-08-17
THE NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE

THE NEW ORLEANS nlASSAOhE'
The New Orleans correspondent of the
New York Times, TJohnson, in the course
of his account of the late slaughter in New
Orleans, thus speaks of the treatment me-
ted out to the blacks:
"On Common, Baroune, Dryades, st.
Charles, Rampant and Carondolet streets
freedmen were murdered by the police and
mob in cold blood. Standing in the door
of the telegraph Office on Carondolet, l
saw about two hundred men chasing one
negro along the sidewalk. Sixpolicemen
were nearest to him, and in advance OF
his pursuers. They emptied their reyol-
vers into his back, and finally another one,
when he was near enough to his victim to
lay his hand on his shoulder, shot him in
the head, and he fell dead into an alley.
Another freedman trying to escape from
the Institute was climbing over fence,
when saw him fall from a policeman 5
shot. As he struck the ground at least a
dozen police and rioters surrounded him
and fired their pistols into the head and
breast, at the same time pounding him
with clubs and canes. The blood flowed
from wounds in his scalp, covering his en-
tire face; but they continued their brutal
assaults until he breathed his last although
he several times raised his feeble and
wounded arms to gesticulate for the mercy
histongue could not ask for. L saw white
man draw a stiletto and strike it into the
heart of dying negro on Common street
The blood spirited out in great red jets,
| staining the murders clothing, face and
| hands. He got up and displayed the go
ry marks as though they were proud en-
| blems of a praise-worthy deed. These
and other incidents which saw, suffice te
show you how the freedmen was treated
| in a majority of cases. 1t is due to JUS
tice, however, TO say that some of the po
licemen treated even the freedmen with
moderation, and rescued them from death
at the hands of the mob.
"The police behaved as a general rule
| with extraordinary cruelty. Probably nj
ty of them were wounded, several NOR
tallv. They were nearly all doubly arm
ed. and used their arms with great ettec
and indiscriminate execution. AS have
before remarked, some of them did thei
duty in protecting their prisoners and al
the prisoners who are now alive owe thel
| lives TO this fact. The mob would have
lynched every white man in the building
and brutally murdered every black man
had it not been for few gallant and chly
alric policemen. From what l have al
| ready said, however, you must know tha
zome of the force we're the worst rloter
aresent. A gentleman of my acqualnt
aHce spoke to one of them in the act Q
kffEng a freedman, asking him, why don
YOU arrest him! Don't kill him. Tn
reply was, Shut your mouth, you nigger
| lowing, or I'll kill you The fore
| seems to be a mixture of cowardly brute
! and respectable men. The few officer
that have conversed with since the RIO
| do not pretend to deny what l have her
stated about them, and am willing t
| affirm that have told nothing but tn
truth. >,
81 saw colored corporal of an artil
| lery regiment, apparently, walking in tn
middle of Baroune street, while on HI
right hand an infuriated crowd were cha'
inn freedman down the sidewalk, and o
| his left hand another crowd were chasing
one ND the sidewalk. Each crowd wer
| firing pistols and throwing stones and club
ct their victim. The corporal walked i
tho middle of the street, in full uniform
with side arms only, as steadily and so
| dierly as if on drill He had been sen
lon an errand by one of his officers, an
was returning. 1t was a scene that mad
my heart thrill with admiration for
brave man, although he was as black
ink. -.
81 heard Union man in the midst
y crowd of rebel rioters, who were pounc
: inc negro and shouting for JEFF. Davi
| swear at them and call them traitors an
every epithet of ignominy that his tongu
could command. Strange to say they a
lowed him to escape unhurt."