The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-16
The Riot at Memnhis.
We give below extracts from the Memphis paper
of the I'd and 3d. and the latest elegraphic dspatche
in relation to the great negro riot at Memphis:

from the Memphis Avalanche of the I'd.
That terrible state of affairs between the white and
black races which the teachings of the radical
mists to the negro have caused the fear of almost
since the cessation of hostitics, commenced in our
city about O'Clock yesterday, in serious and fatal
earnest The war began on South street, in the ex-
IRENE southern portion of the corporation 1t orgi-
mated from difficulty between white and negro boy
near the bridge the bayou the street already
mentioned These juveniles had come to blows, and
officers 0'Nei aud Stephens of the police, on dscoV-
erng it, started for the bridge to separate the parties
when crowd of fifteen twenty grown negroes,
armed with pistols simultaneously started for the same
point.
The other policemen, whose names we could not
learn, from an adjoining beat also having seen the
bridge affair, up about the TINE that Neil ana
Stephens reached the place The negroes mmedl-
atey surrounded the police and commenced an unPro-
voked assault upon them with pistol shots Omeer
Stephens here wounded severely IL the thigh fell
ing him to the ground. ONel and the other ponce.
men then commenced defending themselves, and
promptly returned the shots Of the negroes who had
encrcled them and succeeded in driving the entlre
! party some distance back. In a few moments the
black crowd became augmented considerably, and re-
commenced their devils work by firing at every white
/ person they could see, whether policeman or not.
Mr. James Finn, harmless citizen who happened to
be in sight at this time was shot by them, the ball
taking effect in the small Of the back and nicting
most painful II not dangerous injury. The negroes
then renewed the attack upon officer 0Ne and party,
overwhelming and driving them back.
Information was dispatched to the station house i'm
medatey of the condition of affairs in south Memphis,
and force of fifty policemen was sent without delay.
Before they arrived, however the life of Mr. H. Dunn,
engineer of steam fire engine No. 9 was most fiend,
shly taken by the Infatuated demons. He shot
through the head, the ball passing from the base OF
the brain through the forehead. Mr.. Dunn had gone
down in that portion of the city purely by accident
and after the outbreak had started for his quarters
Death upon the noble young man, however in
its most sudden and terrible formal the hands OF
beasty awless negroes He weltered in his own GORE
victim of the hate which the African has been taught
to bear towards the white man.
When the fifty policemen, who had been dispatched
to assist i'll putting down the rioters reached Elliott
street, a negro started out for some nook or
hiding place. and set off a run. Some one cried to
them that there goes the negro who shot Stephens
and tLey gave pursuit, but made attempt shoot
him. The fugitive up South street to the bayou
down it for short distance, and back through row
of cabins to nearly the point from which he
started. During the he carried a Colts navy in
| his hand. As he reached South street the officer
shouted to him to halt and surrender; finding that he
took heed they fired on him, bringing him down
with two balls from the injuries of which he lived but
a short time The negroes, by this had again sum.
moned themselves for the rencounter and were riue
on the police from different places at fcartuly lively
! rate.
| While the police were passing down Avery street
and before getting where bostiltes ragged thickes
another negro, armed with revovers dashed across
the street before them, and in defiance of command
to halt was severely wounded and taken.
In the mutinous district from which the negroes had
been firing upon the officers of tie law two of them
were also wounded and stopped. The work of blood
shed was now rife, and the bullets Kissed through the
air in every direction. Many armed citizens here
added themselves to the police force but the negroes
still deied all attempts OF arrest except in the cases
of their wounded and helpless co-mates.
The fort on South street, where many of the negro
troops had been mustered out and paid off during yes
terday, either used by some of the original bel
gerents against the police, in it that party received
fresh recruits for the balls from it thick and fast
according to officer 0NeiPs statement. Officer D. f
Slattery, of most efficient policemen received
a most serious wound through the thigh from musket
ball from the fort
| The excitement about dark, throughout the city
was frightlu Crowds of men, like huge and angry
waves, surged and rocked on every street. Many
negroes who had nothing to do with the outrage il
south Memphis were roughly treated in the intense
and general excitement of the hour One shot
and badly hurt the bridge the Beal street mar
| ket house. Some time after dark and at different
| times, four others were fired at on Main street, be
tween Jefferson and Adams, fortunately for them
without injury.
/ Just before dark, and when the battle was at it
hercest detachment of regular troops sent down
to the rotous district to aid in suppressing the dis
turbance, which they did to considerable extent
though they used no light persuasion in the matter,
the battered up condition Of many of the negroes
| afterwards sent to the station house exhibited.
The sheriff summoned posse and repaired as hastily
as possible to the ground, but was unable to eitec
much. Himself, Mr.. Lee, Jack Winters and some
Others were fired into arriving-the bullets nearly
seriously njuring several of the party.
At the station house last night, at II O'clock some
ten or twelve Of the negroes had been locked up
of III hgl Oh
of whom died shortly after being carried in. Tht
others are badly hurt. The police still bringing
I them when we left. Solomon. a negro formerly be
longing to colonel Ed. Burke Pickett, who is badl,
beaten, says it done by the soldiers who arrested
/ him.
! From DR.. Keller who returned from the scene o
the riot at midnight, learn that Mr.. Cay, brother
inaw of recorder Creighton, also shot through
the thigh that Mr. Stephens wound is very serious
and may result in his death. The upper third of th
thighbone is shattered and will require this morning
either amputation Of the leg reseting of the bone
One of the police, whose name DR.. Keller did not
learn, shot in each thigh with two different balls
flesh wounds.
The police deserve the very highest credit for thu
gallant conduct they exhibited in enforcing the majesty
of the law when the messengers Of death huret
at them from all sides. We may grumble at then
sometimes for the omission of trivial duties but il
hours like those Of yesterday evening noble police
men towers of might and purpose and courage
At the latest hour information reaches US that every
thing is quiet in south Memphis, and trust there
will be resumption of these awful occurrences to-day
but that no efforts will be left unried to bring the guilty
parties to the seyerest penalty Of the law they have
outraged with bloodshed and death.
Captain Ben Garrett informs US that the number o
negroes killed. though unknown precisely is about ten
and the wounded somewhat over that. Capt. CARROTS
conduct throughout these turbulent scenes has wor
fol- him the honor due faithful and fearless officer
/ From the Memphis Bulletin, May 81
! The frightful proceedings of the past forty-cigh
hours had caused the greatest excitement in the city
/ Memphis, and the sun rose yesterday morning upon
! pOpuace in very existed state. Groups of persons
to be at every corner and people talked il
tones both loud and deep of the deed perperated il
south Memphis on the previous evening 1t quite
apparent that majority of the citizens were armed
and ready for any emergency, but no movement wa:
made until report reached the business part OF the
city that hostites had been resumed and that the ne
sroes had killed two citizens near the depot of thu
| Mississippi and Tennessee railroad. 1t seemed t
need but such spark to intame the people, and i'm
mediatey the people commenced to arm themselves
Rifles, sho.guns, reYolyers, derringers bowe-knves
and almost every conceivable weapon were brought into
use, and citizens to be seen moving about tht
Streets armed cap pie, and ready to proceed to th
scene of action and determined to ouell the riot