The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-15
,r;;snner; Loud cries arose from the

;, prisoner Loud cries arose from the
,owd of negroes,
@Kill hinl!'' ny r.
% aNo-he's a police officer"
f6.'" Kill the d-n Rebel" 81
81 stake him off,
"Let him go! -
Such were some of the cries which at
first attracted the attention OF our re-
porter.
At first there seemed to be no dispo-
sition on the part of the negro throng
to interfere with the policeman In the
arrest of the prisoners; the negroes, at:
frighted, packing themselves close to-
gether, much asa flock of scared sheep.
But one or two, followed by three and
four, parted from the outskirts OF the
mass, and advanced steadily toward the
policeman, who, with his prisoner, had
approached the old fence that closes In
the Mechanics Institute. The excite
ment becomes contagious. The negroes
scatter and divide, looking for missiles
and stones. % -3a5sE
The disposition to attack the officer
appears manifest. The cries Of hostility
are repeated and redoubled until Ba-
bel of tongues are heard. At this time
a negro pulled revolver, large navy
and fired on the officer, or in the direc-
ton where he was moving. Another
and another negro fired.
The negro crowd, scattering wide,
ran back toward the building and dis
appear. some down the side alleys,
Others in the porticos and door-fronts
of the opposite row of dwellings, while
the great body take refuge in the en-
trance to the Institute, out of which
they fire on the police, who fire back
in return, and many of the negroes fall,
while the floor is soon spotted with the
blood of the wounded, and resembles a
slaughter-pen.
From the police officers in the street
arose cries Of ''Do you surrender?'
sDo YOU surrender?" to which there
was no answer whatever. The street,
about O'Clock, was cleared of ali ne
groes, who were fast escaping from the
windows, letting themselves down from
the rear part and running to the rear
| for safety.
A lull occurs in the firing and the
front is now in comparative quiet. The
| police 40 not enter, Notwithstanding a
lull in the fire, and the negroes who
come out of the front door, as well as
those who are dropping from the win
dows, one by one, are attacked and kill
ed-many Of misunderstanding
the efforts Of the police.
TO see the negroes mutilated and lite
rally beaten to death as they sought to
escape scas one Of the most horrid pic
tures 1t has euer been orr III fortune to
acitness. -s..
Only when prisoner attempted to
escape was he fired at, though there is
testimony of some firing at prisoners by
policemen that was both wanton and,
as it appeared, unnecessary.
The particulars of those wounded, as
the riot progressed and continued, are
found elsewhere, and we give only incl
dents such as occnred to looker-on.
| Vic lSll CuI anu DSdlSii, SOh StSu
with blood, near the fence. Another
and another fell killed while the police
were bearing them of. At q o'clock a
white handkerchief Haunted out of al
upper window. Before that time there
had been repeated cries of "We surren
derf' awe surrender!'' but us soon as
the police attempted to enter, they were
beaten back.
Crowds hurried to the corner of Com
mon and Dryades-sts, and as member
after member of the Convention appear
ed, they were greeted with hooting yell
ling and Kisses.
There were many among the crowd
who were drunk and Infatuated, and
who attacked even policemen who were
escorting away prisoners, besides, ii
several instances, killing the prisoners
Over 20 dead men lay in the street
about O'Clock, when we left the scene
ofthis calamity.
|