The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-08

les Institute. The excitement become co,
tagious. The negroes scatter and divide
looking for missiles and stones.
The disposition to attack the officer al
pears manifest, The cries of hostility ar
repeated and redoubled until q Babel q
tongues are beard AT this time negr.
pulled revolver, a large navy, and fire.
on the officer, or in the direction where h
was moving. Another and another negr
fred.
Now the throng move on towards Cana
street, where the crowd Of citizens stan
with the massed police, firing rattlin,
vnlley.
The shots are returned until balls mp AM
down the space between the Canal stree
side of the anilding and Canal street tray
eled both ways.
The negro crowd, scattering wide, raj
back toward the building and disappea,
some down the side alleys, others in tn
portico and door fronts Of the opposite roy
of dwellings. while the great body TAX
refuge in the entrance to the Institute, OH
of which they fire on the police, who fir
back in return. and many of the negroe
fall, while the floor is soon spotted will
the blood Of the wounded, and resembles
slaughter pen. <
As the negro crowd fall back, disappea
from the open street, and barricade them
selves in the building, the police officers il
regular march take possession of the street
The fire between the police and negroes i
now carried Only the police from th
street, by the negroes FROM Che second stor,
front.
No police could prevent the crowd of cit
liens from rushing into the open street ant
ever and anon making with the police .
rally into the building. 1t was about ont
that bells Of the city were tolled, while th,
firing, stray. shots and missiles scattered
like hail The firing is now transferred
from the front Of the building to either sid,
where the negroes, as they appear, ar,
stoned by the crowd outside.
Flom the police officers in the street
arose cries Of DO you surrender 2" d.
you surrender Y to which there was nj
answer whatever The street about
o'clock was cleared Of all negroes who wer,
fast escaping from the windows, letting
themselves down from the rear part, ant
running to the rear for safety.
A lull occurs in the airing and the front
is now in comparative quiet. The police
do not enter, Notwithstanding lull in the
FIRE, and tie negroes who come out of the
front door, as well as those who are drop
ping from the windows, one by one, are
attacked and killed-many of them not
withstanding the efforts of the police.
To see the negroes mutillated and literal
ly beaten to death as they sought to escape
was one Of The most horrid pictures it has
ever been our i'll fortune to witness.
Policemen, among the force, fell one after
another as they were either shot by those
in the upper stories or bruised and stunned
from missiles flung at them.
One by one the persons inside the build
u! white as well as black, are, as soon as
they appear carried off by two policemen to
the Station, in the derrction of Common
street, as we'll as towards Canal street
where the great reserve Of the force was
stationed.
Chief Adams and all of his subordiaates
were everywhere upon the scene. seeking to
prevent violence at the hands of white citi
zens, who, armed with sword canes. clubs
and missiles, attacked the escaping inmates
of the building.
Only when prisoner attempted to escape
was he fired at, though there is testimony
Q! some firing at prisoners by polio mer
that was both wanton and, us it appeared
The particulars Of those wounded, as the
riot progressed and continued, are found
elsewhere, and we give only cidents such
us occurred to q 10 ker-0n. One negro fell
cut and beaten covered with. blood, near the
fence. Another and another fell. Kill ed
while the police where bearing him off
At ~ o'clock a white handkerchief Haan
ted OFT Of an upper window. Before. t a,
time there had been repeated cries Of We
surrender !'"we surrender" but as soon
as the police attempted to enter, they were
beaten back.
Crowds hurried to the corner Of Common
and 1ryades streets and as member aftel
member Of the Convention appeared, they
werr greeted with hooting, yelling ano
kisses.
There were many among the crowd who
were drunk and infarlated, aud who attack
ed even policemen who We're escortias
away prisoners, besides, in several instances
killing the prisoners.
Over twenty dead men lay in tho street
about3 O'Clock, when We left the scene O
this calamity.
Ii the Office were gathered several gentle
men-not members OF the Convention, OF
in any wav officiating with it--who remained
during the course of the riot in an uupleas
ant predicament:
Nc. Sneethen, Private Secretary, es
capped by the means Of Lieutenant in the
Federal service. Judge Howell was alter
nalely in the +, ON q Gle P,iva,e Secwtar,
and again in the Governors room, in stat,
of great uneasincss and agitation. lie was
fra " carried to the station.
r. F. Daurov was also in this room anf
escaped by arrest. This reporter was also
there. and escaped by the skin Of his tee h
The bullets ra;ued around the open window,
ike hail during the whole progress 81 til,
riot.
A procession Of freedmen, some loo Il
$50 in number, with hag aid band o
music at Their head, came marching u,
from the lower part Of the town toward
Mechanics Institute.
A white man, who was standing on the
Neutral ground boxing on. Was showed asil.
by one Of the freedmen, aud tripping against
the cnrbstone. fell.
The policemen in The neiehhorhood OF
seeing this supp sed that the white man hat
been struck, and advanced to arrest til,
supposed assailant.
The policemen we're met by yolley 0
pistol shots. bricks, etc, which at once in
daced general alarm. Several arrests
were made, Int we could learn Of no ta,a
results from the firing.
The alarm among the storekeepe-s induce,
hem to close their stores previous 10 I'll.
fling The shots were very brisk for I;
time, ard much excitement prevailed.