New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-10

from the Memphis Bulletin Of the I'M
, me riots OF Tuesday and Wednesday, now that
they have passed away, can be referred to and
GonVersed about by all classes in the community.
Inc origin OF the riots seems destined to be buried
IN oblivion, for it seems impossible even four days
after the occurrences to trace the real cause of the
disturbances. That the riots were unprecedented
there Is hardly one person in the community will
uaFe 10 DENY Inc cause was simply this A ne
gro and white man got into an alteration on
south street on the afternoon of Tuesday, and
from words they came to blows. couple of po-
y" men lnterfered to stop the disturbance, several
,roes came to the assistance of their cOmrade,
I'D the riot became general. While the row was
il progress, and when the police were about to be
overp0wered, Henry Dunn the engineer of engine
= made MS appearance on the ground He went
TO the assistance of the police, as it was his duty
as fireman to do, and easily fell a victim ne
was shot down few minutes after he entered the
struggle, and after lingering in the greatest agony
Tor several hours he expired While the row was
In progress officers Slattery and stephens were
also wounded, the latter mortally. Faint hopes
were entertained that Stephens Would recover puI
although everything was done when neulcal elt
could suggest, he gradually sank untll deatA Ky. KY
an end to his sutlerings on FRIDAY e'eaainS. cit
medical gentlemen in attendance on omceT STAT
terly and citizen named Finn, VINO was also Sc
sously wounded, are sanguine they VIII recover
-Four negres in all were shot down during tne
riot on Tuesday night al oil WON aeH Vi Az
wounds. On the morning OF wednesday we as
turbances were resumed, near the memphis ana
Charleston depot. BY this time the military had
been called out and, acting in conjunction with
the police and posse ConlttdttS under command
of Sheriff Winters, the negroes were quickly dis
persed after four OF their number had been shot
down.
All the citizens were of opinion that the dis
turbances were now at an end as the negroes had
retreated to Fort Pickering but their hopes were
net realized. Shortly after O'Clock in the even
ing bright, lurid glare was to be observed creep
ing gradually over the southern horizon, and the
news soon reached the city that the mob acting
under the bad counsels of their leaders, had fred
a schOol-house and several negro cabins in South
Memphis. The fremen turned promptly out, but
owing to the great scarcity of water, they were
unable to stay the devouring element In the dis
turbanGe which took place, four negroes and one
negress were shot down, and pistols and knives
freely used on both sides.
Fires took place during the night in various
parts of the city, and the greatest excitement pre-
vailed among the citizens. Before the mornings
sun rose no less than three c0lOred churches four
colored schools, and about thirty cabins had
fallen prey to the deyourng element.
The number killed during these unfortunate
disturbances, which all good law abiding citizens
regret in the most heartfelt manner, were as fol
lows Henry Dunn, engineer of No. Fl fire en-
CINE aud officer Stephens. of the police force
Twelve negroes in all, were killed during thu
riots. -Four were killed the first evening Cues
day. four on the following morning, and four, in
Guiding a woman named Rachel while the fire
were in progress during Wednesday evening.
There has been great amount of debate rela
tive to the origin of the riot, and the parties VIII
were engaged in lit, The testimony in regard t
all these particulars is most conflicting, but al
agree on enc thing, that those who engaged in tn
riot were persons of irresponsible character, an
it will be unfair to charge these untoward disturb
ances to the good law.abiding citizens Of the cit
of Memphis.