The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-01
horrible Outrage at a Camp
Meeting.
several COlOred Persons Badly
Beaten.
ONE MAN MORTALLY
.fef.q WOUNDED.
.l'',l' BURNING or Tents. and Clothing.

- -,..4@ 's-a-7 BALTIMORE, Aug. 81.
Last night an, attack was made on the colored
Pt2.sion OF the camp meeting held at Shipleys
MoeGs, three miles from Hanover switch, on
Wy ashlngton road, by band of despera-
does Several negroes were badly beaten and
wounded. A,white man, named Milton Ben
son, Z while at prayer, was Shot in the back Of
~ ~ nead and morally Wounded, the ball COM
As far as can be asceftainhed the following are
stne 4 iacts IN the outrage at, the camp meeting
"a AZ MnlIe camp meeting attended by many min,
isteIS 81, OF The Mefhodist Episcopal Church of
Eeren 1aitlmore District was being held at the
others, white ministers, were oficiating at The
wnite q meeting, near which, under the auspices
OF the same, some colored people were hofding.
| camp exercises. During yesterday afternoon a
Eaaia ERumDer Of young men were noticed in camp
having pistols These were residents of the
surrounding neighborhood. No disturbance
occurred during the day, but about midnight,
whist the .colored people were conducting re-
Agious exercises they were violently set upon
precautions. The attack commenced with beat
ing negro while on his; knees The negroes
at once rose up, and scene of the widest in
@ alscrlpaple excitement ensued, the women
snriesking IN terror. Shots were fired by the
assailants, but In the dark, and few are suppos-
| ed TO have taken effect The colored men raj
| lied, turned upon their assailants and drove
them off two Or three times, whilst the women
Aed toward the White camp. Many cOlOred
people were wounded with clubs, and some
nesh wounds from pistol shots. Some of the
eoiored people had pistols and used them upon
their assailants, but with what result is not
known Finally the conflict ended through
the persuasion Of the white ministers and 9th
ers, and BY the. colored people leaving the
camp and seeking their homes, leaving the
camp to the desperadoes who further gratified
Enelr ruftianiy spirit by piling the tents and eff
.scss oi tne negroes, Including bundles and
trunks Of clothing in heaps and setting fire to
the pile, destroying all. The white man shot,
as nrst mentioned, was at prayer at the altarin
tne white camp where Mr.. Speake was conduct
ing the exercises By whom the shot was fred
is not known, but the friends of some of the
ministers believe it was fired by some of the
White rioters, who intended it for a prominent
Methodist minister. Others think it was simply
stray shot, which is very probable. Our in
formant says the white men certainly BEGAN
the disturbance while the co1ored people were
engaged in religious exercises The assailants
are reported to have used various rallying cries
among which was heard "How about New Or
leansg There are many exciting sto ries cir
cuiating about the affair, but the above seems
to be authentic. sI
BALTIMORE, Aug. 81.
Investigations in regard to the camp meeting
riot are in progress by the local authorities, and
the Freedmen's Bureau officers are also inauir-
ing into the matter. !.