Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-05-18
The Memphis Riots.

FORK IN July, 1868, ana IN some respect
very similar, the negroes being the victim
in both cases. Some friend in Memphi
has sent us copy of the Memphis Post,
paper which seems to be respectable an
loyal, and which gives reliable accom-
of the proceedings of the mob. We cop.
the origin OF the riot as stated by tn
Post, as follows:
Some sixty or seventy soldiers, re
Gently discharged from the Third Unitet
States (Colored) Heavy Art .lery, wer'
out ON South sh eet drinking. They go
noisy, but were doing NJ damage. 4
squad of police came along and rushed il
among them making an arrest or two.-
The soldiers made an cutlery at this, bu
did not attack the police. They, howevel
fired several shots from their pistols, some
say at the police and some say at random
The police Immediately commenced firing
into the crowd of soldiers, and they re,
turned the lire, killing one policeman and
wounding TWO othels.'
| Below we also copy from the Post, will
the comments interpreted by the N. Y
Tribune:
'Ehe atrocities Of the mob were not un,
worthy ofsls great New York prototype
which was, perhaps the most savage ye
heas,l Of in a civilized city. Most of the
negroes who were shot were buichered on
the second day, when there was no longer
any resistance, and when the negroes were
seeking safety in concealmen; and flight.
We select few specimens of the pleasan-
tries in which the mob INDUCED:
" Robert Jones (coloredD had just come
in from the country, and was standing on
the corner Of Beal and Causey SITS, in the
foreaoon. A man, appearing to be a pc,
liceman, took his pistol and $40 in money,
and as he turned to leave, thrust knife
in his back, under the shoulder blade
Another, standing by, known to have been
policeman, made no arrest of the rob-
Der"
Which shows that our police, unlike
our police in 1868, were on the side of the
mob.
s A negro was shot in the knee near
the corner of Towards Row and the le-
wee. This was dome by a wel-known in
dividual for The sake of amusement, and
was laughed at by the citizens who saw
it,"
The individual is so well-known that
the paper from which we quo;e does not
think it worth while, OF does not dare, to
give his name. But these instances are
nothing to the elaborate ingenuity of other
cruelties.
e A large number of houses in South
Memphis, occupied by the blacks, and
some in other parts Of the city, were burn
ed. No effort was made to stay the
flames. In one case, four negroes were
fastened up in house and the house set
on fre.
A eolored man on Alabama ST., informs
Us hat his house was broken into and
about one hundred dollars in money taken.
md be beaten over the head and the
ame party broke into his neighbours house,
dled him, locked the wife and children
the house, set il on FIRE and burned it
own"
That is almost as good as burning a
'olOred Orphan Asylum.
A house near Mr.. Rankin's school
ouse, which was burned on Tuesday. was
red during the night. A colored girl, IL
ears Of age, named Rachel Hatchell, who
ad been scholar Of Mr.. Rankin's, was
ok IN this house, and on running out was
noeked down, shot, and thrown into the
re- Her body lay in the ashes yesterday
10 CHING, burnt TO a crisp, excepting her
eld and shoulders. Some one had kind
thrown shawl over this horrid specta-
The reign of terror was complete
ltoughont the city, and the violence or
lreats OF the mob extended beyond the
egTots and cached to all who were their
,iemds
8 Loud and repeated threats were made |
y the rioters that when they had DESTROY.
q ahc colored sehool-houses they wouid
ilk the teachers. The threats were 50 vi {
lent, and the rioters having shown them. c
elves capable of any brutality. il was /
eemed prudent that they should 20 North 1
hey all left for Cairo on the St Louis ]
acket. Many of the officers on duty here
emf their wives away with these ladies'"
W hat destruction was actually wrought
the property of the negroes themselves
thus summed up: :
The riot was kept Up all Wednesday !
igbt' crowds of armed citizens were I
altered At the corners. Many were half
runk. The great feat OF the roughs was !
ne burning OF the colored school-houses. {
hurches and homes. They seem to have Y
cted in concert, and to have carried out |
rogramme which had been previously ar a
anged. This is shown by the clean sween
'hlch was made of every building used /
'r colored school or place of worship i
y the colored people, but most strongly | l.
y the conduct of the rioters on the burn \
g OF the Collins Chapel. This colored !
1nrch stands on Washington ST., ami cost {
1000" ~ !,
The extracts we have given are from n
le Memphis Post, paper which the Cop i
erheads may discredit because it is loval c