Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-08-29
Report of the Military Commission on the
New Orleans Riet.

[From the New York Tunes
NRw ORLEANS, Monday, August zs.-Gen-
eral Bard has asked 70 De relieved, and will
probably be mustered out
The military commission appointed by Gen.
eral Baird to investigate the riot IN this city on
the 18Th ultimo have completed this duty so
far as taking evidence Is concerned, aud are
now preparing their report IL will probably
be sent 10 General Sheridan for hIs reyie " the
latter part OF this week, when be will forward
Tito Was hlngton. Nearly two thousand fools
cap pages OF testimony have been taken, the
witnesses comprising policemen, white clti-
zens, and freedmen, aud including the state
ments OF representative men ofboth sides. The
first testimony ELECTED was from Colonel
Adams, Chief of Police, and his aids. besides a
number of the sergeants and privates Of the
force. The wounded whites and negroes were
next swcrn, and were followed by white aud
black; otherwise the report will be classified
IN such n manner as TO give all the evidence
regarding the cause and origin OF the riot under
one head and the behavior of the police, with
the cruel murders by the rioters. under another
1t will show that the first shot fired was from
revolver in the hands Of a white man a. the
procession OF freedmen which was passing
Canal street en- route for the Capital, where the
convention was in session. After this shot
about twenty minutes passed without further
disturbance. and 1.-THE procession reached the
Institute, when quad of poiice opposed, and
in attempting 10 make arrests, fired ON the
freedmen, who returned the tre. mob OF
citizens then Joined the police. and the great
massacre commenced IL Also shows thai se-
yeral policemen had reversed the bands on
their hats in such a manner that the numbers
could net be seen, and that after they forced
their way into the hall where the convention
was held they dIsregarded the display of a
white flag, and fired indiscriminate on the
spectators, some OF wnom Were not in
sympathy with the political procliyities Of the
convention. Some Of the citizens wore badges
indicating the existence of organization, After
this gross breach OF faith, the testimony says
that the members and spectators arose en-
mdsse and drove the police out of the chamber
with chairs, and then barr.caded the doors A
few OF the mem bers and spectators succeeded
in making their escape from the building
during the confusion which followed. After
the barricade had been established not a single
person in the building escaped unharmed, and
about thirty men murdered. The partie q lars
OF the murder OF DIR. Doste while a prisoner
in the hands of the police, and the woundinr
OF other members in the sameiconditiop, e also
included. The attemptto lynch w. r. Fish. a
member, is positively sworn TO, and whae
credit rs gwen TO the police for saving the
lives of all who were in the building, and are
now dead, the force Is found guilty Of nearly
all the murders that were committed Eyi-
dence was elicited showing that in MANY cases
the police killed freedmen when they could
have arrested them without trou BILE, and that
wounded negroes were thrown in a cart and
killed while struggling 10 free themselves
from the dead bodies which had been placed
on top of them. As to the origin Of the riot
the commission will undoubtedly report that
1t was caused BY bitter feelings on the part of
the citizens and p lice toward the Radical
Unionists and the freedmen. They will also
be probably ofthe opinion that the affair was
preconcerted, inasmuch ms the evidence shows
that II was talked Of by the citizens for DAYS
previous 10 its occurrence. Altogether, the
police and the rioters made four separate at
tacks on the barricades before arresting all the
members and spectators, and the rioters did
not cease until then. When the military an
peared the convention had been dispersed, out
IL will be the opinion of the commission thafif
the troops had not arrived Just as they did, the
riot would have progressed 70 the extermina-
4nGNan nfa o f.a TWaaD WsaeC H.
the city.
The Investigation includes the proceedings
and speeches of the universal suffrage meet
ing, which was held on the Friday nag ht pre-
yIoUs TO the riot, and the exact words of the
speeches will be given in the report General
Sheridan has imposed strict secrecy on the
commission, and no authentic reports were
obtained of the evidence during its session
This statement however. is reliable, although
brief. The entire city press having received
the official desapatches of Sheridan reg arding
the riot, At Is pitching into him hot and heavy.
some offthe papers going so far 10 charge
HIM with untruthfulness.