Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-08-10
THE NEW ORLEANS RIOTS.

Tie New Orleans correspondent OF the y.
Y. Times FURNISHES, under date of July 80.
the following detailed account OF the not in
that city:
The Convention met at = O'Clock. tweuty-six
members being present, Judge r. X Howell
since missing. in the chair. r. King Butler,
also missing, moved an adjournment Of an hour,
during which time the Sergeant-at-Arms was
I directed to compel the attendance Of absentecs
The Hall was densely packed with freedmen and
whites, the former having armed themselves ex-
tensiyely since their Fridays demonstrations.
Just after the adjournment procession contain
ing about hundred freedmen, carrying Uni
ted States flag, and marching the streets with
martial music, arrived AZ the Institute, having
had & slight disturbance on Canal-street. II
this juncture the merchants all OVER the city
fearing the coming riot, closed their stores
When the procession entered the building, a
squad Of police followed and attempted to make
arrests. A scene Of the widest confusion fol-
lowed; pistols were fired, clubs and canes we're
used, and brickbats flew in every direction
The policemen claim that they were merely at
tempting TO arrest the Canal-street rioters, above
mentioned, but certain ii Is that they mounted
the platform, where small body Of the mem
bers yet renamed, and one Of them presented q
pistol upon their using offensive language The
policemen were finally driven out Of the build
ing, leaving inside Gov. Hahn, Judge Howell.
Mr.. De Costie and other gentlemen, with Clark,
attached to the State Government, beside about
fifty freedmen Fortunately, Gov Welles had
just left the building for the purpose Of consulting
with Gen. Baird about calling out troops, Gen.
Sheridan being out Of town.
The Institution used now as the State Capitol
is located IN Drysdes-street, between Canal and
Common, and when the policemen we're driven
out they were met by a large body Of freedmen,
who CAUSED them to fall back to Canal street.
Hiring a furniture cart, | used it as an obserya-
tory on Canal street, looking toward Common
through DrYades street. The policemen rallied
and drove the freedmen and their friends bacl
TO Common, and in turn were driven back 10
Canal street. leaving Drysdes-street perfectly
clear Of any vesiige of humanity except the
bodies Of three dead freedmen. Up to this time
one police officer had been mortally wounded.
one severely, others were slightly hurt with
clubs and pistol shots. Police reinforcemepts
soon appeared in Canal street, and the crowd of
rioters accompanying the police, approached the
Institute and commenced throwing stones
through the windows and firing pistols at any
one they could see inside the building. At the
same time detachment OF police attacked the
crowd OF freedmen on Common street aud after
sharp firing and wounding several blacks. tbey
drove them away. This gave the police and the
mob which accompanied them, full control of
Drysdes street.
A hre-engine was brought cut and plaeei in
front Of the Institute, for what purpose do not
know. Several attempts were made nv the no
lice to enter the building, but they were re-
pulsed. The ammunition Of the men in the In
stitute seemed 10 give out abou; this time, as
they did not hre any more They attempted to
escape through the rear Of the Institute into
Baronne street, but were met and either arrest
ed OF shot Gown. They also tried to escape
through an alley which runs from Dryades 10
Bsronne, on the Canal street side. / do not
know that any freedmen succeeded in getting
away from the building alive, although saw
several al distance from it beng marched to
Police headquarters. l think that every one
who tired to escape from it was killed, and | saw
several brought in the alley above mentioned,
and after they fell | saw crowds Of ruffians
beating them as they were dying.
The policemen, whatever their orders were,
behaved well towards the white prisoners, CON-
paratiyely speaking. A. NJ. Fish was the first
member Of the convention captured, and l an
happy to say that although the police could not
prevent the crowd from abusing him badly, they
did Keep him from being lynched. man
mounted q lamp-post on Canal street as Fish !
was being carried by under guard and got rope :
ready to hang him, but the guard drove the
crowd away with their pistols The next mem-
Der arrested was Capt. Haynes, Texas scout
for our army during the war. The crowd had !
been taught a lesson and did not interfere with !
him, although they grumbled deeply as be pass