Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-05


and others who were inside the building,
the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire
upon the audience until they had emptied
their revolvers, when they retired, and those
inside barricaded the doors. The doors
were broken in and the firing again com
menced, when many of the colored and
white people either escaped through the
doors, or were passed out by the policemen
inside.
But as they came out the policemen who
! formed the circle nearest the building fired
upon them, and they were again fired upon
| by the citizens who formed the outer circle.
| Many of those wounded and taken prisoners
and others who were prisoners and not
wounded, were fired upon by their captors
and by citizens The wounded were stab
! bed while lying on the ground, and their
| heads beaten with brickbats. In the yard of
| the building, whittier some of the colored
men escaped and partially secreted them
selves, they were fired upon and killed or
wounded by policemen.
| Some men were killed and wounded sew
eral squares from the scene. Members of
| the convention were wounded by the police
men while in their hands as prisoners, some
| OF them mortally. The immediate cause of
| this terrible affair was the assemblage of this
convention. The remote cause was the Bit
ter and antagonistic feeling which has been
! growing in this community since the advent
OF the present mayor who In the organiza-
ton of his police force selected many des-
| perate men, and some of them known MUIR
| derers.
People of New Orleans were overawed by
want of confidence in the Mayor and the
fear of the Thugs, many of whom he had
selected for his police force | have tre-
quently been spoken TO by prominent citi-
| Zens on this subject, and have heard them
express fear and want of confidence in May
| or Monroe ever since the intimation of this
| last convention movement | must con-
| demn the course of several Of the city pa
pers tor supporting by their articles the bit
! ter feeling OF bad meu.
| As to the merciless manner in which the
| convention was broken up, | feel obliged to
confess strong repugnance. 1t Is useless to
| attempt TO disguise the hostility that exists
| on the part OF a great many here towards
| Northern men; and this unfortunate affair
has so preclpitated matters that there is now
test OF what shall be the status of North
ern men; whether they can live here with
out being IN constant dread. or whether they
can be protected in life and property and
| have justice in the courts. IF this matter is
| permitted to pass over without thorough
and determined prosecution of those enga-
ged IN 1t, we may look out for frequent
scenes Of the same kind
NO steps have as yet been taken by the
civil authorities to arrest citizens who were
engaged IN this massacre, or policemen who
rerpetrated such cruelties The members
OF the convention have been indicted by the
Grand Jury, and many of them arrested
and heid to ball. As to whether the civil
authorizes can mete out ample justice to
the guilty parties on both sides, [ must saw
Opinion uDpnnIVOeatlx hat tha.7
| not.
Judge Abel, whose course | have watch
ed for nearly year, [ now consider one of
the most dangerous that we have here to
the peace and quiet of the city The lead
ing men OF the convention, King, Cutler,
| Hahn and others, have been political agita-
tors and are bad men. | regret to say that
| the course of Gov. Wells has been vacilla-
| ting, and that during the late trouble he has
shown very little of the man,
L. IL. SHERIDAN, Maj. Gen Com dg.
OFFICE Z. S. MILITARY TEL, HID. O'Rs.
| WAR DEP I, New Orleans, Aug 6, 1866 -
| Z. ). Grant General: | have the honor
to report rapid change for the better
| throughout the city. There was much ex
cltement on Sunday and Monday in conse-
quence OF an nntounded rumor that there
would be collision between the whites and
y
son TO expect such an event, however.
L. I'll. SHERIDAN, Maj. Gen
WAR Dept, WASHINGTON CRY. Aug.
!th, 1866. 70 MAJOR General r. II. .Sher-
lddn, COmm0nding, dc, NeaU Orleans
The President directs me to acknowledge
| your telegram of the 9th inst, in answer to
his inquiries Of the 4th inst On the Sd
INST Instructions were sent you by General
lIrant, IN conformity with the Presidents
directions, authorizing you to continue to
enforce martial law so far as might be me-
| cessary to preserve the public peace, and Or
derIng you not to allow any of the civil au-
thoritles to act, if you deem such action
dangerous to the public safety, and also that
no time be lost IN investigating the causes
that led to the riot and the facts which oc |
Cured
By these Instructions the President de- |
signed to vest in you, as the chief military
commander, full authority for the maintain
ance of the public peace and safety. and he |
does not see that anything more is needed, |
pending the investigation with which vou
are entrusted, but if in your Judgment. your
powers are inadequate to preserve the peace |
until the facts connected with the riot are |
ascertalned, you viii please report to this de- /
partment for the information of the Presi- |
dent. 4. NJ. STANTON, Sec'y of War.
The following dispatch was suppressed in
the publication of the correspondence, but
has since been given to the public ED.
HID. Q'Rs. Mil. DRY. OF THE GULF. n.
u, LA, August Is, 1S66.-To Gen q. s..
Grant, Washington, d. c.: The military
Board called by Gen. Baird to investigate
the occurrences in this city, of July 3Otb is
progressing as rapidly as possible I see in
the papers, by reports of an official charac