Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-08-17
MisfgllanRona.
THE NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE
Account by an Eye Witness.

Account Dg an Eye WlhnSA8s
The following report of the horrible mas
sacre in New Orleans, is taken from the
correspondence of an eye witness to the
Cincinnati Gazette
Meantime, that which happend inside
the Mechanics Institute, which had thus
become the nucleus of the opening riot
the only available point Of refuge for the
negroes, and the central object of attack TO
citizens and rebel soldiers in the uniform
efpolicemen, may be more definitely stated.
Within few moments after the rstshot,
balls began to strike the building and un-
der the impulse of the excitement, the
members of the Convention all sprang to
their feet. On the appeal, however, of
some one cooler than the rest, they resumed
their seats, determined to wait with dignity
the expected attack Presently rush was
heard at the door below, and then the hasty
tramping Of many feet on the stairways.
Every one supposed this to be body Of
the police, though it is now known to have
been a party of negroes running from the
heavy fire suddenly poured down the streets
from the citizens and policemen at the cor
ner of Canal Momentarlly therefore ex-
pecting rush fpolicemen into the Hall to
arrest the members, the Convention delib
Grated what to do Ate: few words, the
proposition of Mr.. Alfred Shaw. Ex- Sheriff
of New Orleans and gentlemen of char
acter, prevailed He was, therefore, depu-
ted to inform the police that inside the Hall
no resistance would be made to any legal
officers, claiming the right to make arrests.
With this message he passed out from the
door which he was not destined soon to
enter again.
With white handkerchief in his hand he
crossed the outside passage and started down
one of the winding staircases. By this
time strong body of police had driven the
negroes from the front of the Institute by
a sudden dash, and dozen Of them gaining
the building were rushing up the stairs,
when they met Mr.. Shaw coming down.
Kill him, There Shaw, the scoundrel
shoot him down," LET me at him, were
| the first explanations, and those below
| sought tI crowd up till they could see to
white handkerchief take him to the station
house Through the hubbub and scuffle
! Shaw succeeded In making them understand
his message. "That' right, let them sur
render peaceably, said some. Kill that
! id seoundrel Shaw, exclaimed others.
Meantime TWO policemen, seizing him firm
ly, and another forcing his way through the
crowd and keeping assailants off, they sue
ceeded in reaching the pavement. Here
mingled mob OF citizens, policemen and
negroes-the latter mostly in the side
alleys or in door yards-Were exchanging
shots. A rush was made for Shaw, the
moment he appeared in the custody Of the
policemen, and the fire was concentrated
upon him. Presently ball struck him in
the shoulder, and there was every indication
that in a moment or two longer he would
certainly be killed. when the policemen
dodging around a corner, hustled him off to
the JAIL when, without charge or commit
ment, wounded and exhausted, he was
thrown into cell
The firing continued about the Meehan-
les Institute, spread toward the river along
Canal and Common streets, and even broke
out in the square back of the Institute,
along Carondelet. The fighting negroes did
not spread in this way but the mob follow
ed every prisoner whom the policemen led
off, aud attacked, on sight, every negro
found in the vicinity The body servant of
Humphrey Marshall was thus pursued and
fired at along Carondelet, IN his master
sight. A moment later another unarmed
negro, apparently belonging to one Of the
adjacent Offices, seeming to think the street
uO PAdNC lOt hliui bCBdtA W Auh. IL Ah IA
slant two policemen and score Of citizens
were after him, the policemen firing as they
ran. Five shots were fired, and the negro
fell pierced with three
But this was only the by play, and scenes
like this were occurring in dozen different
places The Mechanics Institute was still
the central point The police and citizens
had possession of the lower story of the
staircases. The Sergeant-at-A Arms had bar
ricaded the doors to the chamber of the
Convention when Shaw went ont. The po-
lice charge that the negroes in the lobby of
the chamber began firing from the windows
upon the members of their force in the
street 1t is certain that thy were firing
at the windows of the Convention, and that
the negroes 10 the alleys and door yards
were firing at them, andthat brickbats were
also freely flying. A considerable number