Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-08-09
The conservative" Account.
AN APPALLING SCENE.
Special Dispatch to the N. Y. Times.

AN APPALLING SCENE.
Special Dispatch to the N. Y. Times
New ORLEANS, July 81, 1866.
have already forwarded number Of
disconnected dispatches relative to to-day's
fearful carnage and now propose to give
you more connected account. | only write
Dhdt can snbstdntiute on the best authority
The Convention met at IL ocock, 26 mem
bers being present, Judge r. X Howell,
since missing. in the chair. II. King Out
ler, also missing, moved an adjournment of
an hour, during which time the sergeant-at-
arms was directed to compel the attendance
of absentees.
The Hall was densely packed with freed
men and whites, the former having armed
themselves extensively since their Fridays
demonstrations. Just after the adjourn
ment procession containing about hun
dred freedmen, carrying United States
flag, and marching the streets with martial
music, arrived at the Institute, having had
slight disturbance on Canalst. At 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 con-
fusion followed; pistols we're fired, clubs
and canes were used, and brickbats flew in
every direction.
The policemen claim that they were mere.
ly attempting to arrest the Canalst. riotors
above mentioned, but certain Il IS that they
mounted the platform, where q small body
of the members yet remained, and one Of
them presented pistol upon their using Of
fensive language, The policemen were
finally driven out of the building, leaving
inside Gov. Hahn, Judge Howell, Mr.. De
Costie and other gentlemen, with Clark, at
tached to the State Government, beside
about fifty freedmen. Fortunately. Gov.
Wells had just left the building for the pur-
pose 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 Dryades-st., between
Canal and Common, and when the police
men were driven out they were met BY o
large body Of freedmen, who caused them
to fall back to Canal'st. Hiring a furniture
cart, used 1t as an observatory on Canal
st., looking toward Common through Dry
AIDES st. The policemen rallied and drove
the freedmen and their friends back to Com
men, and in turn were driven back to Canal.
ST., leaving Dryades-st. perfectly clear Of
uuJ NoottEo VI ttc cctttts ~
three dead freedmen Up to this time one
police officer had been mortally wounded,
one severely, and others were slightly hurt
with clubs aud pistol shots. Police re-en.
forcements soon appeared in Canal.st., and
the cro,0d of rioters accompanying the police
approached the Institute and commenced
throwing stones through the windows and
firing pistols at any one they could see in
side the building. At the same time de.
tachment Of police attacked the crowd Of
freedmen on Common.st.. and after sharp
firing and wounding several blacks they
drove them away. This gave the police and
he mob ioh,ch accompanied them full control
Of Dryades. st.
A fire.eng gine was brought out and placed
in front Of the Institute, for what purpose
l do not know. Several attempts were made
by the police 10 enter the building, but they
were repulsed. TIE ammunition Of the
men 10 the Institute seemed to give out
about this time, as they did not fire any
moro. They attempted 10 escape through
the rear Of the Institute into Baronne-st.,
but toere met and either arrested or shot doton.
They also tried to escape through an alley
which runs from Dryades to Barnonue- ct. !,
on the Canal st. side. Ide not kaoso that
any freedmen succeeded IN getting ascay from
the building alioe. although saw several at
. distance from il being marched to Police
Headquarters. Ithiak that evesy one ,oho
tried 70 escape from u ,gas killed, and sa,o
several brought IN the oltey abovs mentioned,
and otter asy JeH IsosD cro,ods Of frx6iaas
beating them a. ttsy peye dying. IS, a