The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-29
LATE NEW ORLEANS RIOT.

New YoRK, August ga Times
New Orleans special says the Commits
sioners appointed by Gen. Baird to
investigatetthe late riot have compile
ted their labors, and their report will
show the first shot fired from a revol-
yer was by a white man at the process
sion of freedmen. Twenty minutes
expired before any further disturb
ance took place, when the procession
reaching the place where, the Conven-
ton was in session, the poli3e inter-
ferred with it, and, in attempting to
make rescue, fred upon the freed
men, who returned the fire. "a mob
of citizens then joined the police, and
the massacre commenced. 1t also
shows that Several policemen hid their
badges so as not be recognized, and
after entering the Hall, they disre-
garded the white flag and fred indis-
criminately upon the unarmed mem
beTs of the Convention, and spectators.
Some @o of the citizens wore badges,
indicating an organization; those In
the room then with chairs, ETC., drove
the police and attacking party out and
barricaded the doors. After the barri-
cade was established not a single man
In the building escaped nnharmed, and
about 30 were murdered, while credit
is given to the police for saving the
lives of all who were in the building
and are not now dead. The force is
found guilty of nearly. all the muir
ders that were committed. The evi-
dence shows that the policemen
killed freedmen when they could
have arrested them without trouble,
and that wounded negroes were
thrown in "a cart and killed while
struggling to free themselves from the
dead bodies which had been placed
on the top of them. The Commission
will report that the riot was caused
by bitter feelings on the part of the
residents and police toward the radi-
cal Unionists and freedmen. They
will also probably report that it was
preconcerted, inasmuch as it is in
evidence that it was talked of previ-
ously for several days. 1t is the
opinion of the Commission that if the
military had not appeared at the time
| it did, the riot would have progressed
to the extermination of all the Union
lists and freedmen in the city.
The city press are attacking Gen.
Sheridan for what he reported in his
official dispatches. g4r7s9Tsf
The Herald's British Honduras cor
respondence, dated at Belize, July
18th, says that Colonial affairs are not
very promising. Property was bur-
thened with Government taxes and
there was general desire to avoid the
payment of that imposed. lbr1a4
The prisoners taken by the Yucatan
Indians in April last have been ran
somed by the Colonial Government,
1 and action will be made to Mexico for
the expense and costs, and security for
their good conduct hereafter.
The Colonists entertained the idea
of applying all their interests to the
cultivation of the sugar cane.
| The Herdld's Cape Haytian CORES
| pondence, of August 5th, says that
| fire destroying seven hundred thou
sand dollars worth of property oc-
Cured there on the 10Th ultimo.
The insurgents had advanced upon
Cape Haytian, but were repulsed with
severe loss by the Government troops
under Gen. Montice. Atlast accounts
they were in full retreat on Sar
| Domingo. 10