Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-14
THE new ORLEANS RIOT.


of the GOvermOr's Private Secre.
tary and Others.
rTelssraphic Correspondence Cincinnati CONNER
New ORLEANS, Ang. 12.-The report Of
the Grand Jury, published yesterday, fixes
the responsibility of the riot on the Con-
ventionists and others exciting the negroes,
ana states that by the agreement between
the civil and military authorities, the Con-
yention was to have been protected by the
police acting in conjunction with q small
military force, until President johnson de-
cided whether members Of the Convention
could be arrested after being indicted by
the Grand Jury. The police were on hand,
but the military did not arrive until long
after the riot, when martial law was de-
clared. The course pursued by the Cover
nor Is severely condemned.
In reference to the colored population the
report says: "To the colored people, as a
class, there is no hostility on the contrary,
there Is disposition entertained very gen.
erally, to see even-handed and impartial
Justice done to them In every respect"
The testimony before the Grand Jury Is
also published. N. G. Smithson, the Gov
ernor's Private Secretary, inhis testimony,
says: 80
United States flag and two drums. They
came In front of the Institute, the crowd OF
colored persons that had gone from the
front of the Institute returning with them.
They halted in front of the building and
were hailed with loud cheers by their com
rades who occupied the street In front OF
the Institute. Apparent quiet then ensued
for quarter or half hour. Some person,
looking out of the window OF my office,
said: Some person Is making speech L
Joined those at the window and saw ne
gro standing on curb-stone on the side OF
the Banquette, next to the building, with
his face to the crowd in the street, address
ing them. could not hear what he said.
Some one in my office, nearer than myself,
remarked that lit is sensible old negro;
he is giving them good advice; he tells
them to 90 home.' Iwent to my desk, and
was shortly aroused by hearing commo..
tion outside. / went to the window and
saw that man, reported to be a policeman,
had hold of person by the coat-collar, who
looked to me to be white man. The col
ored crowd was breaking towards the po-
liceman, greatly excited, crying, Kill him,
take him away, let him CO. &c. When the
police officer, with his prisoner, got oppo-
site the main structure, between Canal
street and the Institute, observed several
negroes pick up bricks and throw them In
the direction Of the policeman and his
prisoner. / also observed a colored man
with drawn pistol with long, bright bar
rel, fire in the direction of Canal street.
which shot was Immediately answered by
the crowd assembled at the corner. This
was the first shooting near the Institute. L
had previously heard one shot on Canal
street, at the time of the melee previously
alluded to-"
The testimony Of boy gives a more
truthful account of the riot than any yet
published.
Oscar Paincelin sworn IL am messenger
in the Government office. On che 3Oth q
large crowd of negroes assembled around
the Institute. About IL o'clock process
sion of negroes came up from Burgundy
street with music and flags. Many were
armed with sticks. While the procession
was crossing Canal street, a shot was fired,
by whom | do not know. The roll was
beaten and the negroes marched to the In
stitute. All was quiet for while. after
ward noticed young white man strike
negro with a rock or a brickbat, but po-
liceman came up and arrested and dragged
the young man away. The negroes fol-
lowed, CRYING, "Hang the white s-n OF a
b-h! Kill himI" They followed the po-
liceman on the Banquette, and struck at
the boy or the policeman. A negro drew
revolver aud fired several shots at the po-
liceman and the boy or young man. six or
seven other negroes pulled out pistols and
fired In the same direction. The hrlng then
became general on both sides. noticed
one negro behind q column opposite, firing
at the police officers. Mr.. Heard came up
and arrested him. The first negro saw
fall was an old negro on the opposite side
of the street where 1 was. The negroes
then fell back to Common street, some GO
ing into the Institute. One negro endeav-
ored to rally his comrades, to advance
against the policemen. Shooting then COM
menced from the interior of the Institute,
and from the street into the building. Per-
sons in the Office where | was attempted to
get out, but were fired at by persons from
the interior. The police made many ar
rests, and, when an arrest was made, they
protected the prisoner as well as they could
from the attacks of others. This was done,
as far as l saw, In every instance.
A cry of ''They have surrendered ~ was
heard, and the police entered the building,
but were fired upon from up stairs, when
they retired. got out, and remained in
the nelghborhood until the police secured
possession of the hall. Among others, the
police protected Judd F. Denney and w.
4. Fish, members of the Convention.
About eleven o'clock in the forenoon a
short, thick-set man addressed the negroes
in French in the vestibule, and said: "Gen-
tlemen, depend on you to keep the peace;
do not begin first; let them commence;
then kill without pity. Above all, seek for
the sons of b-'s of rebel faces. Kill
without pity, spare no one." A negro cried
to the people in the street, "If any son OF
a b-h has anything to say against Dos
tie, let him come forward" III
At the time, 1 was standing at the win
dow with F. Trenchard, Afford Shaw and
DR.. Hine. Shaw and Hine said "bully."
The reporters of the NeW York Tribune
and Cincinnati Commercial clapped their
hands and said "Bully for the negro"