Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-08-22
Iov, Hahn. who is lame and walks with a


two policemen On reaching the side walk
he was surrounded by about twenty persons,
who beat him on the back of the head with
clubs, and he received a severe stab in the
back, also pistol shot from behind. 1t is
probable that this shot was fired by po
liceman On reaching Canal street he was
placed in carriage, and under the charge
of the Chief of Police was taken safely to
the lookup. He owes his life to the Chief
and his squad, as they prevented him from
being lynched Fish Henderson. Shaw
and other members were treated likewise.
On reaching the foot of the stairs they were
beaten by the police and the mob, and after
being rendered insensible, were dragged off
to jail An attempt to lynch Fish was made
on Canal street, but the police in charge of
him prevented it, although they nearly kill
ed him themselves by beating him with the
butts of their pistols But few freedmen
were arrested coming out of the building,
as they were nearly all shot dead at sight
The Rev. Mr. Horton, a clergyman from
New Hampshire, now in charge of church
in this city, officiated as chaplain of the
Convention. heard his prayer at the open
ing, in which he asked ferventiy that the
lives of the members might be spared, and
thanked God that peace had been declared
in Eurore, praying for the same blessing in
this country. In habit peculiarly minis
terial, one which distinctly marked him as
clergyman, he came down stairs with q
white handkerchief on his cane intending to
surrender himself peaceably He was met,
knocked down. trampled upon, kicked and
beaten nearly to death, while begging for
mercy. The police and their rioting friends
were his assailants. DIR. Dostie. intending
to surrender himself also came down. He
Il. H. -aI -, he
manner as Horton, although he implored
his life 1t is probable that both Horton
and Dostie will die. These details suffice to
show how the arrests were made. X. King
Cutler and Judge r. X. Howell escaped
without much injury. and CHANGING to fall
into the hands of humane policemen, were
conveyed to prison almost unlnjured.
On Common, Baronne, Dryades, st.
Charles, Rampant and Carondolet streets
freedmen were murdered by the police and
the mob in cold blood. Standing in the
door of the telegraph Office on Carondolet,I l
saw about two hundred men chasing one ne
gro along the sidewalk. Six policemen
were nearest to him. and in advance of his
pursuers They emptied their revolyers in
to his back, and finally another one, when
he was near enough to his victim to lay his
and he fell dead in an alley. Another
freedman trying to escape from the Insti
tute was climbing over fence, when | saw
him fall from policeman shot. As he
struck the ground at least a dozen police
aud rioters surrounded him and fired their
pistols into his head and breast, at the same
time pounding him with clubs and canes.
The blood flowed from wounds in his scalp,
covering his entire face; but they contin-
ued their brutal assault until he breathed
his last, although he several times raised
his feeble and wounded arms to gestieulate
for the mercy his tongue could not ask for.
saw white man draw stiletto and strike
it into the heart of dying negro on Com
mon street The blood spirited out in great
red jets, staining the murderer S clothing,
face and hands. He got up and displayed
the CORY marks as though they were proud
emblems of praisewerthy deed. These
and other incidents which | saw, suffice to
show you how the freedmen were treated in
a majority of cases. 1t is due to justice,
however, to say that some of the policemen
treated even the freedmen with moderation,
and rescued them from death at the hands
of the mob
The police behaved, as general rule,
with extraordinary bravery and eXtraordi-
nary cruelty. Probably fifty of them were
wounded, several mortally. They were
nearly all doubly armed and used their
arms with great effect and indiscrlminate
execution. As | have before remarked
some of them did their duty in protecting
their prisoners, and all the prisoners who /
are now alive owe their lives to this fact. |
The mob would have lynched every white !
every black man, had it not been for few
gallant and chivalric policemen From
what have already said, however, you
must know that some of the force were the |
worst rioters present. A gentleman of my
spoke to one of them in the |
act of killing freedman, asking him,
''Why don't you arrest him? Don't kill
him. !" The reply was Shut your mouth, |
YOU niger loving -, or I'll kill you
The force seems to be a mixture of coward |
y brutes and respectable men. The few
officers that have conversed with since the t
riot do not pretend to deny what have
here stated about them. and | am willing to
affirm that | have told nothing but the
ruth.
The Institute is now under guard OF Com
pany A, First United States Colored Troops:
It is large turreted brick building, located
as + telepraphed yop yesterday, on Dryades
street. hetween Canal and Common. Since
he destruction of the Capitol building at /
Baton Rouge, it has been by used the officials
# the State Government for Offices. The I
main hall in which the Convention met, |
was capable of holding about seven hundred |
persons, being in the second story, and en-
,racing the full extent of the structure, ex-
,ept large double stairway in front. The
,all was erected for the use of public meet
ngs, and therefore is surrounded on all
ides with low windows, which reach up
nearly to the ceiling. At the rear end of
he hall is an elevated platform, on which