Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-08-06
THE NEW ORLEANS RIOT.

with the following account Of
TIE ORGANIZATION or THE CONVENTION.
President pro tem. Howell io,k the chair in
! Il. 10 O'Clock, after which a prayer was delry.
cred by Rev. Mr. Horton. As there was no
quorum present, "a quorum is seventy SIX r.
KING Cutler moved 10 send out the Sergeant
at-Arms for absent members. recess OF one
hour was then taken.
TIE NEGRO PROCESSION
AT this moment the mass OF colored men no
. We're outside the bar Were admitted 70 he in
side OF the chamber. simultaneously with the
adoption of the motion 10 take q recess, a band
heading I'VE understand) q procession Of ne
and was received by the black crowd outside
with the widest and most excited cheering.
Tie excitement was communicated 70 those
from the street were responded 70. In a mo-
ment afterwards the band marched into the
represents tive hall where the con vention MEM
oers met, and 1t was stated a difficulty had oc-
CURED on Canal street.
THE RIOT BEGUN.
while this event was being discussed, tu-
multuous shout arose from the street, and
rushing 10 the windows on the Canal street
side of the building. we saw about a dozen
negroes standing al brick pile, throwing these
missiles in the direction of Canal street, while
two apparently leaders) were firing re volyers
Other shots Were being fired from the front OF
Mechanics institute, hut the crowd here was
out OF range of our vision. In probably ma
mute and half the negroes fell back, and the
police and citizens came in sight, having mp 70
this time been hidden from view by n new
building that is gong up next the hall. A rush
was made mp 20 the assembly room by both
colored and white men from the street. and
asking what had occurred, we were answered
by colored men as follows A light colored
mniatto was standing in front Of the hall, ha-
raDguing party of mixed colors. He called
The police rebel - Of, ana SAID any black
who permitted himself 10 be arrested by them
was a coward. After continuing in thIs STRAIN
Tor some time, policeman. who had been be-
IN no M hn 10 nrsN Nfa1nw xaA 1sal
him for attempting 10 incite a disturbance of
the peace. He resisted, and al this moment a
boy tof about twelve years. began swearing Al
The negroes. The boy was knee ked down, aud
as the policeman endeavored TO run away he
was struck with a brick. Almost simuItane-
ousiy the policeman turned and fired. and n
black man fired At him from across the street.
The shooting then became rapid from each
side.
While listen ng TO this statement there had
been lull. DIR. Dostie encouraged the party
by repeating remark he had pre- eviously made,
viz: "There is not negro In New Orleans W no
Is not organized and prepared This was re-
ceived with marked satisfaction. The next
evidence OF fighting that we saw came from
the yard OF a colored washerwoman, next the
Institute, toward Canal street This old wo-
msn wac, apparently, eXortibg a number Of
black men TO 60 in The street and fight, but as
they refused, she locked the gate and put the
Key in her pocket. This seemed 10 give the
men confidence, for they seized bricks
from a pile lying in the yard and threw
were again concealed from our view
A rush was then again made from in front OF
the hall, and the firing from both sides became
rapid. The negroes, as q body soon again fell
back, but two or three, with revolyers, stood
their ground. Finally, one black man fell,
apparently dead. on the banquette nearly op-
poste the hall, and in sight from the window
where we stood. Mr.. Cutler was asked what
he thought OF that, meaning the body. He
replied: THAT ftxes us, and ends the power of
the ID rebels" or words TO that effect. None
tlxr III
upon the hall, and the crowd possessed any-
thing but a serious air. Finally shots were
Tired frem the doorwsys down stairs. fand il is
also said from the upper windows) and the
police and citizens turned the attack upon the
building. Several wounded Were brought un
TO the main hall. The name of only one of whom
we learned; Adolphe Barbarin. shot through
the shoulder. Several bricks then broke the
windows, and persons inside began to draw
their weapons. These were both white and
black persons, but how many we cannot say
as the excitement inside began TO grow intense
Mr.. John Henderson thought The best plan
would be 10 rush out en- mdSse, and all who
were not armed procure arms and return 10
flight ii ont" Both Messrs. Cutler and Dostie
were At this time upon the platform. ordering
The doors to be shut and fastened This was
done; but we could not gather what else the
said for the confusion, which bad now becom.
intense. Bullets and bricks now rained through
the hall, and a few were returned: but as the
windows opened TO the floor, little protection
could be had from behind which 10 shoot. The
but we are unable to give q description of the
fearful. exciting scene. II was little less than
A miracle that we escaped unhurt, as we fell
INTO the hands OF the exasperaied crowd upon
the stairs; but our note book and pencil. and
the club OF friendly policeman. who recog.
niZed US, turned aside the pistols that Were
pressing unhealthy against head and breast
We got away, and what followed no pen can
tell. The blood-splashed walls, the masses of
clotfed gore. the wrecked furniture, and other
evidences Of mob passions, tell a fearful story,
W lg no To hi,alr r.aF
THE RIOT In THE STREET.
The Mechanics Institute building stands
about the centre of the square, on Dryades
street, between Canal and Common. When
the procession of negroes had left the corner of
Canal and Dryades streets, they nassed them.
selves IN crowd around the portico OF the
building. listening to the harangue OF one of
their number. Meantime the crowd of citi-
zens on the corner of Canal and Dryades in
creased until the citizens and policemen in
dense mass filled the whole corner. The pro-
cession gathered in strong force in front of the
building, and Were appealed 20 in words
which could scarcely be distinguished. from
the rapid manner OF their utterance. AT this
moment the attention Of our reporter was at
tracted by ioud cries, rapidly repeated. and,
on looking out of the window, he saw a police
officer, in the uniform of the force, dragging
of prisoner. At first there seemed 10 be no
disposition on the part of the negro throng 10
interfere with the policeman in the arrest of
the prisoner; the negroes, affrighted, packing
themselves together. much as a flock OF scared
four, parted from the outskirts Of the mass and
advanced steadily towards the policeman
who, with his prisoner had approached the
old fence that closes the Mechanics Institute
The excitement became contagious The
negroes scatter and divide looking for missiles
and stones. The throng move on towards
Canal street, where the crowd Of citizens stand
with the massed police, firing a rafting VOL
ley. The shots are returned, until balls up
and down the space between the Canai-street
side of the building and Canal street travelled
both ways. The negro crowd. scatter
ing wide, run back towards the building
and disappear, some down the side alleys,
others in the portico and door fronts OF
the opposite row Of dwellings. while
the great body take refuge in tie en-
trance to the Institute, out of which they fire
on the police, who fire back in return, and
many OF the negroes fall. while the floor is
soon spotted with the blood of the wounded,
and resembles a slaughter pen. As the negro
crowd fall back, disappear from the open
street, and barricade themselves i'm the build
ing, the police officers. in regular march, take
poss session Of the street. The fire between the
police and negroes is now carried on-by the
police from the street, by the negroes from the
second story front. No police could prevent
the crowd Of ciazens from rushing into the
open street, and ever and anon making with