Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-05-31

know that if they can't protect me the
United States Army and Government
eau"
At this moment a fire alarm-b bell on
the opposite side Of the street struck
three taps, which rang out sharp and
shrill on the night air.
The negroes near the stand kept very
quiet One or two said, put him oUtl'
referring to some of the disturbers of
the meeting, and a scuffie begun on the
outside Of the crowd,
Kelley said, "Oh no don't put him
OUT. The sick man, only, needs phys
IcIan, but the sound man don't. Let
him stay"
At this iuncture the first pistol shot
was hred, directly opposite the stand
on the verge of the stand. A cry Of
hre was raised. A horse, standing
on the street near the meeting, became
frightened and dashed into the crowd
simultaneously a horse and wagon.
were driven rapidly down Royal street,
| past the meeting, and in crossing the
little wooden bridge over the opening
Of the street, made heavy rUmbling
/ sound, increasing the excitement, as
| many of those in front Of the stand
] did not know the meaning Of it.
a rush was then made for the stand
by the crowd on the Royal street side
Of the meeting, with the cvidentinten-
ton to shoot those on the platform
| before they could escape. At the same
moment fully twenty pistol shots were
fired at the speakers stand from the
crowd Of white men on the outside Of
the meeting, whose faces could be dis
tinctly seen In the moonlight.
The atfrighted negroes broke and
fed in all directions, while the crowd
on the outside, completely encircling
the meeting, poured volley after vOlley
directly among those who remained,
and could not get out of the way.
At the beginning Of the firing, the
fire alarm bell of Neptune Hose Com
pany No.2, was rung rapidly and vio-
| lently, and its tones, with the sharp,
quick reports and flashes Ofthe pistols
made the scene a perfect pandemoni-
Um for a few minutes.
The Erst shot caused q sudden scat
teTiHg Of those on the stand. One
colcsed man, near the writer, clapped
| his hand on his abdomen, and with an
agonizing cry. said "Oh, my God 1
am shot T. He stopped down and fell
or rolled over into the street. AnOth-
er cOlOred nan was shot on the shOul-
der, while standing near where Judge
Kelley had just been speaking. He
crawled down the steps, and this is the
last We saw Of him.
The armed rioters continued 20 close
in upon those in front Of the stand,
who could not get away, and I distinct
ly saw them empty their revolvers as
rapidly as tn ey could FIRE them of,
upon the bodies of the crOuching ne
groes, who, on their hands and knees.
we're crawling upon the ground, and
like a flock of sheep, were crOWdiug
and leaping over each other, to escape
from death by the bullet with the i'm
minent risk Of meeting it by sufoca-
ton.
This was the scene as witnessed
from the platform. We who were on
it had no means of escape. Behind
US was . thick stone wall, twenty feet
high-(thcy are great believers In
StORe1CulLs in this sectiOn) )-while in
front, and on both fanks, was a muE-
derous crew, steadily narrowing that
circle Of fire that inclosed as,
My old army experience was at that
moment of infinite service, and beg
gfGg Judge Kelley to lie down out of
the range of the fire, and "squattinR"
down on my launches beside the ia
bic, waited until the assailing party
had expended their ammunition, which
| knew must soon be the case from tho
rapid discharges We remained In
this position for perhaps three or five
minutes, without the power to defend
ourselves, for we had no other arms
than those nature had given US, when
the firing ceased in front, and gradu-
ally rolled away down both Royal and
Government streets. where the firing
could be heard distinctly, mingled
with the shouts and curses of the com
batauts.
The lights on the platform were ex-
tinguished when the firing commenced
which was fortunate for those in the
vicinity.
Seeing the way clear, Judge Kelley,
with his two correspondents. cautious
ly rose, and deliberately walked across
the space into Royal street. and thence
to the Battle House. It would not do
to run, for any man seen running with
in that space was certain to draw up-
on himself the fire from half a dozen
pistols from the struggling crowd.
Random firing was heard through
the adjoining streets for nearly half
an hour later showing that the fight
was still progressing.
We had been at the hotel but a few
when a detachment Of United
States troops, of the Fifteenth Infant
ry, came dashiDg along, and haltine,
formed directly across the street
When Kelley reached the hotel, be-
fore the troops arrived, two Of his
Mobile friends advised him to change
his room, for they had heard threats
that the mob intended to come TO the
hotel, take him out, and hang him.
Indeed it was asserted that a rope was
taken to the meeting expressly for
that purpose.
Colonel Shepherd, of the Fifteenth
arrived almost Immediately after his
and assured Judge hol-
ley that he had made the most com
plete arrangements for his safety, and
The promptuess of Colonel Shepherd
is worthy Of all praise, for there is
little doubt that had be not brought
his troops so quickly on the scene, a
bloody riot would have been kept up
all night, and the consequences are
dreadful to contemplate.
The streets were lined with groups
of men laughing and exulting at the
breaking up of the meeting, and cK-
pressions were freely made that they
hoped Kelley had been killed.
Many of the negroes, who came to
the meeting unarmed, went home and
returned. armed, to the scene, and nu-
merous encounters occurred between
them and the white rioters during the
fight, In different parts of the city.
Others, again, were so terrified that
they hid in back alleys and out-build-
ings, afraid to so home till daylight.
Female Abominations.