The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-05-12
The Riot at Richmond.

paragraphs as.will give our readers
all the necessary information as to
the origin, progress and end of the
disturbance: a.2'
As we learn, the Washington Fire
! Company were trying their engine,
whcn negro remarked that the Rich
mond engines ''could beat dat Will
mington company all hollow" To
this remark, n member Of the COM
pany, near by, took exception, and
struck the negro. This caused fight
between them, which was stopped by
the arrival of Sergeant James B.
Southall and Mr.. Snooks, of the city
police, the first of whom ARE .cd the
fireman and the latter the negro The
| policemen then started off with their
prisoners, with large crowd of
whites and negroes following, large
majority of them being negroes.
A little beyond Eighth and Cary
streets, Sergeant Southall, on de-
mand of Captain Charters, released
the fireman, and took charge of the
negro which policeman Snooks had
arrested.
The negroes, seeing that the white
man had been released and the negro
was retained in custody, became en-
ragged, and commenced crying, "Ral-
ly, boys! Rally, rally! Let's take
the prisoner away from the id
rebel policeman and started after
the Sergeant, who, seeing them COM
ing, started to run. still holding Oh to
his prisoner. The negroes threw seve-
ral bricks at him.. one of which
knocked him down, and forced him
to release the negro. At this mo-
ment, Captain jenkins and Sergeant
Peasants arrived and arrested the
negro. Sergeant Southall got up,
Immediately after being knocked
down, when some negroes seized him
by the arms, and endeavored to take
his pistol out of his belt. Sergeant
Peasants, seeing this, drew his pistol
and made the negroes release South
all. While this was going on, Capt.
Jenkins had hurried on with the ne
gro, still followed by large crowd of
negroes, who succeeded in getting
the prisoner away again, at the cor
ner Of Seventh and Main streets, but
the Captain and policeman recap
tured him and started up Seventh
street, the negroes still following.
During the whole of the excite.
ment, we did not see any weapons
displayed by tho negroes. but often
heard the remark made by them, eff
the whites want anything, we can
give it to them. We have the wea-
pons to back us, and blood will be
split" The number of roiters is es-
timated at or about 900 men.
AS soon rs the excitement occurred,
the negro barber living at the corner
of Eighth and Cary streets, and
whose shop is the headquarters of
the negro militia, rushed out of his
shop, and, pulling up his striped
barbers pole, plunged into the ex-
cited throng, yelling most vocifer-
ously, Freedmen to the rescue!
Save your nation" He joined in the
chase after the police, hourishing his
improvised banner nloft, and yelling
all the while. He was evidently seek
ing the leadership, but his erratic
movements were brought abruptly to
n termination by several negroes in
the throng, who told him to take
down his "old stick" and stop
making a "d-d fool of himself"
The banner dropped and the bearer
skunk away.
Moyor Mayo then addressed the
mob, but although they cheered him,
they did not disperse. The riot was
brought to q close as follows:
In less than five minutes after
Gen. Schofield appeared on the
ground, q detachment of soldiers
thirty or forty strong-came up Mt n
double quick, and dividing into de-
tails, proceeded with fixed bayonets
to clear the streets. The sight of
cold steel, with the knowledge that
Minnie balls and rifle slugs could also
be brought into requisition, caused
the motley rabblc to scatter, some
with considerable expedition, while
others moro sulky were made to move
of by the healthy application of the
butt of musllct or the sharp point
of the glistening bayonet. The mill
tary did their duty we'll, and IN q
short while accomplished the object
for which they were called out.
About 0 O'Clock, quiet being restored,
and no further disturbance being np-
pretended, portion of the soldiers
were marched to their quarters and
dismissed, while others were formed