Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-23
CAPT. WALSH'S REPORT OF THE
FRANKLIN RIOT EXAMINED.


some points worthy Of notice The Captain
states that THE colored Union League,
having procured band Of martial music,
had been occasionally marching about
the outskirts of the town, and that 'On
these occasions they were molested by
colored Conservatives, Dick Cruteher and
others, who broke through their process
sion, firing shots and otherwise annoying
them" II is represented that they CON
suited lawyer in regard to these annoy
ances, but Finding no civil remedy, they
procured a few guns for their protection +"
1t Is further represented that "a few days
Afterwards they were fired on and re-
turned the fire !" that "this was outside
the corporate limits of the town, and as
no one was hurt, nothing was done in
relation to it by the authorities" Capt
Walsh states that "this was the remote
cause Of the riot" The facts then
are that the colored Union League
had been annoyed; it is not
claimed that they were subjected
to any indignity or that they
had been deprived Of any privilege, or
that there was even a prospect that they
would be molested beyond experiencing
some annoyance. They had sought legal
advice, and so trivial was the annoyance
that the law would not take cognizance
Of it, yet they prepared themselves to take
the law in their own hands, and armed
themselves that they might punish in the
most bloody and brutal manner the per-
sons guilty of these petty annoyances
which the law did not recognize as a
crime. This was the remote cause of
the riot, and who are the guilty parties
to this remote cause
The Captain then proceeds to detail the
hostile feeling between Conservatives
and Radicals" 1t is represented that on
Thursday prior to the riot, Edward
Crutcher said
"This beating of drums by these God
damned niggers, and their marching up
and down must bring on a riot The peo-
pie won't stand it, They depend on old
| Brownlow to give the law, but / will give
three feet, and that before Saturday night.
You'll see what tell you. The niger is
not able to fight the white man, and / hate
TO see him mobbed, but it will be done"
This is all the testimony that is adduced
to show hostility onthe part of the Com
servatives They are to be held re-
Sponsible for an indiscrcet speech
or threat of one man. Ii is more
in depreciation of the course of the
colored Union League than threat, and
really shows nothing 50 far as the senti-
ment Of the Conservatives is concerned.
On the other hand, Lizzie Crutcher
testifes that on Saturday Of the riot,
two colored men from Nashville, rode
into Franklin, Tennessee, in a buggy, and
while at the livery stable, in presence of
SioMui Ou6 % butiu bhlu III Il IOdu fOiCb
that he was following Joe Williams, and
that he would give hundred dollars to
any man who would kill him. One of
these men was Buck Lewis, the other not
known" This offer to procure the as
sassination of Joe Williams, the Conserva-
tive colored orator, appears to have called
forth no rebuke from those in whose
presence it was made, and to that extent
shows the hostile feeling of the Radicals
This is the evidence adduced to show
the hostile feeling between Conserva-
tives and Radicals - of Franklin and
vicinity But the evidence relied upon
to show the preparations for fight "
may throw some light upon this point
1t is represen that J. NJ Nichol went
to Alexander Crutcher late in the even
ing, and advised him to keep out of the
range of the windows on the Square, as
they would be in danger of getting
hurt This was while the League was out
at Academy Hill and thirty minutes before
the riot The Captain argues there
from that "he must have known that pre-
perations for the fight had been con-
summated' Mr. Cody, who was killed,
is represented to have said at five o'clock
in the afternoon, "that he was going to
send some of the leaguers to hell that
night" and che was cleaning his gun
when he made this remark" Matilda
Ann Fennell testifes that she heard "some
Conservative colored men, declare that
they were going to have more of Brown
lows negroes doubled up on Houses
corner than little !" and that when she
started to meet the procession, 10 which
was her husband, she was halted by
three men, "who had muskets in their
hands and told to so back or they would
shoot her This is the extent Of the evi-
dence showing preparation on the part of
the Conservatives. There was no shoot
ing from windows, and the proof shows
that Cody did not have his gun Matilda
Ann Fennell tertifes that three Conser
vatives were armed with muskets, yet not
one of the wounded Radicals appears to
have been wounded with a musket ball
She, therefore, proves too much.
Now for the preparation on the Radi-
cal side. Capt Walsh reports that ben
Gray of the League, Saturday evening,
came out from Campbell's grocery store
with a repeater and two packages under
his arm, saying By God, have new
pistol and plenty to fill it with. }. NJ
Currin testifes that two colored men
living near town were seen loading their
guns late in the evening, and when asked
what they were going to do, replied that
they were going to town. J. NJ Lewis
testifes that George Houngman, colored
was seen late in the evening riding to-
wards town on a mule carrying three
guns He was much excited, and said Mr..
Bliss had been attacked In this con-