Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-01

The Branch Railroad 80 Jasper-The
Celebration of las COmpIefiOn-BRd
whisky and bad Blood Produce a
RiotOus EzcursiOa-A Mob Gala day.
From the Chattanooga Union 3lst.
From an eye witness we learn the follow
ing particulars in regard to the Jasper e1-
cursion riot:
On the morning Of August 9th, some
six hundred people left Jasper for an ex-
cursion over the branch railroad, which
has Just been completed. The Nashville
and Chattanooga Railroad Company kindly
placed a large engine and plenty of cars at
their disposal, and at 10 A. NJ, the excur-
sionists left Jasper amid the waving Of
handkerchiefs aud the congratulations of
the Jasperites upon the completion Of their
road. The weather was beautiful, and
everything betokened a happy day.
Everybody seemed in the very best of
spirits and the trip to Bridgeport was
everything that could be desired At that
place, however, a considerable amount of
corn juice was taken aboard, which, in adj
dition to what little was brought from
Jasper, made a few quite boistrous, though
no disturbance occurred until the train ar
rived at Stevenson, when the LIQUOR began
TO make its effect known in a disagreeabla
manner Shouting and cursing grew louder
pistols and knives we're drawn, and for a
time it seemed almost certain that there
would be a serious difficulty. The Brown
lowites" and Territories didn't seem
to have a very exalted opinion of each
other, and were not slow to manifest likes
and dislikes. A row was prevented,
however, by the timely interference of
those who were sober, and knew that
the noisy ones were drunk. At 3 o'clock
the train left Stevenson, and hardly had it
started ere free fight began in the second
car from the rear, which was kept up all
the way to Bridgeport. There were quite
a number of ladies in the car who got out
as best they could to escape what APP
peared to be a general fight, in which all
the men in the ear engaged on one side or
the other or trying to separate the com
batants. Pistols were drawn, but there was
no shooting done, for the rioters were jam
med up so closely together, that friend or
foe could not be distinguished. Those who
tried to quell the disturbance were often
knocked down, the noise of the train which
was running at a rapid rate together with
the general confusion, causing friendly
words to be mistaken for cursing and abuse.
and desire to go in on their muscle"
At Bridgeport things wore a still more
threatening aspect. Several jumped off
and procured pistols, and it seemed as
though there would be a desperate fight in
spite of the circumstances OF friends to
both parties.
But men with liquor ir their stomachs,
knives and pistols in their hands, and the
devil in their brains, are not apt to listen
to reason or moral suasiOn. If there had
been a company Of Uncle Sans nephews
in blue at Bridgeport it would have been
fortunate, for there is no persuasion like |
the pointed argument of the bayonet.
The train switched off on to the Jasper
road, and started for Jasper as soon as posS
sible and the belligerent gentlemen who |
were Furnishing pistols and knocking each |
other down had to lay aside that interest |
ing amusement for the time being. and |
scramble for the cars. During the rest of |
the way to Jasper there was only an occa- |
sional outbreak and " tistiCuf,' to prevent |
a total cessation of hostilities. The Sheriff |
OF Marion county was aboard the train. |
and had his coat nearly torn into shreds in |
trying to preserve order.
The train arrived at Jasper at about 6 |
o'clock, and directly after its arrival prepa- |
ration commenced for battle; and as |
twilight deepened, the prospect for gene
raj fight grew better. Shouts of Jasper is
going to clean out Bridgeport" and |
Bridgeport is going to clean out Jasper" |
were occasionally heard, which of course |
was not calculated to conciliate either party.
The headquarters of the Bridgeporters
seemed to be at Mrs Morrises hotel, while /
the opposite party were mostly collected /
near Byrne q Red6eld's drugstore, oppo-
site. Politics seem to have got mixed up |
with it, though in rather confused state, |
for it was reported that the Bridgeport !
crowd had said that they intended to ''clean /
OUT the Lincolnites. The three principal |
men, however, in the Bridgeport crowd
the WEIGH boys-were Federal soldiers, are
Northern men and most emphatically /
Union men; so that this must have been a
mistake. These WEIGH boys are well
known in Bridgeport and vicinity, and
are noted characters thereabout. They
are great stout limbed, limber,jointed, hard
listed, Michigan lumbermen, any one of !
whom, as far as muscular strength is con
'erned, ia equal to half dozen ordinary
men.
About dusk one Of the WEIGH bows came
out Of the hotel into the street, when he
received a stunning blow from q rock,
hurled with great force, which struck him
on the temple. He staggered, but did not
fall, and Immediately both sides COM
nenccd firing rapidly. Thirty or forty
shots we're fired in quick succession, some
'sy fifty or sixty, when both parties drew
back for want of ammunition. Three men
we're hit, though it seems strange that
iozen were not. One of the WEIGH boys
received a fearful gunshot wound in the
knee. Mr.. NJ. &. Russell, who was stand
ng in the courthouse yard looking on, re-
'eived a severe wound in the shoulder, and
/ young Mr.. Clepper, who was near the
own spring was wounded in the head.
Probably all the parties will recover,
hough it is passing strange that several
we're not killed.
We understand that the citizens of jasper
'egret most exceedingly the difficulty,
md that it was originated and carried on
by those who we're not resi-
tents ofthe town, and that nothing Of the
ort would have happened we're it not for
TOO free indulgence in whisky.
Szzsss=ssEsz<sslsSzss
II q