Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-05-14
Negro Riot in Richmond,

LHC IttCItUtONA ILCCtUttUcT SlNGS tllS IOllOWluS
account of riot which occurred in that city on
last Thursday, May 9th: =
Yesterday afternoon, during trial of engines
between the Delaware firemen and those of this
city, on Eighth street, near the basin, difficult
ty occurred between some of the colored men
present and the Richmond fremen, which came
very near resulting in a serious riot. 1t COM
menced in this way Chief Engineer Charters
had occasion, in measuring the distance which
each of the streamers had thrown streams OF
water, to push colored man who was standing
on the edge of the crowd, out of his way When
he did so, a colored man standing behind the
one who had been showed out of the way, reach
ed over and struck Captain Charters on the
head. He was seen by some of the fremen,
who Immediately closed in, and fight in which
four or five persons were engaged, ensued Two
policemen were standing on the outskirts of the
crowd and they Immediately went in, and ar
rested the ringleader in the fight.
After some little delay they started to the
Second ward station house with their prisoner.
A large crowd Of colored men and boys followed.
When they reached the corner of Eighth and
Cary Streets colored barber who has a::shop in
that vicinity, came out, and taking off portion
of the striped sign in front of his door, waved
it over his head and called out freedmen to the
rescue, now is the time to save your nation.
He repeated this cry several times, and other
colored men called on them to rally and rescue
the prisoner" When this was done, many OF
them provided themselves with brickbats, rocks,
and such missiles as they could lay their hands
on, and followed the officers up Cary street. On
reaching Seventh, they turned up towards Main,
but no demonstration OF forclble attempt to
rescue the prisoner had been made upto this time.
On reaching the corner Of Main and Seventh,
ho orov,J of oo1orol
threw a brickbat, which was the signal for a
volley of rocks bricks, and other missiles, at the
policemen Captain William S. Jenkins, who
had charge Of the prisoner, was struck over the
left eye and had quite severe cut in consequence.
Policemen Sonthall was also struck on the
shoulder blade and disabled for the time Other
policemen had come up in the meantime, and
many of them were struck with stones, but not
so severely hurt as to cause them to give up
their prisoner After Captain Jenkins received
the blow, Captain Kelley, Of the Third Ward,
got hold Of the prisoner and started for the
station house. The crowd followed up Seventh
street, but made no further attack on the police
until they got to the corner of Broad and
Seventh. Here they again commenced throw
ing stones and briekbats at the policemen, and
prevented them, for some time, from going to
the station house. The crowd of colored men
had increased greatly during their passage up
Seventh street and, by the time they had gotten
to Marshall atreet numbered some thousand OF
fifteen hundred On reaching the station house
they got between the officers and the door, aud
swore that the prisoner should not be locked
up, The prisoner told them not make dis
trrbance be had no objection to being put in
the cage, and said he was willing for the law to
take its course. He was not listened to, but
was taken from the officers and carried with the
crowd to Broad and Seventh streets, where they
remained for some time The Captain of Police
at the Second Ward Station House sent to
Police Headquarters for reinforcements, and his
Honor the Mayor was Informed of what was
going forward, At the same time General
Schofeld was notified of the presence of the
mob in the streets, and Of their apparent inten-
ton.
Mr.. Mayo, Immediately on hearing of the
disturbance, left his office and went to where
the crowd had assembled On reaching it, he
ordered those present to dsperse and go to their
homes 1t appeared for few moments as il
his order would be obeyed Many left and it was
thought that the matter was at an end. For
some unaceountabie reason, most of those who
had started, turned back, and many new corners
made their appearance. The crowd grew larger
every moment, and it was feared that serious
riot was on the point of being commenced
Fortunately at this moment a company of
soldiers from the Eleventh United States regi-
ment arrived, and were followed in a few mo
ments by General Schofeld, who came in car
riage with General Brown, Mayor Mayo and
Captain Poe, Chief of Police His vehicle was
driven to the centre Of the crowd, and the
General stood up on the front oft and command
ed the crowd to disperse and go to their homes.
He was received with three cheers by the crowd,
but his order was not obeycd as promptly as it
should have been. The soldiers were then order
ed to elk bayonets' and dispense the assem-
blage. The order was obeyed with promptness
and alacrity, and in the course Of very few
moments not one colored man or boy was left
where SO large crowd had lately been. Those
who manifested an indisposltion to leave were
soon convinced by the application Of cold steel
and the butts Of muskets that they were to go,
,aolens vozens.
The conduct Of the police throughout the
whole affair was of the most praiseworthy char
acter. The fact that they RETAINED from using
their pistols when assaulted with stones and
brrickbats, probably prevented a most serious
collision in the streets betWeeE the white and
eelorad people Of the city.
We omitted to mention that. when near the
corner of Main and Seventh streets, the eex-
cited crowd imagined that boy nalhe had
slung shot They attempted to get hold OF
hifa, and would probably have handled him very
roughly but for his taking refuge In Miss Bid