Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-05-20
THE MOBILE RIOT.
The Responsibility Placed where
it Belongs-Ths Negroes the
n Aggressors.

con firm our conjectures OF the origin oil
it on the night of the 18th. The
responsibility is saddled ON Judge Kelly
and the negroes whom the Radicals had
maddened aud sent to the meeting armed.
In the Mobile Tribune of the 10th, we
find a long account Of the affair That
paper says; gN lcgI
The immediate cause Of the disturb
ance was unquestionably the injudicious
language used by the Hon. Judge Kelly,
who took good care TO shelter his car
eass from the storm he had raised by
diving under the furniture on the stand
when the first pistol shot rang in his ears
m0ne circumstance, noted by every one
who had his eyes open there last night,
was that large majoriy Of the negroes
present were openly armed with some
sort of weapon, club or an iron bar.
Probably no white man who went there
except those who are constantly pro-
noting a feeling Of hostility among the
negroes---dreamed that disturbance
would occur, aud consequently they we're
the victims Of the acts of violence-they,
and they only. Let another circumstance
be noted-that nearly all the victims re-
ceiyed their injuries after the first and
noisiest disturbance was over, by crowds
of negroes who attacked whites indis-
criminately, wherever they encountered
them on the streets. Mr.. Olsen, we
are informed, was killed on Water
street, more than square away
from the scene of the first disturbance.
Mr.. James Risk, an odd and well known
citizen. was knocked down and beaten
by crowd of negroes in front Of the
market house-struck repeatedly in the
face and on the head with bar of iron,
probably gas pipe or something OF the
sort, for it appears that the negroes had
armed themselves with all kinds OF
weapons We were told this morning
but cannot at present give any particu-
lars-that an old lady standing in her
gate on Dauphin street, many squares
from the scene of disturbance, was
knocked down and seriously injured by
one of crowd of negroes who were pass
ing on the sidewalk. While another
weilknown citizen was quietly and
peaceably vending his way homeward,
about III o'clock, he was wantor y
assailed-at the corner of Dearborn aud
Dauphin streets, nearly mile from the
place where the riot ENTHUSIASTICALLY
shower of brickbats from the hands OF
squad of negroes, numbering aboute a
dozen, who were partially armed with
guns; and had he not made good use of
his limbs, would probably have shared the
fate of poor Olsen.
1t is reliably reported to us that some
of the Radical emissaries IN our midst
made it their business to 60 around
among the negroes and instruct them to
come armed to the meeting, if they had
not pistols to bring clubs or knives, but
by all means to come prepared for DIS
turbance. The consequence was that
most of the negroes upon the ground
we're armed and ready to take advantage
of the least provocation to create dis
turhanee. There is no reason to doubt
the above assertion, as we have heard 1t
from many sources
The speaker had spoken about three
quarters of an hour when the difficulty |
commenced, which at the time it was the |
general impression originated in the
attempt of the Chief of Police to arrest
Mr.. David ]. Files, well known and
respectable citizen of Mobile, who, it was
alleged, had made some remarks which,
in the judgment of Capt Carpenter,
were calculated to provoke disorder IN |
the excited state of the crowd.
Mr.. Files objected to the arrest, and !
stated that he had no intention of crea- |
ting any disturbance whatever This led |
TO some movement on the part Of the |
crowd, and the gathering of cab over
the stones on Government street, a short |
distance above the meeting, induced |
many to believe that fight had COM
menced, and a panic seized upon them
and the whole crowd broke and rushed |
frantically down Royal street and up |
Government street. Numerous pis-
toll shots were fred on Royal street,
near the Municipal Building, but |
strange to say, but few were hurt at that
time and none seriously. The Council
was in session in the Municipal Building
at the time the disturbance occurred.
The negroes who had rushed away pell
NELL in moment Of panic, rallied and
returned to the spot where, finding that
there was no disposition to interfere
with them they became very boisterous
and brandished their clubs and pistols in
a threatening manner, declaring that
g they were now ready, wade in you
s-Ds of BIS" and other like remarks.
The general alarm was rung and hun
dreds Of people turned out, the city re-
naming in fever of excitement during
the entire night After whooping and
yelling around the scene Of the last
meeting the negroes dispersed in small
squads and attacked nearly every white
man they met. With the exception of
three or four persons who were shot and
stricken with clubs when the difficulty
commenced, and in the immediate vicin-
ity of the pl-ce Of meeting, the other
parties were all injured at points several
squares distant and over half hour after
The fret dispersion. t4.lI.L.
Capt. Jack Petty, of the night police,
who was standing on the corner, having
been engaged in using every effort to
uuell the disturbance, was seen by some
Of these negroes, who Immediately rushed
upon him, swinging their clubs and
firing their pistols at him. Capt Petty
was forced to retreat, and sought refuge
in the Corporation Building faithful
old Frank being at the gate, which had
been barred in case Of an assault, opened |
it for him. The negroes rushed up |
against the gate and tried to break
through, demanding admittance, and |
crying, kill the s-n of b-h. Sew
eral shots were fred through the rail-
ings, and the marks can now be Leen 0 1 |
the walls and panels Of the door, at
stairs. After clamoring for some time |
they left, and commenced roaming |
through the streets.