American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-05-29
aiv THE MOBILE RIOT.
Accounts From Mobile Papers.
AN "UNPROVOKED ATTACK .
TIE MOBILE PRESS ON rHE RIOT.

I anu tuo 1feDS, WINE staolnB tnah tue re-,
cent rist at Mobile, aud the attempt tc
assassinate Judge Kelley, was the Hre,
suit of the merest accident" at the same
time charge Judge Kelley with being the
cause, from the language he used, which
they style "infammatory remarks" =
Coroner Delchams, Justiceof the Peace
in Mobile, however, testified before a
Coroner's jury that he "listened atten-
lively to the remarks Of the speaker, MI
Kelley, and must say that ! heard moth,
ing which in ordinary circumstan ce would
be considered wrong" and that the col
ored people would not have used their
weopons "had it not been that the opin-
ion prevailed among the crowd that an
unprovoked attack had been berately
made on this meeting"
The following is an extract from the
leading article in the Mobile Register on
the riot .., ..-ei %. ...ls.-,il. hI,,,
1.-The disturbance that occurred at the
meeting to hear Judge Kelley was the
result, as we have stated, offthe merest
accident. First, citizen who had been
drinking made several loud comments on
portions of Judge Kelley's remarks that
did not please him. This happens at ev-
cry public political meeting. 1t was very
imprudent and improper to have been in,
dulged in at this meeting In truth, tn =
best thing that the white people cad0 do
is to keep away from these meetings =
The police endeavored to quiet the tipsy
citizen, aud, failing in that, to arrest him
The arrest provoked scufie, and about
the same time carriage and horses ran
of through the outskirts of the crowd !,
producing a rush to get out Of the way.
The two circumstances created the i'm.
preston in the body of the crowd that
there was fight begun, and the whole
mass broke up and dispersed at double
quick. Meantime, the, freedmen com
menced firing their pistols, and, as we
learn, in the air, as they ran. The last
account must be true, for as there were
from $50 to 200 Shots fred, if they. had
been aimed in the crowd, nearly as many
hundred men must have been hit As
AS it was, the shot casualties do not ex.
ceed six OIL eight, aud most all Of those
to white men. a' b--is'li=,a l!iIEA J.
1t has been charged thai shots were
fred in the morning from the residence
of John Forsyth, the editor of the paper
from which the above extract is taken,
but the Register denies this. =.
From the Register we extract the fol-
lowing sworn testimony of Coroner J. J.
Lelchamps {: .s.aI. sisaa a. sa.a,
On Tues day evening, at about u o,
clock, / was On the corner of Govern
ment and Royal streets, where large
number of black men and some white
men were assembled. | mingled ana con-
,versed freely with the colorei men, and
was strongly impressed by their remarks.
/ had occasion to discuss with them the
momentous uestio MS Of the day. and
was more than pleased to hear, from them
that they wished to live in amity with
their old and tried friend, and deal hon
estly and honorably with all who were
willing to treat them in like manner
| One of the number had a discussion with
me, and see j. ed to hold at heart wrongs
which he asserted had been done him
he argued ably, and must admit once
turned the laugh of the crowd against
| me, but afterwardsI i did the same to him;
and he afterwards stated that there was
one Southern man 10 whom he had fun
confidence, and 9,'fof " HON he would shed
his hearts blood against any one living. >
We parted friends, and 1, on my part,
fully impressed that all the black meu
wanted was to hear and judge for them
selves that they we're speaceably dispas-
ed towards all Southern men who would
treat them fairly and, honorably. Ny
| conversation ended when the speaking
began, | listened attentively to the re,
| marks Of the speaker. ------ = Kelley, and
| must say that | heard nothing which
in ordinary circumstances would be con
sidered wio1g, yet under existing ones |
Thought them highly injudicious,f behev>
ling, as I do, chat what is needed now is
not high flown political hafangues, but
plain, common sense remarks, calculated
to promote harmony among al Glasses,
lead 4 good feeling andIeducatet the mass
es Of, all colors to ac.,right, lawfully and
hpnorably towards all men without dis
| function. ,@s..1.-....f ...-,
My position was on the sidewalk noar
the stand. The speaker had not spoken
long before some injudicious remarks were
heard proceeding from the outskirts ol
the ssscmblsgsaa Isremarked to the col
orsds men aroand me that ne ought to.pay
no attention TO that, andb one answered
me and said ''No, that's some fool this,
amt got good sense." A few moments
after slight disturbance occurred at oI
near the spot where the 6rst objectiona,
tbIe remarks had proceeded from, aud 81
| the same time street car or carriage, o.
could not see, going down the street
1caused the crowd to jam to togNthor in
the direction Of the street. The cry was
1t once raised near mo, sthere's fght,
and number OF sticks were raised by
black men. II, with many others, swai
lforcedsby the rush to the foot Of the steps
| of the old Court House, when shots were
HEARD proceeding in, the first instance
i e.. II -la.. L.. - : =