Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-30
THE VIRGINIA ELEcrroH.


Almost n Bloody Riot rs. '
The first disturbance of any kind thai
occurred in this ward took place about
halt-past two o'clock, and but for the time
Iy appearance of squad of cavalry would
have resulted in bloody riot.
lt appears that a respectable negro
named Edward Kennedy, voted for Mr
Franklin Stearns (the moderate Republic
can candidate from Henrico) at the Bacon's
the city, went to the polls of this ward, and
mentioned the fact of having voted for Mr.
Stearns. Immediately the negroes COM
menced to heap upon him such abusive en-
ithets as id Conservative traitor
etc., and made threatening demonstrations
Kennedy then walked off up Grace street,
followed by crowd OF negro boys from
seven to fourteen years of age, who used
the most abusive epithets, such as I'D
rebel" white mans boot-licker," and
now and then threw stones and dirt
at him. A short distance in rear
OF the hoyS came a number of negro
men, who encouraged the boys to insult
Kennedy. He paid no attention to the
rowdyism of the brats, but walked on to
Foushee street, down which he turned to-
wards Broad street. Half way down this
street he was met by two of the city po-
lice, who dispersed the boys, but without
making an arrest, they being too fleet-foot-
ed. The negro men who had followed the
boys, seeing this, kept on up Grace street
to Jefferson street, and turned down. in
order to meet Kennedy at the intersection
of Broad street and Brook avenue, know.
ing that this was the route he would take
to reach his home. Kennedy walked quiet
ly to Broad street, and then diagonalIy
across to Brook avenue. By this time the
negroes had also reached Broad street, and
on seeing him, yelled out: There is the
traitor now;' XIII him - "Seize him %
and rushed toward him. A negro named
Winston Jackson was the first to reach
Kennedy, and, it it asserted, drew a slung-
shot to strike him. At this moment Cap
tain Epps and Mr. Kennedy, of the, city
police, came up and arrested jackson, while
Kennedy (the colored mau) was taken
charge of by a number of white men, who
placed him in wagon and rapidly drove
him out of danger. .
Jackson, on being arrested, made the
most desperate efforts to escape, at the same
time appealing in the most frantic manner
to the negroes to rescue him.. The negroes
at first did not seem disposed to interfere,
but when number of negro women rush
ed out of the houses in the vicinity and
urged them on by cries of "Rescue him ~
"The police are killing him!' "They will
murder him!' ''My God, they will mur-
der him ~ ''Colored men, to the rescuer'
&C., general rush was made by them, and
the prisoner would undoubtedly have been
taken from the police, and they badly beat
en-, perhaps slaughtered, but at this criti-
cal moment squad of cavalry dashed up
Broad street, from the direction of Buchan-
an Spring, whirled around into Brook ave-
nue., and charged through the shrieking,
infuriated mass of negro men and women
&C gallop, scattering them right and left,
but without injuring any one. The negroes
at first were much confused at the new turn
of affairs, and made no further demonstra-
tion for about minute; after the lapse
OF which they made another effort tc
get at the police and the prisoner. The
members of the squadron Immediately
turned, drew and presented their pistols
and ordered the crowd to disperse. They
shrank back, gave one frightened look at
the death-dealing muzzles, another at the
determined countenances of the cavalry
men, and quietly sought places of shelter
some getting behind the barrels on the
sidewalks in front of the groceries, others
went into the stores, while much the larger
number fled in haste from the field. The
police then carried their prisoner to the
station house at the corner of Marshall
street and Brook avenue, only few PAGES
distant from the scene of disturbance. The
prisoner resisted and yelled loudly for as
sistance, but of no avail. He was taker
into the station house. The cavalry ther
left, and the negroes, who few moment.
before had made themselves scarce, nov
collected in large numbers around the sta
tion house, but did nothing save to make
use of threatening language. - y
The prisoner was with much difficulty
taken up stairs to a cell on the third floor
Here he made the most violent resistance
and Justify yelled murder, hoping thus te
excite the sympathy of his race, and in.
duce them to make another effort for his
release. His cries excited the crowd out.
side very much; but they only gave utter
ance to their feelings in menacing Ian.
guage. He was at last subdued and locked
where they could find his mother, to LEI
her know that he was not hurt. -
1t was now about 3 o'clock. The negroes
still fingered about, collecting in groups
and talking in the most excitable manner
about the recent affair. There they would
have doubtless remained till now but foi
the arrival of Captain Fields. He comman-
ded them to disperse, telling them that il
they did not he would order his company
up and charge them with the bayonet, and
if they did not disperse then he would fire
upon them. After few moments conver-
sation among themselves, the majority o.
the negroes reluctantly dispersed.
Both the police and the cavalry deserve
great credit for the GOODNESS and determil
alton exhibited by them during the distur-
bance. .
The affair just related, happening some
distance from the polls, occasioned very
little if any excitement there, and the
voting was quietly proceeded with, no dis
turbance occurring until just before the
close. Then colored man (whose name
we were unable to learn) voted the Con
servative ticket. This was announced, and
the negroes became excited, and immedi-
ately rushed towards him, and were about
to maltreat him, when he was seized by
some gentlemen, placed in carriage, an(
driven off before the now infuriated moi
conld get hold of him. They pursued the
carriage short distance, but finding they
could not overtake it, returned, mutterinf
direst vengeance upon the next coloreC
man who voted the Conservative ticket anC
upon the white men who defended him.
At sunset the poll was closed, and tn,
large number of fnegroes and the few white
men present slowly left the scene-Rich-
mond Dispatch, Oct. 23d.