Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-07-14
Shirt ne geferson.
LOCAL MISCELLANY.


OF this town was the theatre of a most dis
graceful riot, which proves that our commu-
nifty is without law, without the officers to
execute it, and completely at the mercy of
mob violence. Why this is so, and why, as
consequence, the life of every citizen is in
danger, it would be proft!ess job now to
enquire. We only know that the radical
Legislature of the State has refused us char
ter for municipal organization, whilst an anna
BILE Board OF Supervisors has planted grog-
shops upon nearly every corner, and placed
thoni, to some extent, in the hands of parties
who care not what the result may be, if only
they eau sell their liquor at a heavy profit
The riot of Saturday afternoon is traceable to
liquor, for without it the negroes never would
have assumed the defiant attitude which they
did, and which they maintained until they
found they had aroused feeling of indigna-
punishment even if life itself was not taken,
How the fight commenced, or what it COM
menced about,is question about which every
has his own opinion, hardly any two
agreeing as to It's real origin except that Ii
quor furnished the fuel by which the flame
was kindled. Harvest having just ended,
the negroes focked to town on Saturday morn
ing to divest themselves of the money they
had earned a considerable portion of which
they spent in the drinking houses of the town.
As matter of course they were crazed by
the influence of the ardent, and during the
hi 81 tla
streets with insolcnt airs, and using abusive,
obscene and profane language. This was
naturally calculated is provoke conflict, for
however the may be elsewhere, this COM
munity is not yet ready for submission to me-
gro insolence. Before noon, Deputy Sheriff
j. D. Potterield arrested negro who was
struttiDg the streets with cavalry revolver
buckled around him on the outside of his
coat After his arrest, he openly announced
that he was carrying this weapon for white
man, with whom he had had difficulty in
the harvest field several days previous, and
declared his purpose to shoot the white man
if he found him, This negro was taken to
the Office of magistrate, but the magistrate
was absent and his Office door locked. The
negro was released, and few hours later in
the day was among the rioters on the street
Between and 3 o'clock some young men
were sitting on the boxes in front of the store
of Mr.. Jacob 3. Brown, when two negroes
came out of the store 4 trivial circumstance
led to words between the PARTIES aud from
words to blows one of the negroes was
knocked down by the fist, and another with
VI. ,Nl,N
as the store of TrusseI & Co., followed by
the white men. Here the negroes hal;ed.
and called for their color to rally, which they
did with promPrness and spirit, rushing down
from the different corners with tiger. like
terOcity, until about thirty had reached the
spot. \ young white man named COdrck.
who was in the commencement of the diff
Guilty, finding himself about 10 be OverpOwered
retrCaIed into the store, aud the negroes at
tempted TO follow him but were met on the
Pavement and cntreatcd to dcsist aud efforts
made to quiet them by cxpnstulation. But
they were deaf to any words of advice, and
swore they would lave CodrIck, who III the
meantime had slipped through the store, aud
passed out the back way, for the purpose of
lrmIng himself For several minutes the ne
gru,s who seemed to be greatly enragcd,
SEQ IN tile street cursing white gene
v.
coufct At this time the number of whites
immediately present was not more than five
or six whilst the negroes, at moderate esti
mate must have numbered thirty; each
vehcmently swearing aud gcsticulatlng in the
mist arrogant and defiant manner. Mr.. James
\. Calaher and others tried to reason with
them, but to no purpose, until finally negro
man named John jackson struck Mr.. g.
with rake, telling him to the ground. Then
commenced an indscrminate fight MAIN
tanned at first by the white men at great odds
at least FIVE to one, until the citizens of the
town gathered at the scene. A complete
rock battle ragged for the time, and furiousy
the races assailed each other We are sure
we never saw fight in which so many men
were knocked down in so short space OF time,
and we sicken as we contemplate the scene Of
crushed heads aud bleeding faces
With 4 sort of reckless desperation, the
NEGROES contested the ground, throwing their
missiles with remarkable precision of aim,
NATL they saw that they were about to be
overcome, when they bolted in different di-
reactions. and at the expiration of ten minutes
hardly one was to be found upon the street.
Bya mercy which appears inScrutable, no one
was killed, although several severe wounds
were received. Among the whites who were
more or less injured, We're the following:-
James n. Gallaher, George Robinson, VIM.
Moore, John Sheets, j. II. Norris, aud per-
haps others. All of the above, we are glad
TO saw are doing WELL though suffering from
their wounds. Among the negroes who re-
ceiyed injuries were Wesley Lowrey, John
Jackson. Sam. Ransom and Carter Fisher
How seriously these latter have been punish
ed we have no means of knowing as only
Lowrey has been seen since the difficulty:
4 while before night, Sheriff I. w. Pot
terrified, who had been telegraphed to, arrived
from Harper's Ferry, bringing with him a
posse of armed men. The names of the lead
ing rioters were given him, when he proceed