Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-09-22
KILOGRAMS TO THE STAR.
This Afternoons Dispatches.
THE GEORGIA RIOT.
Roth Sidex of the Stoyv.

bridge 10 Augusta yesterday are incorrect and
exaggerated. The following gives the account
mems Bureau, telegraphs to General Sipley
Commanding the District, as follows:
ALBANY, Sept: l7-At 10 O'Clock p. m, JOSH
rectly from Camilla, Mitchell county, stating
that he had left there at o'clock p. m that in
the forenoon he approached Camilla with John
sress from the Second District, and F. F. Put.
ney, (whlte, 81 and about IS colored persons all
en- route for Camilla, where Murphy and
Irnnn nssIee Were TO deliver political addresses
In advance, was accosted by an armed and
mounted white man; who at first stated tn at he
who had been hurt by a falling tree: but who
subsequently, stated that he was q courier
and advised the relator and others Of the party,
who & had orertaken him, not to 60 to town, p
the people there We're determined that Radicals
should not speak in Camilla. Notwithstand.
ing TINS warning the party moved on towards
camilla, wnere they were met by the Sheriff
and posse, who accosted Captain Pearce. The
latter assured them that he desired to speak in
Camilla on political subjects, and would do
The sheriff endeayored to dissuade him from
doing so, telling him the people would not per-
init it. The sheriff then went back into Ca.
milla, and again returned, saying he had, done
all in hls power to dissuade the people from
violence, but with no avail. The party moved
on to the town, which Pearce and Putney en-.
tered, dismonnted from their buggy, and
COuTt-QOuSor
wagon containing the music Of the party en-
tered town, IL was fired upon by the mounted
white noau who had first accosted the relator
ana by several other white men. The freed.
men then started TO escape to the woods, and
Pearce attempted TO rally them, calling on
them not to fy. but the colored men, being un.
srmed, would not stop.
The relator, being mounted, dashed out of
town, passed the freedmen who were on foot,
and the musicians, who had abandoned their
wagon. Murphy and Philip Joiner, in a buggy,
1lOh rfu-a y0 "A Ixr N
the relator dashed ahead of them. When about
seven miles from Camilla, the buggy con raiuing
Murphy and Jones was oyertaken by tour or
five white men, mounted and armed. The
buggy was stopped, one horse dashed riderless
mp the road toward the relator; he saw the
pursuers around the buggy, some of them dis.
mounted. He then came as rapidly as possible
to Albany.
The following Is the statement of the sheriff
of Mitchell county, sworn to by himself and
other prominent citizens. ltis addressed to the
members OF the LeRislature:-s'On Saturday,
the 18th Instant, it was made known to citizens
that Jno. Murphy, Of Albany, Ga, bad issued
eircalar and secretly circulated the same
among celored men Of this county, ordering
them TO bring their arms with them TO a politi-
cal meeting advertised for that day at this
place. This information was corroborated by
statements made by Robert Cochrane, Sr,
Thomas Jones, and others, wha came from the
road in the direction Of Albany, stating that
armed negroes were assembling in large num-
bers at China Grove Church, waiting for the
delegation from Albany, headed by the said
murphy and Pearce (the candidate for Con.
gress), who were to be speakers for the occa.
sion. At the request of the citizens, NJ. J.
Poor, the sheriff, with a committee of six
oiner citizens, went out to meet the said
procession and to protest against armed
negroes being marched in procession through
our town, and to state to them distinctly
that If they would put down their arms, no
objection would be made to their entering town
and holding their political meeting. The Sher-
iff delivered this message TO Murphy and
PodrCp. leaders
Piled, That they had nothing to do with these
nsa 10 Ssm and snev in ., Ss9nSea
them wherever they went. The Sheriff replied
that as pe-ce officer it was his duty, under
the law. to forbid the assemblage OF armed
them that if they entered the town
followed BY armed mem. mem as e they Aas then
and he would not be responsible for the conse.
quences. Shortly Afterwards, the column
moved into town In regular order headed oy
Pearce, the candidate for Congress and one
with double barrelled d'seS, Shot ''sa eua.
a Spencer life and two pistols, with quan.
hty Of ammunition, as was afterwards ascer-
tanned. Next came q four. horse wagon, con-
tanning the band and q number Of armed ne.
groes. Next followed q column Of negro men
on foot, between three and tour hundred in
number, attended by about twenty mounted
A. least one.half, If not two.thirds, were
armed with guns, and most of then, with
pistols. The band was playing and the CT owd
Murphy and one Philip Joiner, negro, in a
buggy, were in the rear.
As the head Of the column approached the
square, one OF our citizens named Jas. Johns,
who was intoxicated, approached within q few
feet OF the column and ordered the music to
stop, when was not done, and the column
his gun was fired, whether Intentionally or
not Is not known: out IL was pointed In a diff.
ferent direction, and the sh ot struck the ground
about twt I've feet from him. fel--
The column fired volley: some Of the shots
being directed at Johns, but most Of them in the
direction OF Naples store thirty or forty steps
nom the column, at which place there were
mum Der OF our citizens, all unarmed, wound.
Ing SIX OF our citizens. Immediately ABOUT
twenty OF our citizens sprang to their arms and
hred into their column, by which two
ber were wounded. The negroes Immediately
broke to thick cluster Of timber, one hundred
yards north OF the Court House. At this point
Pesro. to rally ri. M routed S foaee. Oar si.,Ss
immediately lnumering about thirty ard part
OF them mountsd)made chargeaAd completely
tSn1ea tSpnn ne ne Whole 40 1Sros .,. PesTcs y,ns
Philip Joiner escaping IN buggy up the road 1
towards Albany. Seven negroes were killed,
and from the best information we have been
able 70 procure, between twenty and forty
We're wounded; all Of whom have been prop.
erly cared for.
1tls u SOURCE OF deep regret tlat the c9laInl.
tous consequences OF this affair fell exc lusiye.
ly upon the poor deluded negroes, led on by
wicked men. Murphey, Pearce, and Putney
made good their escape In the hour Of danger,
with but little injury to themselves.
This sad result 10 70 be attributed more TO the
sharpness and shrewdness OF these gallant lead.
ers in ehectng their escape than to want Of in.
tention on the part Of our people.
We hereby disavow any purpose or intent on
the part OF ourselves or our citizens to violate
the law or the peace OF the State in what was
done We were willing and 50 expressed our.
selves TO these leaders, Tor them to hold their
political meeting at the court. house in our
town, II the negroes were disarmed; but
We did think and still think that ii was
as cvil officer Of this State, in break.
ing up this unlawful assemblage We
felt a. their Numbers vastly exceeded that of
our citizens present, that il this meeting had
taken place, the lives OF our wives and Children
wopld have been at the mercy OF an infuriat.d
mob. a.. "a - : : - = =
While the consequences are to be regretted
and We do not boast Of what was done by our
people, we feel that they have but dischsrxrd
peinful d1ty imposed upon them BY wicked
and corrupRd men now epgaged in leading
as ttay into acts OF lavless ness the coiored peo
pie OF our country. Weappeal 10 TIE law. maf.
Ing powers Of 9e0gia, and the laNrful @uthor.
ineS Of the United States 0overnmsut 10 checr
tie progress of these strolling Criminals, VINO
are prowlinG about the houses. and an dis.
tnrbing the peace ana qutet Of our war. .stricE. !,
The foregoing ststements from military ana
civil authorities, give fun particnlars OF the