The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-08-18
The Mobile Riot.
The Disturbance Prenaeditated.
ARMED NEGROES MARCH TO A POLITE
CAL. MEETING.
r From the Mobile Register. I

From the Mobile Register.
During the whole of yesterday ru-
mors were in circulation ON the streets
that the negroes intended, at the meet
ing to come off in the evening at the
corner of Government and Royal streets
gotten up in honor of the election of
Buck, to create riot. This seemed to
be the intention of the negroes, for q
short time before o'clock large
number of them arrived with muskets,
marched in procession to the corner of
Government and Royal streets. Upon
their attention being called to the fact,
Buck and Hunter took the muskets
away from the negroes, but what dis
position was made of them is not
known.
From the manner in which the ne
groes conducted themselves, Mayor
Price apprehended disturbance, and
by his request detachment of the Cd
Infantry were placed at his disposition
aud We're posted at the guard-house, in
the vicinity of the meeting.
At 8 o'clock a large number of ne
groes and fair sprinkling of whites
had assembled on the ground. The
meeting was called to order, and Griffin
delivered a speech. Others followed
him, and about 10 o'clock, while II.
Ray Myers was speaking, a white man
in the crowd cried cried out, ''hurrah
for Mann" A crowd of excited ne
groes pressed upon him, cheering for
Buck. At this juncture a pistol was
hred In the air, causing great excite
n.ent and connection. Other shots
followed in rapid succession, and in a
few minutes the firing became general,
and a heavy skirmish ensued. The
majority of the whites and blacks fed
in all directions. Some few held their
ground and kept up a scattering fire.
In few minutes the firing ceased, the
negroes having fed up Government
street. During the firing the troops
remained under arms at the guard
house, awaiting orders.
After the skirmish a few scattering
shots being heard up Dauphin street,
the troops, under the direction of May
or Price, marched in that direction,
and, after promptly securing that part
of the city and vicinity, found every
thing quiet. Upon hearing the rapid
discharges of firearms, reinforcement
of seventy soldiers was quickly dis
patched to the scene of the disturbance
but it was loo late to be of any avail.
During the fight the police did good
service, and the casualties show a
number of them wounded. The
speakers and the white Radicals who
have for so long time been endeav-
oring to stir up strife between the
whites and blacks, as usual succeeded
i'll escaping unframed. They sneaked
off like ours, DESERVING their dupes,
and leaving them to take care Of them
| selves. They rolled of, the stand in
a manner which would have done cred
it to Kelly and New York Herald re-
porter. 1t was at the same place that
these worthless distinguished themselves
during the so-called Kelly riot.
1t is impossible, at this late hour of
the night, to give full details of the af-
fair. AT this writing-2 A. M.-the
city is perfectly quiet, and no further
outbreak is apprehended.
Since the above was written we learn
that the citizens who assembled quiet
| ly during the riot patroled the entire
city and found everything in perfect
quiet.
| The negroes were divided into two
detachments, one under Langford and
the other under Bragg. Langford's
party retired towards the gas works,
followed by the police. Bragg's de-
tachment went MP government street,
and hating, formed near the residence
of DR.. Ketchum. A squad of police
under Capt. Clarity, came up with
them. and after earnest efforts, pre-
vailed upon them to dispense.
| Col. Milne, Chief of Police, repre-
seuts that every one of the policemen
wounded were shot by persons on the
stand. The police reserved their fire
and behaved we'll.
Col. Milne exhibited to this writer
both of his pistols undiseharged.
The coroner's inquest has been helG
upon all the bodies, and upon that OF
Jack HUMPHREYS was found revolver
with four barrels freshly discharged
! and two remaining loaded.