The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-09
puRELY A NEGRO RIOT.


on Monday, was the occasion Of Disgrace
full and inexcusabIe Republican negro riot
one that sprung so entirely from Repub
lican influences, aud was SO completely con
fined to members of the Republican party
that probably no mention will ever be made
Of it in Congress, and no national lcgisls
ton will ever be based upon it. The cor
respondent Of the Chicago Times writes as
follows Of this diSgraceful affair, under date
of Washington, June 7th :
The municipal election here to day has
resulted in the triumph of tho republican
ticket, and has been accompanied by extra.
ordinary scenes of riot and bloodshed, re.
sultinR in the killing Of two persons and the
wouuding Of several.
The principal rot was 10 contest Of the
negroes with the Metropolitan police, and
did not result from the autagonism Of po.
litical parties.
Early last night the negroes commenced
to congregate in the vicinity Of the polls, Of
which they took possession early in the
morning, and held on until ! o'clock. They
consulted freely among themselves, and de.
termined that no colOred man should vote
the conservative ticket.
In precinct in the second ward, mu.
latto, named Stuart appeared to vote, and
was instantly recognized as conservative,
and pounced upon He barely escaped with
his life into an adjoining house, whence the
crowd followed driving out the family that
occupied it, and endeavoring to secure Stu.
art, amid cries of Hang him" A. thls
juncture, Capt Richards, Of the police, ar
rived on the ground, backed by a reserved
police of mounted men, and sent word 10
Stuart to come from his hiding.plAce and
vote, and he would be protected. The lat
ter at once appeared, when a large crowd
made rush at him, but was driven back
by the clubs Of the police. The patroimen
then formed hollow square around Stuart,
and the latter, with the superintendent,
moved off, guarded by the police. At least
1000 negroes followed, yelling, throwing
stones, and making occasional dashes at the
police. The negroes swarmed out OF the
adjoining alleys, and it required the utmost
GOODNESS of the force to prevent them from
rescuing Stuart and lynching him. The
negroes we're armed with clubs, razors, and
stones,-only two or three having fire arms.
Finally, Stuart was escorted 10 another pre-.
cinct, and voted. The fact seemed to en-
rage the crowd and the police we're greeted
with a volley Of stones and clubs. They
charged on the mob, driving them back, and
were, in turn, driven back about a whole
square. The superintendentreceiveds several
severe blows.
The battle then commenced in earnest,
right in front of the residence Of the secre'
tary Of the British legation The mounted
police fred volley over the heads Of the
rioters, which caused panic among the
thousands of spectators, who had been at
tracted by the first of the affair. These
flew into the residences, down the alley
ways. behind trees and boxes, helterskelter,
their excitement and speed being accelera'
ted by another voey from the police, which
this time was fred into the crowd. The
police had been driven nearly another
| block, Several men fell--two negroes ta
tally wounded, while about haItadozen
| whites and blacks received shots IN the arms
and legs-not seriously injuuug them
| Several colored women we're run over by
the crowd. When the colOred men tell, the
| mob made another assault on the police
with shower of bricks. One mounted po
liceman, detached by accident, from the
force, was terribly beaten, and bis horse
shot in the flank. The policeman was only
saved By fleeing down an alley. The sec
oud voley of shot intimidated the negroes
notwithstanding that they had been rein
forced, and they were driven back a block
yelling defantly, but virtually giving up tn
attack. The police followed them closely
succeeding, in an hours duration, in secur
ing quiet, though they patroiIed the street
for four hours.
The Mayor Of the city soon appeared, bu
"a the police force we're without his control
he was powerIess. The negroes, to tn
number Of several hundred, remained II
the vicinity until after dark, shouting tina
they would kill any white or black demo
crat but everybody gave them wld
berth, and no additional outrages are re
ported.
The colored population have been yer
much excited by the in1smmatory asPpes.
: made to them by white men and BY tornety
Chronicle not to vote the citizens hcke
and the riot to-day is the natural result.
After the riot was over, President GraL
rode out TO the scene.