The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-04

August 2.
THE MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT RIOT.
Full Particulars Of the Aaair-Tho Killed and
WOunded-Names OF the Leading Rioters.
From the Davenport iowa, Gazette, July SOL
Tie most fearful and bloody series OF murders
perpetrated on the upper Mississippi river and
OF q character never before known on q steamboat
line steamer Dubuque, John b. Rhodes Captain, at
and near the levee at Hampton, ILL.,, seven miles
above that city. on Thursday morning, brlef &C.
count OF which we have given by telegraph
The steamer left Davenport at about seven O'Clock
in the morning. She Is known as one OF the finest
packets In her line. Her deck crew was composed
OF some thirty hands, some OF whom were white,
but the majority were negroes When she left there
she had over 200 deck passengers on board, third
OF whom were raftmen, the remainder being harvest
hands, She also mad over 100 cabin passengers.
THE DEADLY RIOT COMMENCED
little after eight O'Clock, as the steamer was near
ing Hampton. Mr.. Jones', second clerk, went on
deck to examine tickets and receive fares, and sta
the stairway, to prevent deckers from going above
while he was thus employed. Soon raftman, wen
known as "Pock-marked LYNCH ATTEMPTED to
ascend the stairs. Dawson stopped him, and after
brief quarrel blows were passed. The mate, John f.
Sweet interposed and stopped the tight Then, save
loud talking among many OF The raftmen and by
Lynch HIMSELF there was no trouble for ten minutes
OrsO.
forecasle, with Lynch In their centre, and DAWSON
was hustled alongside OF him and commanded TO
fight 1t out Lynch did not like the looks of DAWSON
chunk OF coal. In an instant as If the matter had
been agreed upon, as many as twenty-five OF the
raftmen joined IN the assault. The
BLOODY WORK
began. Some OF the raftmen ran to the shore and
armed themselves with chunks OF coal, WIN WHOM
they stormed the cOlOred men. But Lynch and one
Ted Butter, with dozen followers, commenced
hunting the negroes on the boat In the melee, Da.
secreted himself under the feboat aft Of the Texas
The Lynch gang went sweeping through tue deck
fhn ahr nd Two
them were caught aft the engines, terribly pounded
and cut, and hurried TO the stern and made TO leap
into the water. The passengers saw them sink i'm
mediately and that was the last Of them. The
water coiored with their blood as they went down.
Their names were William Omstead and Clayton
Jones. Both were from New Orleans.
One negro was pursued along the starboard guards,
the rear Of the boilers to the arooard guards
where he was hit on the head with piece OF COAL
caught, and beaten till he was nearly senseess.
Then half dozen villains seized him, ran him to the
stern, and jumped him into the water 1t was said
by two lady passengers VINO saw him as he sank,
from the windows OF the passage In rear OF the
ladies' cabin that his throat was cut rom ear 10
The fourth negro who was murdered was pursued
up stairs, along the cabin guards, and across the
and the stairs to the deck again. He fed toward the
stern, was caught and plunged into the river. AS he
dne spd he 70 the bo%
About ten OF the negroes escaped 10 the shore and
ran away unharmed, although several shots were
fired at them from revOlvers.
DAWSON KILLED AT LAST.
After the murder of the negroes mentioned above
the fiends made hunt for other negroes. At last
Lynch spied Dawson as the latter lay curied up
under the lfebOat He cried ont, "Here's a -
son Of abb" Dawson heard him, and turning the
boat up sprang out, and ran with o knife in hand
towards the cabin stairs. Lynch cried, That's the
one we want,'' and with three others pursued him.
tried to stop him, and Dawson slashed his bowels
with knife. The negro then fed to the place
o %e his way was hit with S chunk Of coal He jumped
in the and padded with his hands for White
and kept his head out Of water Two men set out
they could get near him he ceased his efforts aud
sank. Thus i've negroes were murdered outright.
PASSENGERS EFFORTS
for the saving OF the negroes were numerous and
successful. Several negroes were locked up IN state
toned particularly. Rev. d. c. Mccoy, OF Macomb,
ILL.,, was in his state room with his wife. negro,
nearly covered with blood from cut In his throat
fairly bounded through the open outside doors and
cried, "Save me. do save me- Missis p' The lady i'm
mediatey closed the doors. In an Instant, almost,
.Where is the heonY" But he was saved from the
fends. Several Of the hunted hands were secreted in
the Texas rooms by the officers.
DAVENPORT NEGRO,
named Marshal White, was severely wounded. He
had taken deck passage to McGregor, IN In. com
Louis and another coored man. whose name
he did not. know. The three were standing
near the machine known as the 'nisger," when the
hunt began. Immediately six or seven scOundrels
made FOR them. White jumped over some boxes and
ran forward, and as he did so ne was slashed with
knives across the sides OF his head and in his left
thigh. He went on up stairs, however and was Ind
in q state room by Bill Henderson, the barkeeper.
bruises on his back caused by heavy chunks of coal
| which alighted Oh him with too much force. What
than probable that he was killed. as he has not been
seen since the villains came upon him.
TIVE OFFICERS PowERLBss.
Nor one of them was in possession OF q revolver,
and to have interered would have been foolish in
deed. All they could do In oppostiof to scores of
raftmen was to sccrete the negroes when possible.
by a raftman. on the deck villain went rushing
at the mate with large knife. At the mates siue
shove and kick that sent him staggering. When
he returned to the attack the mate wasn't where ne
FUSED to was" and Mr.. Mckinney was or some
IN TWENTY MINUTES
the steamer had not a single coored deck hand on
board that was visible. Inc killing was ended in
that time, and only when there were no negroes To
hurt. Indeed several OF the rioters volunteered to
act as roustabouts, and actually did work on deck.
THREATS TO BURN THE STEAMER.
The boat swung out from Hampton. and had pro-
ceeded but q few rods when she went into SHORE
from Rock Island. Captain r. secretly telegraphed
the Sheriff of that county for help, but the
threatened TO join together and Gre the steamer If
she was not quickly moved up the stream. so the
steamer was soon swung oat agaln ana continued on
did also Pock-marked Lynch. Butter was captured,
! rs viii be seen hereafter.
THE LAST ATTACK
| was made on porter, who, after the boat le(t
Hampton and when all was comparatively quiet,
went to empty some water on the guards. lie
stepped out cautiously, but was discovered and Sc
| yerely beaten by three raftmen.
ROCK ISLAND TO THE RESCUE.
Az stated above, the Sheriff OF Kock Island county
was telegraphed to for assistance IN arrestng the
| murderers. lie Immediately placed the matter in
| the hands Of Deputy sheriff Payne. superintendent
| Cotton of the western Union, placed train
! at his disposal and at eleven O'Clock some
| sixty men, mostly armed were on their way north
| ward. On they went TIL Fulton Junction was
reached. The force then went over TO Clinton, and
| In fifteen minutes the Dubuque came In sight. This
/ was between three and ave Z. NJ. AZ she threw out
| her staging, q dozen men, with reviewers in hand
| stepped on board and forced every raftsman 10 &c
| ait. The
MtRDERERs WE'RE COwED.
Before reaching Clinton they were full or talk OF
DISCRIMINATING the id ng9er. But when the
posse showed determination 10 arrest them dead oil
| alive, they Just wlited. over twenty or them were
tied at the wrist and their feet shackled. Captain
] Rhodes had decided TO land the prisoners In ROCK
Island, and the boat was turned southward: Nothing