The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-03

rectly through the body and coming out OF the
back. The wonnd wassa terrible one, and be
died early last evening. On being admitted to
the hospital Grant made the following statement
Of his recollection Of the afrray:
], Balaam Grant, do testify as follows: That q
| soldier shot me for nothing. was running. Old
Lyons cut at me with q knife, and ran, and old
| Lyons ordered'a soldier to Are at me. had q
stick In my hand, and one man said, There ID
| nigger; kill him;;' white mani don't know his
name. All the men were running out OF the way
when was shot. voted the Citizens, ticket.
tSigned) BALAAM X GRANT.
Mark.
There are evident contradictions In this state.
ment upon which we DO not at this time desire to
dwell. According to the best information In our
possession, Grant struck down white man, and
cursed the United States soldiers. When ordered
repeatedly to halt, he still ran, as reported, and
was wounded, to the regret Of every citizen at the
precinct. 1t is due 10 the United States soldiers
to say that they behaved with almost too much
prudence, aud only used their arms when this
became absolutely necessary to save them from
the fury Of the mob.
The wounding Of Grant added to the excite
ment.. His body, mounted on spring cart was
paraded through Sires street, and the negroes de-
manded the instant arrest Of Mr.. Lyons, Jr., who
was said to have called out "shoot him, before
the fatal shot was fired. At this time no United
States soldiers were present. but rumors Of row
had passed with lightning speed over the whole
city. Mr. A. S. Tobias, the president Of the Cltl-
zens' Club Of the ward met the colored rioters as
they advanced toward the polls and asked
them what they wanted. Their spokes.
man said that the man who cried "Shoot him,n
must be given up to them. Mr. Tobias replied
that Mr. Lyons was now In o house Immediately
opposite the polling precinct. He should be given
up to any properly constituted authority, whether
civil or military, but no mob, whatever its mum.
BERG, should take Mr. Lyons out Of that house
while one mau lived to protect him. The negroes
shouting wildly, surged forward, orandisn-
ing slung, Shots and clubs. At this mo-
ment detachment from Ward appear
ed upon the scene, giving highly moral
support to. the remarks Of President To.
bias. The bowling rioters recoiled for a mo-
ment and were now disturbed by the arrival Of
the United States troops, Iwho had been double.
quicked to the scene OF expected disorder. All
remained comparatively quiet for few minutes,
when Sheriff Mackey and Captain Hendricks, the
chief OF police, gslloped up to the polling place
The negroes now CRIED s'We are all right. No
id Yankee soldiers shall run over us now."
For time cheering and cursing on the
part OF the negroes filed the sultry air.
Captain Hendricks was told pretty plainly
that he and his crew were responsible for
all this tumult. Curbing his foaming steed
fed at the expense Of the city,) he shouted
out have but one life, and that am willing GO
sacrifice in the interest Of law and order" 1t
was evident that the mob regarded both the
sheriff and the chief Of police as their allies and
comiorters; but the United States soldiers, acting
under the orders Of their officers, cleared the
street and drove the noisy rascals back. Presi-
dent Tobias protested against any interference
with the freedom OF election; and from the mo-
ment that the soldiery arrived in force every cii-
zen 30 far as we know, was at liberty to vote for
the cand da:e Of his choice. Shortly afterward
the bulk Of the troops we're Withdrawn, and,
the chief Of police being no longer present, all
disorder ceased.
The Scene in Inspection Street.
One OF the most effective and striking scenes OF
the day was that presented in Inspection street.
The little hly thoroughfare nanked By high
stone walls and stables, wss choked from Wash
ington street to East Bay with an excited mass
Of struggling blacks, swayed here and there by
every impulse, and by frequent shouts when one
would find some lanced insult put upon himself
or comrade, ready to precipitate themselves pell-
nell, without question, pom the few white men.
who stood here and there attending to the duties
OF the day, or awaiting a chance TO vote. In
about the centre Of the block was the polling
piaoe,its approaches denEed.by Sort or trian-
gular pep, built up to tosepafatethe Incoming from
the outgoing suffragans, and here was the central
point Of the excitement. A policeman or two and
the four United States soldiers stationed at the
door were pushed and jostled by the surging crowd
OF blacks. pressing towards the barrier to look
with strained and bloodshot eyes for any act Of
the managers which they could torture into an
ind!gnity, and make pretext for deadly fight.
Ouce,when soldier pushed &colored man away,
in order TO make room for the approaching
voters, the man jumped into the street, threw
down his hat, and shouted for his comrades to
rally. Nourishing huge club above his head.
he lashea himself into fury Of defiance, shout
ing to the colored crowdfand showering prpfani.
ty and obscenity upon the soldier. The latter, q
quiet, determined German had his loaded rife
ready, and the bayonet fixed, and most men In
his position would have answered the foul taunts
with touch OF the cold. steel, which must have
preclpitated q bloody connlct; but he be.
haved with great> prudence, quietly but i'm
placably walking his beat, and gradually
crushing the colored mass back 30 as to
widen the little semi.clrcle round the polls.
Every such incident caused a rush in Its
direction, the negroes cursing and bowling and
brandishing huge sticks, with which each man OF
them was armed, and on the outskirts OF each
such crowd would be seen black women, fierce,
perspring and malignant, slouching along with
barred arms and breasts, some natless and some
with mems hats crushed over their forehesds,
each bringing paving stone and tossing 1t from
hand to hand, while the fingers were clutched ner-
vously as II longing for battle. And 10 the day
wore on, and 1t is safe to say mat but for the
quiet presence OF the white men a scene OF ter.
rble turbulence would have had to be recorded
In Inspection street.
Scenes In Courthouse Square.
The disposition to riot in Ward was Kept IN
check during the early part Of the day by obserV-
ing the summary manner in which the disturb.
ance in Ward was quetea; but about O'Clock
an absurd report was spread that white man
had dubbed another In the hall OF the Courthouse.
and serious riot appeared imminent. The sol.
dIers again did their duty and cleared the mob
from the door, and the matter was settled as