Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-10-10

LAO1/A l. w AOOA1l IOs
ing, and so probably averted a fearful
calamity. When this had been accom-
plished, and there was time to devote
to other matters. survey of the battle
field was made, resulting in the dis
covery of the dead and mutilated body
of Charles Coll, one of the white labor
ers. An examination OF his BODY
showed shot wound behind. his left
ear, and another through his shoulder,
while his head was literally hacked to
pieces with grub pick, which was found
lying beside him. When found his
body was yet limp and warm, though
he was quite dead.
THE THIRST FOR REVENGE.
The discovery of Coils body seemed
to fill his comrades with frenzy, dnd a
cry for revenge was at once raised.
Parties were despatched :. over the
mountain to the men employed at the
western end of tile tunnel, and they
were compelled to turn out and join
their fellows IN raid upon the fugitive
negroes. Those who would not viii
lingly Join the assaulting party were
compelled to do SO, several OF them
who attempted to hide being hunted
out and beaten until they would fnll in.
Thus by four o'clock in the morning u
large force of white laborers had rallied
on the east side of the mountain,
though many of them wer>' opposed to
pursuing the blacks. A good deal of
wrangling and fighting occurred among
them on this point, the party for re-
venge being in the majority AMI in
clined to carry their point by force if
necessary.
To avoid participating in the threat
ened attack, many of the sober and
peaceable men hid away in the bushes
and woods, but were quickly hunted
out, and beaten with clubs until they
would consent to join the attacking
party. Thus, finally, a party $50 strong
was mustered soon after 5 o'clock Sun
day morning, and improvising an or
ganization with a captain and lieuten-
ants, and with two red flag, streaming
in the gray morning mir, started in
regular order to wreak their revenge
upon the blacks. They marched :]own
the works in procession, four abreast,
all armed with pistols, guns, or pick
handles, swearing to kill every negro
they should find.
HORRIBLE BUTCHERY.
One of the negroes, Denis Powell, was
shot down at the first volley, before he
had time to get from the line of the
works. He was left where he fell, while
the whites pressed on in pursuit of
those still running.
The mob soon reached Mrs. Carter's
house and demanded admission. Mrs.
Carter had secured her doors and re.
fused to open them, whereupon the
maddened fellows quickly kicked in
the panels and forced an entrance. But
they soon satisfied themselves that
there were no negroes within, and then
withdrew without doing further dam.
age. In prow1ing about, however, they
soon spied one Of the fellows hidden
under the stoop, and shot him where
he lay: Then dragging hlm out, they
beat his brains out on the very door
step of the house, leaving the horribly
distgured body lying there. This mans
name was Ben Dishman. He was a
very quiet, inoftensive man, rather
older than his fellows. He had taken
no part in the nights disturbances.
He leaves a wife and two children in
Faquier county, Va.
MORE MURDERS.
Next they summoned one of Mrs.
Carter's laborers, and threatening him
with instant death, at the same time
brandislling knife before his face, or
dered him to open the outbuildings,
which were thoroughly searched, but
without results. By this time there
were no more negroes, in sight, and the
pursuit was stopped: But on return
ing to the works the pursuers came
across Powell, who was SO badly
wounded as to be unable to move.
They went at him with clubs, aud very
soon put him out of his misery, beat.
ing his head into shapeless mass.
Powell was also reputed to be quiet
man. He leaves two children, who live
with his mother at Petersburg, Va.
Both he and Dishman belonged to the
gangs quartered on Mrs. Carter farm,
and had had no connection whatever
with the disturbances.
As the rioters were passing the shan
ties on their return, they spied another
negro, Oscar Bruce, who had ventured
out of concealment to secure some OF
his clothing. Poor Bruce escaped their
shots until he reached fence, when,
in attempting to climb it, his pursners
overlook him, and placing their guns
and pistols close against bis body fair
ly riddled him with bullets. But not
satisfied with this, the murderers
jumped upon his body and stamped ii
with their heavy boots, ut the same
time beating it with their clubs until it
scarcely retained the semblance of q
human form, and then left it to the
mercy of whoever might find it.
RETURN OF THE BRUTAL MURDRRERs.
This terminated the friQhtful morn.
ing's work, and the excited butchers,
recovering something of their show Of
order, retraced their steps to their
quarters at the tunnel, and disbanded.
As soon as released from the form o1
discipline to which they had submitted
themselves, utter decentralization and
fear seem to have seized the men. A
number of them, including those claim.
ed to have been the leaders, at once
cleared out, and have not since been
seen. The others, patronized and sym
pathized with by that portion of their
fellow laborers who had refrained from
engaging in the bloody work, sat down
moody and sullen, refusing to talk with
any but their companions regarding
the affair, and the whole colony reso:
lutely refusing to give q particle of IN
formation either to the magistrates, re
porters, or any one else. Up to las,
night they had refused to resume work,
but still hung sround in groups, a ter.
for to the whole region about, which i.
kept in constant apprehension of fresh
disturbances from them. Many ot
them, in their broken heads and bruis.
ed faces, carry with them the evidences
of their participation in the lawless
outbreak, but for some unexplained
reason they are permitted to remain al
large, not one who is known to have
been engaged in the fight having YET
been apprehended.
THE BLACKS WILL NEVER RETURN.
Most of the negroes have abandoned
the reserved wages due them, and have
cleared out in terror. Some few re.
main about, hoping to get their money,
but they refuse to resume work, and
declare that they i'll not again worh
there under any circumstances. They
are careful to keep out of sight of thu
Irishmen.
The disturbance will prove a YER,
costly affair foS the contractor, and vii
materially put back the work ON tn
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