, 1872-10-14
THE MACON RIOT.


ftE MACDN RlOI.
Results OF Administration Teachings
From the Sarannah {Ga.> Eesrs, oet-4
Our special dispatches Of yesterday gaze q
brief account Of the riot during the election in
Macon. The Telegraph Of yesterday has full
the following Which will give or readers clear
understanding OF the diabolical plot Of the Rad
calls. The incendiary speeches If JEFF Long, q
negro (who would yoke we'll with that grinning
babboon, Bradley D to bis people. some time pro-
ticipate trouble, and as precautionary measure
large extra police force, composed Of the best
young men in the city, we're sworu in.
It had been know to the peop1a that the
negroes had been organized and were being
They had been meeting in secret conclaEe, and
had thefke received Instructions from their
leaders. It was announced by JEFF Long, in his
speech Monday night, that they would hold
to receive instructions, and at night, at o'clock,
they would reassemble at the City Hall, and,
after being addressed BY Meighan, BinswanSer,
and others, would receive their ballots, aud
march in solid body to the polls. This was
sufficient announcement OF their purpose ia
create the impression that, as heretofore, they
meant to take possession Of the polls, crowd
the white voters away, and carry the election IN
feTor Of their candidates.
At about 3 quarter past 6, the negroes, ~
solid phalan1, under the command Of their
leaders, marched down Cotton avenue to the
right Of the Court House. They marched as
solid as one man. It vas impossible to Fass
through their column. waking-stick could
not have been thrust between them, so compact
y we're they formed. .
Seeing now that the purpose Of the negroes
waB to crowd them and Keep them from the
polls, the white men pressed up, determined to
hold their ground and cast their ballots. They
knew that L they gave way then there would be
no possibility Of their regaining possession Of
the polls during the day.
4 number Of gentlemen demonstrated With
wonld cause trouble and probably b1oodahed,
urged them to desiBt, assuring them that they
should have the right to rote without molesta-
ton, if they. would be patient and take their
turn They refused to heed this wise counsel
and pressed forward moro vigorously than
ever. They had come there to control the e1ec-
ton and they meant to do it. jeff. Long, the
negro incendiary, who had melted the colored
men to this action, assumed posltlon in one OF
the upper stories Of the Court House, where
he could overlook the scene OF action. He Eaa
satisfied that the advice he had bean giving his
people would result in harm to aome Of them,
and cutely took his carcass out OF the way OF
danger. He had stirred up the tempest, but
meant that it should pass without injury to his
person. He is q bully when it comes to stirring
up riot but coward when it comes to test
Of courage.
While the two forces, 30 to speaz, were masaed
LII LULU u tu5 f0u5t lAEI9 hSLG 6lA44t5 AtA PO~
sition, and on two or three occasions the negroes
made demonstrations with brickbats-
This contest for position lasted for more than
an hour. The negroes were resofEed to get the
polls and hold them, and the white men we're
equally resolved that they should not. There
the two masses stood, growing more determined
a11 the while, and the negroes more threatening
and turbulent. It vas plainly seen that they did
not intend to yield IN i1'ch. They had been
drilled too we'll to back out nov.
Thus matters stood vixen JEFF. Long, from his
perch in an upper window Of the Court House,
called out to the negroes to take the polls at all
hazards.
This vas the signal for strife The negroes
pressed forward with greater determination and
The white men stood their ground more firmly,
Finally brick WAS thrown BY negro, and wsa,
closely followed by pistol shot from negro,
and fs 5as as 9ss s AT ThS Rse + Boss as
100 shots were fred. Il was lively sldrmiah,
lasting about three minutes. No shots we're
fred by the whites except those who 75ere On
duty as special police. These were sufficient,
scampering in every direction. They stood not
upon the order of their goi1g, but went at once
pel1-men, hurrT-skurTy. all rnad}y bent ups y
getting out Of the way, leaving their wounded On
Only one white man WIS killed. Wu,. g o,h,a
a worthy mechanic. foreman Of the blar' 1e1n;th
smith shop Of the Macon l. Brunswick .a;1road
WAS shot through the bead, and d 81 Ieforsa
feaEHlnG Ills lQu16- h8 HHH UuA{u8F dp1i
way engaged in the disturbance, bv Tas M stand, IA
ing some distance of on Mulberry street
Another white man received al;oht aeet
wound in the side, another &C ontusfon OF, T hiI
arm Shots passed through 4, th' hat and cost d
Two others were severely inj' ,rcd hv brcG hats
negro named Dennigon r1,etr9o 80 e.
through the heart, and dis iramediafeiv@ An
other named Edmund Han' 4erson was sh6t in the
naek o. the heaa fi ana u back, the latter bal
ing home. Another na' ned William Dav frou
East Macon, was wo1n' led in the head. He wat
reported to have af d during the afternoon
Another, Mn9se @ a haaT } was not ascertained, Tas
in the heel, which passed to his instep. and 77as
cut ont 6y r. 80 ION. Other slight wounds, o1
VaalouB klhas, Ne re- reported, none OF which were
Of aerioua natr Ire.
M }eE ,4a hae ~ q tosng vas oyer the negroes made
ftun ade reHse them briefly, counselling ordar,
anu nr ing them to return to the polls and vote,
asSa1 7e1 ,.nG them that they would be protected.
=; ~ Imam Lowe, negro candidate Tor the Legis-
lat'4ra, gave different counsel. He told them
tb ct the Msyor could not and would not protect
taem, and ordered them to so home.
Pnlask1 holt, another negro candidate, gave
advice similar to that OF Lowe, and called upon
the crowd to go home.
No n1are voting was done By the neroes.
They stood about the streets in squads or sauu~
tered OFT out Of sight; and though frequently
assured that they would be protected in their
tight to vote. they refused to go near the poll
ing p1ac g, and allowed the election to 90 bY d.
fault
The polls we're not closed for an instant dur.
| ing t. q melee, and as soon as the storm had
| subslfled baIoting went on and was not dis
| turbs,d again during the day.
| " hen the fight commenced five hundred votes
| had been po11ed, nearly the half Of which we're
| negro votes. After that, barely negro at
| tempted to vote at all.
| But where was JEFF Long while this trouble
was going on? He had brought it On, and now
be was SHILLING sway, in the Post Office, out OF
| the reach Of ham. He remained there the en-
! tire day, afraid to chow himself. Had he come
upon the street it is possible that he would have
| received rough treatment at the hands OF his
own people, for many and bitter we're the threats
and complaints they made against him during
tho day. He WIS denounced by them as cow
ard, and one was heard to say, ''He has got ua
into this thing and now has left u.s." A second
Bradley.
The negro women, If possible, were wilder
than the men. They we're seen everywhere,
talking in ap excited manner and urging the
men on. Some Of them were almost furious,
showing it to be part Of their religion to keep
their husbands and brothers straight in politics.
Miss Emily Truman, who resides on tho cor
ner of Cherry and First streets. while in tho act
of closing the shutters of her windows, was hreG
at. The ball shattered the windoT glass, and