The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-05-17


again halted in front of the City H adj.
Their language was quite excited,
and the addresses of one or two imprOmp-
tn speakers were well received, bat
from the tenor of their remarks the
crgvd seemed almost bitterly opposed
to those who have accumulated during
the present crisis and made money upon
the necessities Of the people as to the
originators of the difficulty.
After the lapse Of probably fifteen
minutes, Mr.. E. J. Ellis, who had been
loudly called for, made his appearance,
and addressed the gathering, urging
them to assemble at o'clock to-day at
MOrgan's warehouse in Algiers, where
arms would be guaranteed to each ap-
pl!!cant; He was interrupted by loud
cries of: "Why not go tonight" "We
are WOrklngmen," ''WhO are to lead us ?n
and expressions of similar purport. The
gathering remained near the hall prob
ably half an hour, when it gradually
dispersed.
AT THE FIRST DISTRICT STATION.
This building in the interim was
strongly guarded by policemen, and a
United States officer in full I'M form
remained within the edifce, but no de-
m0nstratlon on the part of the crowd of
a threatening character was to be OBJ
served.
AT LAFAYETTE SQUARE.
Pursuant to the afternoon adjourn
ment, a large number of people were
assembled at Lafayette Square at half
past seven o'clock, and to their ranks
accesslons were constantly furnished
until at seven o'clock there were fully
one thousand people in the vicinity.
Ehelr first location was directly in front
OF the City Hall, but the appearance of
a man armed with a gym (the only one
thus far coming to the ground with q
weapOn) turned the tide in his wake.
which led to within the Square gates.
Intimation being now given that Mr..
Ellis had arrived, a rush was made for
the base OF the proposed Franklin sta
tue, where several individuals had tax
en- stand. The intelligence concerning
Mr.. Ellis proved canard, butthe crowd
remained, shortly becoming yOciferOus,
and demanding q speech. In response
to this, ex-COrOner Jack Roach came
forward and attempted an address, the
burden of which was an Injunction to
have the park gates closed, so that none
but
"OUR PEOPLE,
could be admitted to take part in the
proceedings. Mr.. R0ach's rambling
and somewhat erratic remarks were
soon cried down with such cheerful ex-
pressiOns as ''Put him OUT "Bury him"
"GiYe him a drink and a thousand cat
calls. evidently quite distressing to the
pseudo orator, who quickly retired.
Renewed cries FOR "Elis" and "Let's
have guns" brought to the front Mr..
LeBretOn, who made short speech, in
which he stated his ignorance touching
the parties charged with the orpaniza-
ton OF the meeting, but he thought
that 1t was not necessary to know it it
was for the people to organize them
selves and meet the. exigencies Of the
hour by, at once doing what they, as
well as he, knew ought to be done, and
support of their brethren in St. Martins
vile. By this time the gathering had
reached
FULLY THREE THOUSAND,
and evidently not yet clear as to what
they were to do, they yelled for Ellis"
occasionally varying their cries by sug-
c6anics fostitnte,n Ia xii lie Metropoii- eaEe H5i
tans," and others Of the same ilk.
It was now 7:40 D. M, and Mr.. Ellis
being not yet arrived, Mr.. James Lin
gan addressed the people, setting forth
that they needed no Instructions touch
ing their duty; that they knew there
was but one thing to be done, and that
was to march to the relief of the people
of St. Martinsville.
'.'We've gotno guns" cried a hundred
voices.
"Well, get them wherever you CAM
returned the speaker.
Mr.. Lingan closed by stating that he
would call the meeting to order by NOM
mating Mr.. LeBretOn as president
thereof.
Mr.. LeBreton not desiring to speak
further, Mr.. S. j. NJ Smith came to the
rescue, and after adiuring the people
to go "int0 this thing' with unfaltering
nerves, said that
HE MEANT BUSINESS,
and he wanted all who would 90 to the
field of action to range themselves at
the right of the square, and II will be
with yOu,n said Mr.. Smith. At this the
crowd surged toward the North street
gate, where amid continuous yelling
and considerable swearing, beating by
odds the liveiest Pandemonium ever
heard of, the most desperate efforts
were made to bring something like Or
der out of chaos, but the more the men
tried to form in line the more confused
did matters get, and after repeated trials
and reDeated failures, the task was ap-
parentiy abandoned.
Happily at this instant some one yen
ed out -
"HERE's THE GUNS"
and then everybody, as il imagining
that "here" meant everywhere" rush
ed pell-mell into North street, and
thence toward Camp, where, by persis-
tent yelling on the part of several stout
lunged gentlemen, a halt was made,
and ether desperate efforts were imme-
diately begun with view to form the
men into ranks. "
It now proved that the ''gunsn so Wig
orOus1y alluded to were mythical Nea5-
Ons-in short, non est, but the phiIosOpn-
ical minds OF the enthusiasts minded
not the disappointment, and as good
luck would have, they became manage
able to a degree which enabled Mr.
Scott, acknowledged leader by tacit
consent, to get his men into shape, and
by f0urs, skies and tens, dozens, they
started down Camp street, attended on
each side by @
NUMEROUS sTRAGGLERs,
GAe W4OlO pSEGy -HunDof1np perhaps
seven hundred men. By far tle largest
portion of the oriTinal crowd returned
TO the square, ant thence to the City
Hall, for a purpose which VI IL hereafter
appear. a.r.. .-....- ..
The procession took it's way. down
Camp street, when, reaching the office
of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, they were brought to halt by a
f1ying meSspn ger who in stantoPian
tones announced that ''Nr. El'is was at
the City Hall.n
At this the order was given to re- ace