Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-08-19
LATEST NEWS
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE AUSTIN RIOT.
Whites and Blacks Fighting in
Mississippi.
A General Army of whites and Blacks
the origin Not clearly stated.

MEMPHIS, Aug. IA special dis>
patch to the Appedt from Helena, Ark,
was received at $50 this morning, and
says: At ii O'Clock last night, three
ladies and two gentlemen arrived hele
from Austin, Miss, in IA skiff, aud re.
port considerable fighting going on
late yesterday evening. The COM
mander of the pest, whose name we
did not learn, dispatched u scout of
twenty-five men on the road to Cold
water Station, on the Mississippi and
Tennessee railroad, and captured the
packet of twenty negroes, who were
stationed about twenty miles from the
town, and brought them in as pris-
oners and disarmed them, one Of them
as they were being put into the Court
House yard, tried to make his escape,
when he was fired upon and killed
and in melee which ensued, another
negro was wounded but not fatally.
LATER.-In the evening large
body of negroes advanced
from the South and at
tackled the town, driving
in the white skirmishers
to the Court House, where
the main body of whites were sta
toned, charge was made by the
whites and the negroes were repulsed
with loss of several being killed and
wounded. The fighting was going on
when our informants left, and they
were fired upon as they crossed over to
Ship Island.
MEMPHIS, Aug, ia second dis
patch from Helena says; Major
Horn Chalmers, of fernando, has just
arrived here for the purpose of charter
ing boat to take men to the assistance
&c h. ,.,l,t In, L.
courier from Mayor Woodson and Aus
tin reached fernando at daylight,
stating that the town was surrounded
by about one thousand negroes, and
asking for help. About two hundred
men from fernando and vicinity will
be here at o'clock, and in company
with volunteers from this city, will
start at o'clock for Austin. DIR. smith,
who is, unfortunately, the cause of the
trouble there, reached here last night,
Some three weeks since he was attack
ed in the streets of Austin by a negro,
and drawing his pistol, fired at the
negro, but missed him and killed a
little negro girl standing by, which eX-
asperated the negroes to such an extent
that they collected mob and took DR..
Smith to the woods to hang him which
they would have done but for the en-
Doctors wife. Since that time DIR.
Smith has been a voluntary inmate
of the jail to prevent being mobbed,
until Friday, when some friends came
and carried him to fernando, and on
learning which, the negroes collected
in large numbers aud notified the
Mayor that unless lie was brought back
ana put in Jail, they would burn the
town.
MEMPHIS, Aug. IA third dis
patch to the appeal from Helena
says kilograms are being received from
the vicinity of Austin, asking for men,
arms and ammunition, and stating
that unless the whites, who are sur.
rounded in the court house are not
speedily relieved they will be forced t.
surrender or be captured. The steamer
A. J. White has been chartered t
leave at O'clock, and will carry t
large number of men, well armed
Another dispatch TO the same paper
says the negroes surrounding Austin
were charged upon on the southsidC
this morning, by body of mounted
whites, who killed four or five and cap
tured 20 negroes. The blacks number
about 700. Thewhites have about 200
Both parties are expecting reinforce
ments. At the presentIhe whites have
the best of the fight. The negro hand
on the plantations opposite on the Ar
kansas side are arm.ng and marching
on Austin in large numbers.
MEAIP pals, Aug. IA special to TIN
AUdIdRche from Helena, dated noon
says: In the tight at Austin last nigh
eight or ten negroes were killed. Re
Inducements are coming in to tn
whites from the hills and the uegroe
are being reinforced from the sur
rounding country. The whites hav
Austin harricaded aud will probably b
able TO keep the negroes of, but the,
need assistance in provisions aud am
munition. Several officials from Tu
MICA county have been here since yes
terday morning and have telegraphe,
to Governor Ames, at Jackson, for as
sistance, but up to this time have no
heard word, This special also state
that the whites have taken the o. X
Landing some three miles belowAusti
and only landing in that vicinity q
the present stage Of the water and thi
is corroborated by officers of the II.
wager. which arrived here to nigh
aud who saw body of armed whit
men there as they passed.
News by Steamer.
MEMPHIS, Aug. l2.-Captain Jane
Lee, OF the steamer st. Francis, whic
arrived from below this morning, say
after the negroes who had Austin sui
rounded, were repulsed yesterday, the
disappeared and the story soon circu
lated that they were numbering VIC
men and children, that were left un
protected on the surrounding planta
lions, which caused the men who ba
been defending the place to start TO
their homes to project their families
Austin was soon left without any dc
tenders, except one or two white me
and the negroes came in and took pos
session and proceeded to break Ope
saloons and stores and help themselvei
At last accounts they had committe
no acts of violence towards the fe'
l. l. a l.