The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-12
WAR OF nACEs- N .afassrssIppI.
FIGHTING Anose walrrs AND BLACKS.
The Negroes sEIasperated and threatening
A Town to be Given to tfse Flames-Re-
pulsed with Loss of Life, Etc, Etc.

MEhPHg, Tenn, August ia special tx
the appeal from Helena, Ark, received a
$3.50 this morning says:
sat II O'Clock last night three ladies and
two gentlemen arrived here from Austin ia
skif and report considerable fighting late
yesterd day evening. The comumndsnt or the
post, whose name edo not learn, dispatched
a scout Of twenty-five pen on the road to
Cold water station, on the Mississippi and
Tennessee railroad, and captured picket OF
twenty negroes who were stationed about
twenty miles from town, and brought them
in prisoners and dIsaTmed them. One OF
them, as they were being brought into the
courthouse yard, tried to make his escape,
when he was fired on and killed, and in the
melee which ensued another negro was
wounded, but not fatally.
I" Later in the evening larger body Of
negroes advanced from the South and at
tackled the town, driving in the white
skirmishers TO the courthouse where the
main body Of the whites were stationed. A
charge was made by the whites, and the ne
groes were repulsed with the loss of several
killed and wounded. The fighting was
going on when our, informants left, and they
were fired upon as they crossed over 10 Ship
island"
A second dispatch from Helena says:
Msjor Ham Chalmers, Of fernando, has
just arrived here for the purpose of charter
ing boat to take men to the assistance of
the whites in Austin. He says a courier
from Mayor Woodson, of Austin, reached
fernando at daylight stating that the
town was surrounded by about 1000 ne
grocs, and asking for help. About 200 men
from fernando and vicinity will be here
at O'Clock, and in company with vol
unteers from this city will start at
o'clock for Austin. DR.. Smith,
who is the unfortunate cause Of trouble
there, reached here last night. Some three
weeks since be was attacked in the streets Of
Austin by negro, and, drawing pistol,
fired at the negro, but missed him and killed
a little negro girl standing by, which eXas-
perated 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 entreaties OF Mayor
Woodson and the Doctors wife. Since that
time DR.. Smith has been voluntary inmate
Of the JUL TO prevent being mobbed, until
last Friday, when some friends came and car
ried him to fernando; on learning which
the negroes collected in large numbers and
notified the Mayor that unless he was brought
back and put in Jail they would burn the
town.
Later.-The third dispatch to the Appeal
from Helena says: kilograms are being
received from the vicinity of Austin asking for
men, arms, and ammunition, stating that un.
less the whites, who are surrounded in the
courthouse are speedily relieved, they will
be forced to surrender or he captured. The
steamer A. j. White has been chartered to
leave at O'Clock, and will carry large
number of men well-armed."
Another dispatch TO the same paper says :
"The negroes surrounding Austin we're
charged on the south this morning by body
of mounted whites, who killed four or fiye
and captured twenty negroes. The blacks
number about seven hundred. The whites
have about two hundred. Both parties are
expecting reinforcements. AT present the
whites have the best OF the fight. The negro
hands on plantations opposite, on the Arkan-
sas side, are arming, and marching ON Aus
tin in large numbers.