Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-08-07
RIOT AND DEATH.
The HOrse-SWappins Mania Cuimi-
mates I'm n Deadly Fracas.

OltlLenf ..
Last Monday was the last public day be-
fore the election and everybody and his
dog came to town to get the latest develop
ments concerning the election. The town
was crowded early with white men and
negroes, some walking and others riding.
The jockey yard was damned by ten o'clock
with horses and mules, varying from the
old stiH-kneed horse with the CHAMBERS 10
the diIapidated sOre-back mule Just out OF
the crop. and thousand men of every
shade and hue pranced their steeds about
and expatiated upon merits an idiot could
see they never had, Dragging and bantering
staggering and sauntering. Fifteen cents
was the outside limit of boot, and bottle
of whisky had the elements of twenty-five
swaps ensconced in its bubbling busthead-
edness. Business was pushed with vim
until about 175 horses, 3Ta mules
and S3.15 had changed hands and 2 o'clock
rolled round, when adifficalty occurred be-
tween a white man named Hays and
negro named Minor Carter, near the town
spring, which eliminated in a serious riot,
resulting in the death of one man if not
two. Minor Carter was at the spring
watering Judge Walkers carriage horses,
when Hays rode up and tantered him for
a swap. Minor told him that they were
not his horses, and if they were he would
not swap for his old stogy. Hays kept in
sisting oD a swap and finally got enraged
and squared himself for fight. Minor ac-
cepted the challenge, dismounted, and the
two EXCHANGED several rocks and blows,
another white man coming to the assist
ance of Hays. A squad of negroes up
about Ben Nelson's grocery on Main street
saw the unequal contest and came rushing
down in line of battle to the scene of the
fraeas, and others, white and black, from
all directions, gathered in, seizing rocks as
they came and dividing off each to assist his
color. Town Constable Jno. A. Richardson,
the arch-peace-forcer of the State, man
who comes nearer being where lie is need
ed at all times than any other man alive,
and one who understands and promptly
and effectually executes his mission as a
mob dispenser and terror of peace breakers,
appeared Just in the midst Of the carnage,
arresting here and there, and succeeding
with menacing gesture and threats in div
ing back the cloud of colored warriors, from
whose serried ranks were being hurled rocks
and missiles until the air was thick with
passing projectiles. Again and again they
rallied and advanced, and again and again
did this powerful one man perform what
host of white opposers were unable TO 90,
until finally, several having fallen and the
white men who originated the trouble
having mounted their horses and fed, the
crowd gave back and all was peace again.
A survey of the battlefield revealed several
men badly used up. Minor Carter re-
ceived several severe ticks aud cuffs, Ben
Nelson, colored, was knocked senseleSs
to the earth, the two white men decamped,
leaving scattering bloOd-drops on their
pathway, and several others received bruises
and knocks Of minor significance. Ben
Nelson was not considered very seriously
hurt until after supper, when his wounds
developed their dangerous character and a
doctor was summoned, but his efforts to
save his life were fruitleSS, and Ben ex-
pired about o'clock \ report also came
TO town after supper, that one Of the white
men fell exhausted, out about Pond Hill
on the Fayetteville road, and had died of
his wounds. This, however, proved to be
a mistake. He fell from bis horse there,
but rallied, remOunted and rode on.
The affair was not directly the result of
political difference, but of whisky and bad
blood. Neither Minor Carter nor Ben Nell
son were considered bad men, and we may
be safe in saying that Minor never would
have brought on the difficulty. He was
quietly attending to his business.