The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-09-16
CHARLESTON RIOTS.

OTIS, and the feeling of hostility between tht
opposing parties is rapidly becoming more
intensified, so that the city rests as if on vol
cano. The trouble is purely political, and
has its origin in the fact that number OF ne
groes of that city have attempted to organize
democratic club and hold democratic meet
ings, a privilege which the mass Of the re-
publican negroes, cgged on by white leaders,
are determined they shall not exercise. Every
attempt of the democratic negroes thus far 10
hold meeting has been broken up by re-
publican negro mob, and now the white dem
ocrats are arming to protect the democratic
negroes in their rights. OF course Attorney
General Taft, in stationing troops In differ
ent parts of the south TO protect the negroes
IN the exercise of their political rights
takes no notice Of these troubles at Charles
ton, though single company of L. 5. troops
in the city would be abundant to maintain
perfect order
With this Introduction, the following ex.
tracts from Charleston papers, both repHbli-
can and democratic, will be Ineligible:
The Charleston Nelrs and Courier Of the 9Th
SAYS of the scenes in that city during and sub
se1uent to the riots of Wednesday night.
Yesterday morning the white men IN the
community were evidently deeply stirred. A
meeting of the officers of the various rifle
clubs was held at eleven O'Clock, and a reso-
luton was adopted offering their services to
the municipal authorities to quell any riot
that might take place in the city that the
authorities were pOwerless TO quell. 1t was
at the same time determined TO afford pIotec
ton to all colored democrats who desired to
speak at the meeting which was to be held in
the evening, and with this view the various
companies were ordered to assemble at their
armories, there to await orders. AT 3o'clock
il was known that Mr.. j. NJ. Buckner, who
was wounded in the riot on Wednesday night
had died of his wounds. The coroner was
notified of the fact and at once impaneled
jury of inquest, who were adjourned over I'M
III today. The gentlemen who had been ar
rested and rescued by the police on the night
of the riot, appeared before Justice Hutchin.
son and gave bond for their appearance at a
future time, should they be called upon.
BY O'Clock p. NJ the younger portion OF
tho white male population OF the city were
out under arms, having been supplied by their
leaders With an abundance OF ammunition.
Both sides, however, kept within their res
pective rendezvous, and collision was thus
avoided. The Butler guards attended the col
ored democratic meeting in body, battsl'
ION of one hundred men having been sent to
the upper wards II look after things in that
quarter. During the evening there were sew
ersl interchanges of shots, in one of which, in
King near Wentworth street, a colored man,
name unknown, was slightly wounded. A
strong police force was thrown out on the
streets, however, and very few disturbances
occurred. The lsw-abldinG white citizens OF
Charleston have determined to allow no more
BULLYING of colored democrats In this city,
and the sooner the black mob and their lead.
ers recognize the fact, the sooner We will have
quiet ia the community"
The same paper gives long list of white
men who were set upon and beaten with clubs
and brick bats during the night by gangs OF
negroes.
Il appears that there were in the city at the
time of the riot number of white men s ward
and district organizations, which were provi
ded with arms These clubs do not seem -
have been called out In time TO render any
service against the negroes. Maj. I. q. Bar.
ker, democratic candidate for congress, WAS
supposed to be in command OF these forces,
but he states, In a published address, That he
commanded only a single club, and does not
desire to be held responsible for the MONACO
ton of the whole body. He says: Having
accidentally had command, last night, of the
only armed force of white men who reported
for duty, after notice of the riot in the upper
wards had reached them, / hold myself &C
countable to the public for my conduct oil
that force. After the first notices that the riot
in the upper wards had ceased, and that the
mob had broken up, and was dispensing, and
that the white men In those wards had gone
home, had been received, 1 was called on TO
take my command then after midnight and
go after the negroes in the upper wards. This
declined to do. There is no doubt that, by
attacking the first party of negroes, whom
might, by chance, have met on such an eX-
petition, | had the opportunity within my
grasp of bringing on fight with the negroes,
and we might have killed a coed many of
them, but this would have reformed the mob
and drawn the whole excited mass of rioters
down into the lower wards, and then have
started new riot. decided not to bring on
this fight, under the circumstances, but 10
postpone Mis encounter, IN order that, when
made, il may be more eiiectual, and that more
white men might have the opportunity under
their officers. and with the help of concerted
ACTION, 10 engage III tIt StlAltlhtnA Ol tue IS
sue which the negroes, unchecked by their
leaders, have raised with the white people Of
Charleston. Let every white man report tor
duty To some organization, and remain under
orders from this time until this Issue is set.
tied"
The Ners and Courier, in It's editorial com.
ment of the affair, says: And now, a word
of advice 10 the men who are at the bottom
of all this turbulence and trouble in our usu-
ally quiet city. They are well known, though
they do not figure at the head of any of the
black gangs who have spread alarm and dis
order IN the community. II Is known, also,
how easily and absolutely they can control,
whenever they choose, the poor Ignorant rab
BILE who make up the party Ii Is time for
them, for their own sake, 10 exercise this con.
troll, in the interest Of public peace and order
II will no doubt be highly proper thing for
them 10 deplore the consequences oi another
riot. after il is too late TO avert them. Bot We
warn them that this may not be enough "a
satisfy the citizens whose homes and families
are endangered
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