The weekly clarion., 1876-11-08
A THREATEN ED RIOT.
That was Suppressed at ArteSia.
The Whites Call upon the United States
Troops.
Five Hundred Stands of rms Ga p.
tured from dhe Radical Negroes.
A Company of Armed Negroes ride
HntO she Village and ARE Ar
rested and DiSarmed.

| Meridian Mercury.
Wednesday was the appointed day for
Radical meeting at Artesla, and Frazee
and Whitfield were the orators. Negroes
came from everywhere-came with all
the pomp and circumstance OF gelorlous
war in cavalcades, mounted on mule
back chiefly. They came thus in differ
ent and distinct bands from different di-
rectons. When two or three bands had
got upon the ground, line was formed,
dead-line established, and the an
nouncement made that it was death to
cross it until the speaking was over.
Officers with drawn swords walked up
and down the line, and Strengthened it
and put it in military trim,
The whites of Artesia are few in num-
ber; and we will not insult them by in
sinuating that they were intimidated,
but will say, they were cautious and
prudent, and telegraphed to Columbus
the situation, and asked for a company
Of United States troops stationed there
to come to keep the peace.
The people noticed that one of the
bands Of negroes was followed by a fol-
lowed by wagon, that might carry bag
gage, or rati0ns, or something. The wa
gon seemed to have fallen under suspi-
cion, and was probably watched with
cautions and careful eye. Our informa-
ton is, to the tffect, that white man
approached the wagon and enquired of
the driver, or guard, what was In 1t at
the time peering into it to discover that
it was filed with arms. The negro guard,
or driver raised and pointed gun to
shoot him, which he knocked up and in
stantly fired with a pistol, shooting his
antagonist through the mouth. Then
commenced right lively clatter of fire
arms which lasted but for a brief time
That beautiful line broke into about five
hundred pieces in less time than it takes
to tell it, and frighted-not intimidated
negroes were scattered in flight far over
open fields in many directions. One
large body ran for woods, where, it was
ascertained, they had stacked their arms
before coming to the town. Frightened
and riderleSs mules with saddles ran wild
though the fields, and, altogether, there
was a scene of wild confusion. Five ne
groes were wounded by the fusilade, two
of them believed to be certainly mortally
wounded.
The body of negroes who had stacked
their arms in the woods rallied upon re-
covering them, reformed and threatened
to charge the town. The whites were so
few, and there being a scarcity of arms
besides, there was some nervousness at
the situation for time. About this time,
a special train arrived, in answer to the
request for aid, with some United States
troops and citizens, and ended all danger
Of the threatened attack frcm the body
Of negroes in the woods.
1t was after the troops had arrived, a
squad of about 40 negroes, ignorant of
what had happened, or of any order to
secrete arms in the woods, rode as large |
as life right up into the village fully arm
ed and equipped. The soldiers made
them sensible Of the situation, which was,
doubtless, surprise to them, by disarm-
ing them.
Something more than hundred stand |
Of arms were captured.
Frazee and Whitfield, when the bat
lie commenced, took counsel of their
guilty fears and locked themselves up in
room in the hotel, and, even then came
lear falling victims to the just indigna-
iop of the people. A small body of
ome eight or ten resolute and discreet
nen stood guard over the entrance, and
With appeals to reason and sober sense,
lot unmixed with threats, kept back the
urious people who would have dragged
hem forth and shot or hung them on the
pot, and saved them.