New-York tribune., 1878-10-24
THE INSURRECT1ON IN SANTA cRUz.


DESCRIPTION OF THE PILLAGE, PLUNDER AND MUIR
DER-EsTATEs RCINED-A WORK OF BLIND
FURY.
TFROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUNE.l
ST. THOMAS, West Indies, Oct. 10.-I have
endeavored collect all possible information concern
ing the insurrection in tho ncgbborng island of Santa
Cruz and able to give you the following sketch of
the affair." St. Croix Santa Cruz is the most import
ant OF the Danish West IndaiIsands it has about 27
600 Inhabitants of which least our-hfths
or nulattoes. LabOrers employed the plantations
at the OF about cents per day with food cloth
ing and lodging Town laborcrs receive about twenty
FIVE per day ana take OF themselves There
is no slavery the isaud The whole island is covered
with prosperous sugar estates ana the abOrers for these
ara ATTAINED by annual contract The contracts are
made on the lst of October ana on their expiration
many negroes cnaDge their masters or leave the island
Changes Of this kind with the unhnking negroes are
often the occasion OF excitement ana there nave Decn
slight disturbances from year 20 year
From latest advces 1t would appear that there was
some KIND Of preconcered arrangement among the
leaders OF the nsurrection hut this organization an
exceedingly crude The first disturbances occurred
M where the disbanded abOrcrs INDUCED
freely i'm lguOr. The small police force attempted 10
disperse them but the negroes resisted WIN Stones ana
other missiles and the soldiers length Obliged TO
ptre within the dsmantIed fort where the police quar-
placed. The mob DrokG uO"h Iie OteI aooI
but the inner one resisted their blows Tue police ied
at first with blank cartridges when the mob retired to
the street. and began general and systematic pllage
and destruction O the town, burning, first goods from
the and then the stores themselves Page does
been their object either here or elsewhere
nor cases. did they seek the lives OF those whose
property they destroyed there wild desire 10
do as much harm the island possible without seek
Ing benefit for themselves
On the succeeding morning October 2). Lieutenant
OseImann marched down from Chrisiaustad To Freder
icksted, with twenyseYen sOlderaall that were avail
able. Fortunately the mob possessed hrcannS and
Ostermaun able 20 clear the town and relieve the
police garrison a the fort in the street battle which
took place. and elsewhere, thrtyaine OF The rioters
were shot, and Mr.. FOntane, with two soldiers who
had been detailed TO guard him ON the high road,
brutally murdered. The mob, driven from the town.
now began pillage the estates and II Is not too much
to say that the whole island has been desOcd by them
Three million dollars is set down the total loss and
fotyfOur estates have been entirely destroy ed while
thirty-four little better than ruined News had b1cn
received IN st. Thomas, aud on the I'd, ut o'clock, Gov
ernOr Garde started for santa Cruz with fty soldiers
irving Barsln before dark For his transportation the
Il. NJ steamer ArnO placed at his disposal by the
company. Under the command OF Captain Baron Won
Eggers the troops moved during the night TO
Kings Hill station, near the centre OF the island, but
without encountering the rioters. On the next day
October 81 they found the rioters at Annas Hope Plan
tation. Barsn. and put them flight killing eight
This virtually put END 60 the work OF destruction.
The insurgents attacked also at other places and
they had no firearms they easily routed. At
this date October l0 about 700 insurgents have been
captured, aud about l,tOo-possbly 2,0o0-are still