The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-01
GRAPHIC LETTER FROM MEMPHIS.
Present Condition of the City Schemes
for Fraud. Work Of the HOwards..
Scenes in Court and Camp..The
Prospects, etc., etc.
Corresnondence of the Star.

it is voice from the grave, so still and so
silent is the generally bustling Bluff City.
Were an absent Memphian to return now
he would scarcely recognize his own hearth
stone, if perchance he remained out of the
lookup longenough to make note of any
thing. That one may understand fully the
present situation, brief summary of pre-
ceding events is almost essential.
Less than three months ago the city was
teeming with busy population, whose
hopes beat high for the future.
The still small voice which ominously
whispered yellow fever was silenced by one
and all, but at last would be heard. Its
tones swelled in volume and flew from
mouth to mouth in an incredibly short
space OF time. . The people rolled out
in one grand tempestuous stream, which no
power on earth could have checked. Busi-
ness houses were closed and dwellings simply
slammed to-" Money was, in more than
one instance, left in the till of the store and
yaluabes scattered over the floor of my
lady's boudoir," creating a splendid field
for the operations of the burglar and sneak
thief, which has not been left uncultivated.
This great tide has gradually ebbed and
Memphis is now barren Shore the vessel
of Hope stranded upon her sands. The sun
riding at midday in the heavens seems a
cruel mockery and its broad light casts no
shadow but that of despair.
Main street is one long line of desolation.
This once busy thoroughfare is only now
and then dotted with an empty street car
moving patiently along, cart hauling the
effects of some poor family to the depot
nearest the camps, a doctors buggy. or the
dreary carriage of the dead. Even this last
seems more solemn and ominous than ever
before This street possesses few attractions
even to the remaining Memphians but the
hall occupied by the Howard Association
as its headquarters is one OF them. This
place is crowded from morning until night
with throng of men and women of all ages
and conditions, anxious to procure situa-
tions as nurses. few of them, however, ever
having nursed single patient.
Various schemes are formed for money
making by few who have brains enough
10 swindle the poor negro.
One of the latter, however, having a
higher order of intellect than most of his
class, has been ring leader among the
schemers. He is or was employed as por-
ter by the Howards, and claimed on that
account great influence over their delibera-
tions. A ring was formed, each member
wearing badge and having the promise of
this scheming sinner, to whom each one
had already paid rs cents, that he would
procure them positions in preference to
to every one else. They stipulated to pay
him SO cents out of the first money received
for their services. This was of course a
fraud, and the rascal soon got his deserts
The man who wears the horns of the
Howard Association is its President, A. D.
Langstaff He is man of medium hight,
of an elastic, wiry frame, troubled eye,
and quick, nervous movements His head
is fiery red, showing temper as quick and
agile as his manners. He is the most in
domitable worker, goes night and day,
seeming never to tire.
Having the advantage of an almost nm
limited experience, combined with mind
volatile in eXpedients, he is best fitted OF
almost any man in the South for his posi-
tion-and knows it. While in the way OF
drawing pen pictures, it would not be
amiss to mention D. T. Porter, the President
of the Taxing District. He it was who
labored so hard for the establishment OF
this new Government, and now to preserve
ltS IltcTtStS anu lto low ICtiltiAluE lilidD-
itants. By the new system an immense
called upon to fill the place of a Mayor,
dermen. He is Of good figure, his hair
slightly tinged with gray, a moustache, "a
la Bismarck" and steel blue eye, which
seems to take in the situation at glance.
AS an offset to these men, Memphis has
such creatures as Edward Shaw and the
shyster lawyers, the latter of whom fre.
quent the magistrates courts, striving fol
q fee of dollar, to turn loose upon tht
community the criminals who have beer
arrested the night before.
These magistrates courts are a sickenine
and degrading sight. They are thronged al
all hours with dirty, ragged crowd of ne
groes and low whites who indulge from
time to time in loud and uproarousi merri
nent at the expense of some poor victim
as ragged, filthy and low as themselves, il
many cases driven to crime as the natura
consequence of the gaunt and CHASTITY phan
tom, want, which stalks abroad. They art
deprived of pity, in great measure, as ont
resource is left them-the camps WHERE
they are offered food and shelter free O
charge. The avidity with which a certain
class Of lawyers and constables grasp thes'
miserable wretches is appalling; and tn,
rigor with which these cases are prosecuted
the low means used to gain ends, is revolt
ing to every sense of feeling or even jus
tice. The large mass Of negroes have moth
ing to do, and demonstrate but too clearly
the truth Of the saying that IAN idle brair
is the DEVILS workshop"
Next to the Magistrates Courts, the prin
cipal place of attraction is, in the evening
the Parade Ground on the bluffs in from
of the city. The grounds are enclosed by
railing four feet high, about which guard
are stationed to prevent the entrance o
those who have no business there. Th'
field presents quite a marshal appearance
the tents of the Mcclellan Guards (colored
being on one side, and those of the Zouave
(colored) on the other, set off by severa
United States flags and beaIning Napoleon
gun, placed in the center of the grounds
A band of music discourses the most mar
tial airs about sunset. dress parade hour
which is witnessed by hundreds of negroes
whose old animosity towards the soldiers i
fast wearing away, their heats melted by tn
music. tt
Besides this camp, which is strictly mill
tary, numerous Others are established il
the neighborhood of the city, the mos
prominent being Camp Marks and CAM