The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-11
RIOTOUS NEGROES.
THEY BEAT ONE REPUBLICAN, AND
STONE THE HOUSE OF ANOTHER.

The Republicans and negroes had
joint parade, Saturday night, which was
attended with a disgraceful riot, for
which q negro organization known as
the Seventh Ward Pioneer Club was
solely responsible.
The trouble occurred about 10 O'Clock,
on Fourth street, between jefferson and
Madison, aud 1t grew out of the most
trivial pretext. Mr.. A. j. Springer, liv-
ing on Jackson sti eet between Third and
Fourth, who is good and stalwart Re-
publican, was standing on the sidewalk,
accompanied by his little son James and
his daughter Louise. The boy had a
small drum which lie beat in honor of
the proce ssion, but as the negroes in the
rear began to pass by, they seemed to
think the childish music was not intend
ed as a compliment and INDUCED in a
variety Of growls. However, no open
demonstration was made until the Sew
entb Ward Pioneer Club, negroes, who
wear helmets with torches in them, filed
past, and their appearance apparently
seeming ludicrous 20 the little fellow, he
exclaimed to his father, "Oh, look at the
balloons, with lights on their heads"
A big negro at once left the ranks and
approached the boy, with the evident in
tention OF striking him, when Mr.. Sprin-
ger, Of course, interfsred. Then tue
negro attacked him, and being at once
backed up by his comrades, Mr.. Sprin-
ger found himself in a bad fix. A fierce
crowd OF negroes attac ked him on every
hand. They threw him down and
held him, at the same time
raining blows upon him, thick and fast.
One negro made blow at him with an
axe, which was warded off by the boy,
when the fiend turned upon the little
fellow, aud struck hun a blow across the
back that almost knocked the breath out
of him.
AN ATTEMPT AT MURDER.
During all the melee Mr.. Springer's
daugHter cluDg to him and when the at
tackiDg negro knocked him down she
threw her arms around his head, in q
vain endeavor to shield him from the
blows that were coming from all direc-
tions. One negro, armed with that fsv.
orite Republican weapon-a razor
stopped down, deliberately pulled The
girls arms away and made blow al
Mr.. Springer's head with the murderou,
weapon. Fortunately, owing 10 the con
fusion, bis aim was renaered uncertain
aud only slight cut was inflicted where
a death stroke was certainly intended.
All this occupied not more than two
M nutes, but it created an intense ex
element. The rear of the parade halt
| ed, aud the negroes rushed about with
their faring torches, many Of them no
knowing the occasion oil the disturbanc,
and anxious only for a fight. All ap
peared To be armed with pistols, and II
an instant the weapons were out ant
shots followed each other so quickly tha
IJ appeared as though miniature bat
tie was In progress. The sidewalks wer
crowded with spectators, among WHOM
The grea est pauic prevailed, the womeI
and children running in all directions l.
yet out of range OF the reckless shooters
| Fortunately most of the pistols wer
fred in the air, and as far as can be as
certained no one was struck by the stra
shots.
HOUSE ASSAULTED.
| Meanwhile, Mr.. Springer sncceede
/ in getting away from his asSailants, an
| tolIo we'd by his two children he rusnt
into the house of John II. Graham, Nc
6l5 West Fourth street, which. the own
| or being q staunch Republican, was bri
| hautly Illuminated. The iniuriated nt
groes attempted to follow Mr.. Syringe
into the house, but the appearance
Mrs, Graham in the vestibule, and he
| remunstrances restrained them. A
though they remained outslde their fur.
wa3 unappeased, and they instantly raj q
cd shower of stones upon the house,
One Of the stones, weighing about 81:
pounds, went crashing through the VIII
dow, BhatterinR the glass aud carrylD
avay the 10 ver part of the sash. Othe
.tones also went throu' the wlnde'
| aud into the room until the floor wa
tbickly strewn With the dangerous mi,
| ,iles, M bsrs of Mr.. Graham's famil
we're in he parlor at the time and 1t
wonderful how they escaped injury
When the negroes tired Vf discharf
ing pist. IL and throwing stones at M
Graham's house they reformed In lin
and marched on, and soon the usui
p,ace and quiet was restored to th
neighborhooi. Mr.. Springer was the
assisted home and his injuries attende
to; fortunately they were not serious
though he wss sorely bruised from bea
60 fsot, His little boy tainted from tn
excitement, and his daughter suffere
severely from the shock occasloned
the affair.
RADICAL EXCUSES.
The Republicans tried desperately
invent some excuse for the senseless a
,ault upon Mr.. Springer, by the negroes
but they failed. Their only reason wa
the ridiculous one that some mysteriot
boy "must have" thrown stone int
he ranks and thus angered the ordina
lily pea, eful and lamb-iike negroes. NJ
Graham keenly feels the base ingrat
tsde of the negroes in assau'uug 10
nIly house in the .quare that was Ill
, minated IN honor of the procession
Later In the evening anothet distur
ance occurred near Eighth and Popl'
streets where small boy threw stoi
through transparency and another DC
got thrashed for II. Many OF the me
10 line, black and white, were so drum
thoy could scarcely march ana un1'
! the circumstance 1t was lucky more ~
2 aud assaults did not result from this di
orderly Republican Demonstration
- . Al