Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-20


Yesterday morning about half-past seven
o'clock the negro laborers employed in load
ing the steamship Gate City at the Central
Railroad wharyes made demand upon Mr..
q. NJ. Branch, who is in charge, for an in
crease of wages from 81 so to 81, declaring
that they would not work longer at the
present rates. The demand was rather IN
expected, as there had been no previous in
lications of such a course, the men appear
ing to be perfectly satisfied, though II
seems that the strike had been decided
upon at a secret meeting. Mr.. Branch in
formed the negroes that he could not re
spoud TO their demand until he had seen
the agent and laid the matter before him,
and advised them to continue work. Their
course, however, had been determined, and
they all knocked of work aud left the
wharf. The steamer is only partially
|loaded, and Is advertised to sail to-day,
hence this cessation of work occasioned
considerable temporary inconvenience.
After leaving the wharf the men collect
ed on the vacant lots east OF the canal, az
The foot Of the railroad bridge, where their
numbers were largely augmented, crowds
Of females from Cooper Shop lane and the
surrounding precincts having gathered
quickly on the announcement OF the
Strike. These females played 3
very conspicuous part in the subsequent
demonstration, and were exceedingly
.bOisterous, vindictive and violent in their
manner. During the forenoon, however,
here was no active demonstration, and the
negroes, who were engaged under the
Messrs. Dixon Bros. in discharging the
steamship Dessoug, lying at the adjoining
wharf to the Gate City, continued their work
without interruption. They had also
made 3 demand for an increase
: Of wages, but were induced,
! by the promise OF Mr.. Dixon that they
should receive the same compensation as
sthe others obtained, to continue at work.
At one o'clock they knocked off for dinner,
and returned TO their labors shortly after
two O'Clock. They had well patronized the
IbarrOoms in the locality during their dinner
|hOur, and were more or less under the int1u
snce of liquor, quarrelsome, and so careless
lin their work that Mr.. Dixon considered II
advisable to let them 90, and they marched
of ia a bOisterous manner, but made de
5Our, not going by the bridge where the
strikers Of the morning had gathered, and
Who, after stopping work, had been stimu-
lating themselves with whisky. Under the
influence OF the liquor, and aroused by the
linfammatory talk of the negro women these
parties, a bout 2:30 o'clock, took possession of
The railroad bridge and refused to al
low any one to pass to or from the wharves.
The street was blockaded with the drays
loaded with cotton, aud traffic was entirely
.obstructed. Message was sent by private
Telephone from the warehouse OF Messrs.
wv. w. Gordon 81 Co., on River street, near
the bridge, to their Office on the Bay, con-
.veying information of the riot, and asking
THAT the police barracks be notified
The message was at once communicated
Ito the barracks, and Sergeant Harvey gal
Hoped his horse to the scene, two other po-
Ilicemen following. On reaching the bridge
Sergeant Harvey found 1t blocked up with
anegro men aud women. He at once rode
FORWARD and ordered them to disperse. The
acrOwd pressed around him, and showed but
little signs OF obeying. He forced his way
FORWARD, however, when a negro woman
struck him a terrible blow with stick
across the knee, and rush was then made
/ to bear him from his horse. He reached
s over IN his saddle to seize the woman who
had struck him, but was unable to do so on
account of the crowd pressing up and sur
rounding her. He then jumped from his
5 horse with the determination to capture
her, but had hardly touched the bridge
when some villain in the crowd fired
a pistol, the ball striking the Sergeant lit
stle to the rear OF the left side, passing about
an inch below the heart and coursing up
wards towards the right lung, where it
lodged. He drew his pistol after he was
! shot and fired, and one OF the other two DO
slicemen who had come up also fired, but
: with what result IS not known, as, II there
WI they Enpppnnptt
lin getting off.
Sergeant Harvey was at first removed to
sGordon's warehouse, where he was seen by
cdr. Mcfarland, but was subseque y, and
5 as soon as possible, conveyed t. his resi-
sdence, corner of State and JetfeTso- streets,
where he was attended by DR.. Mcfarland
5 and DR.. J. B. Read. His wound is
considered very serious and dangerous,
{ but the ball, evidently being a small one,
sthere Is hope 1t will not prove fatal. His
sconditiOn, however, is regarded with the
sgravest apprehension, though he has the
: best attention. Sergeant Harvey is one Of
; the bravest and most popular officers on the
4police force, aud it was generally regretted
THAT he should have received so serious a
wound at the hands of some worthless ne
gro, who has thus far escaped.
The news Of the trouble soon reached up
stown, and General Anderson, Chief of Pc
7lice, was quickly in the saddle, and ordered
sOut a squad Of fifteen men with muskets
under Sergeant Killougrhy. The policemen
took the street car at the barracks and rode
Ito the corner OF West Broad and BroughtOn
streets, where they disembsrked and double
eouicked to the bridge. The crowd seeing
& the policemen coming with fixed bayOnets
dispersed rapidly. many getting off into the
swamp, and the bridge was at once opened
Z to traffic.
The police remained on duty at the
bridge and in the vicinity until about six
O'Clock, when patrol was thrown cut and
: the remainder Of the squad returned to the
barracks. The situation was then quiet, but
as q matter of precaution the patrol In
s that locality was increased last night
3It is understood there was a meeting at
some place on Fahm street, at which the
strikers determined not to work to-day
without the increase.
q There were sixty negroes engaged during
: the morning discharging and loading the
steamship SsragOssa for Baltimore, under
s Mr.. Merritt W. Dixon, and no trouble was
Experienced with them up to six O'Clock
! AS the steamer has to get CT to-day they
were notified to return to work for the night
About seven o'clock some thirty put in
an appearance and went to work. A crowd
numbering probably one hundred and fifty
collected at the bluff foot OF Lincoln street
near where the steamer is lying, evidently
with the intention of interfering with the
hands, though no demonstration was made J,
as several policemen suddenly appeared
and the crowd soon dispersed along River