Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-25
oPELlKA's RIOTS.
A Racy Account OF Life IN q South
ern Town. +.
Aciy Divided Into Two Hostile Camps
Streets Swept by Showers Of BuI-
Iets-Terror Stricken
Citizens.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

who has Just returned from Opelika, Ala,
give the following account of the riots
there: The trouble began on Monday
night of this week. 1t was followed up on
Tuesday and Wednesday nights by stray
shots now and then, announcing the fact
that this cruel war was far from over. 1t
was reserved for Thursday night however,
to witness the big battle of the week, in
which over one thousand shots were fired,
several parties seriously wounded, and: the
| town in state OF the widest anarchy and
turmoil. The correspondent arrived there
Wednesday night, and soon placed himself
| in consultation with
Heads OF the Rival Factions
| into which the town is divided. To dis
cover the cause of the trouble it would be
necessary to 60 back ten years to the mu-
nicipal contest of 1872, when MeSsrs f.
NJ Echols and F. NJ. Dunbar were rivals
| for the mayoralty. This controversy was
rendered still more bitter by the existing
state Of Alabama politics, in which the
negroes were insolent, the white Republi-
cans heartless and unprincipled, and the
white Democrats-the bone and sinew OF
| the place-were held down under the most
| sued was
One or the Most Extraordinary
| in the chapter of corrupt southern politics.
| The streets were taken possession OF by
drunken, infuriated bands OF negroes, ladies
| could not be seen out for fear of insult,
and even life itself was in danger. A few
designing white men, for the possession of
| few petty offices, we're responsible for
| this state of things, and Dunbar, as the
4 .l.&o Il a. ,,oh pf
had to bear the opprobium. What made
| the matter worse was that the candidate
was himself the man who dealt out liquor
by the glass to this savage mob, The
| election proceeded, and result.
| ed in favor of Dunbar, and
| from that time down to the
| present, the annual election has been
| the scene of disgraceful and bloody rows
| But to the present trouble. The reporter
| in his search after details, ran across Bar
keeper Roberts, whe played star partin the
little engagement, and is at present
Undergoing Repairs in the Hospital,
and elected form him the following story:
at was perfect fusiade," said young
Roberts. IL reckon the like of it was never
| seen before. am bar-keeper for Maloney
he has two places-this one here, on
| Chambers street, and another on South
Railroad street. There was good deal OF
| firing going on on the streets. l stepped
out TO McMalney's Railroad street house,
where / was accosted by Blunt Ferril, the
owner of the Little Brown Jug saloon,
| supporter of the Dunbar government, who
asked me what was firing for. | denied
having fired, and passed on. Reaching my
| destination, l found Charley Dick and his
brother, Policeman Dick at Msloney's and
they again sought a difficulty with me,
which was at that time averted. These are
also Dunbar men. Subsequently went to
| Dunbar's barroom, and as | entered the
| door, heard my name used as a matter OF
| debate. Stepping in exclaimed;
clam Here TO Speak for MYSELF"
81 had loaded self-cocker in my hand. 1
so carried it because the police were arrest
| ing men for carrying concealed weapons.
! They allgrappled hold of me-one holding
each hand-another at my back, and others
clubbing me. One of them took a large
decanter and smashed it over my head.
Making a determined effort | wrenChed
my pistol-hand partially lose. and let the
| old gal loose-the FIVE chambers were all
| loaded, and by the time had let them fly
| right and left there was a pretty consider
able scattering. l then bowed to the COM
pany and said:
II wish you all a pleasant evening, gen
tlemen."
Stepping out pulled !he door after me,
when | proceeded up the street. and had
gone about a hundred yards when l was
startled by cry from the railroad track:
Look out, Roberts,"
simultaneously
| VoIley was Fired From Behind Me.
My right leg was instantly paralyzed, my
back felt trickling sensation-a kind OF a
cold chill-and turning half way shouted
back:
You are lot of cowardly wretchesm
Crack, crack, crack, came second vol
| ley-there must have been five guns, and |
| got several light flesh wounds in my left
| breast. The men retired into Dunbar's
| and it was moment or so before realized
my position. i discovered that my pistol
was rendered useless by the cocker having
been shot away. l called ont to young
man near by for a double barreled gun
! which saw him getting ready, but could
not get it. Putting my hand TO my head
found il bare-I had left my hat in Dun
bar's. went and kicked at the door. 1t
was some moments before it was open, and
then there was no one in but the bar-keep-
er, all the rest having escaped through the
back door. got my hat, found my way up
to nay room. DR.. Henderson dressed my
wounds, and here you now see me in the
hospital.
Roberts is good looking, athletic speci-
men of AlabaIla manhood, and looks as il
he could well hold his own in a tusSel with
five men.
The Subsequent Shooting.
81 saw it ALL" said Roberts roommate,
Mr. Schaffer, land ii was the work of the
Dunbar officials. After they had retired
from the contest with Roberts there was
few minutes quiet, Then bang! bang! re-
ports of guns and pistols were heard in va
rious parts of the town. 1t was evident
| tl,atN Nha nnp phor had ratiraH for
ammunition as we'll as reinforcements,
when they again sailed forth and took
possession OF the town. They went to Ma
ioney's and riddle his shutters with shots,
one of which went through the window,
across the desk and into the side OF one of
the pigeon holes, so that il MIR. Maloney
had been at his desk be would have been
pierced through the brain. They then
went TO the bank and began fusilade upon
it, one of the window panes being pierced
fifteen times. During the night Griggs was
slightly wounded, and several Others were
Scratched and Bruised
"How do you explain it that the casual
ties were no greaterY -,
Everyone kept closed doors, and the
riotous city officials did not load their guns
properly-the charges were too heavy. This
state of affairs lasted until daylight, when
the people timidly ventured to come out
and learn of the nights work. Four police
men in one group did the shooting around
Maloney's."
Mr.. Billiard, a respectable farmer of Lee
county, who was standing at the depot,
witnessed the firing from Dunbars at Rob
erts. He says there were five men, with
double barrelled shotguns. They came out
on the sidewalk, ranged themselves in
line, and deliberately pulled down on Rob
erts. and followed it with second yolley,
when they retired.
Thursday Nights Assassination.
As dark sgain approached the scenes of
the previous night gave promise of being
repeated. Mr.. German, worry citizen Of
the city, father of Conductor German, and
his SON, John, were at the depot until IL
O'Clock waiting for the train. Proceeding
down the railroad on their way home, they
had not gone far when their progress
vas arrested by number OF shots hired
from behind cover of fence. The old
gentleman, over sixty years Of age, received
bullet in the calf Of the leg and was Grip