Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-24
OPELIKA.
The Troubles Renewed-An All Night
FusiIade-Military Sent to the Town
Ex-MayOr Dunbar in Custody-The
Situation.

The Troubles Renewed-An All Night
FusiIade-Military Sent to the Town
Ex-MayOr Dunbar in Custody-The
Situation.
MONTGOMERY, ALA, Jan. 23.-The
Opelika riots are renewed. The Mont
gomery military are under orders and
ready to go to the scene of trouble.
Yesterday evening the Marshal, ap-
pointed by the Commissioners, who con-
stitute the municipal authorities of Ope-
lika, attempted to arrest a man who was
violating the town laws. The arrest was
resisted, and eX-MayOr Dunbar and his
followers went to his rescue. The Mar
shall summoned posse of citizens, and
the Deputy Sheriff was ordered to support
the Marshal with what other help he
could summon. The attempt to arrest
the offenders was futile from the want of
sufficient force and arms. The number of
the rioters is not known exactly, because
some of them are in building. The re-
sistanceis from men armed with shOtguns
and pistols, and entrenched in their houses
of business.
The President of the Commissioners
telegraphed here: "We have not sufficient
men and arms to overpOwer the resist
ance. To attempt to do so would result in
defeat and bloodshed. Shooting into the
streets in all directions is kept up cont IL
ually, and makes it exceedingly danger
GUS for any one to be in the streets. An
armed mob has taken the town. The
Sheriff is too sick to leave his room. His
principal deputy, Gordon, is present"
About 10 O'Clock to-day the Governor
ordered the Montgomery Greys to be
ready to start at moments notice. They
got togetherin hurry, and the Western
Railroad had a train ready in thirty
minutes. At about 11:30 p. m. they
started, and reached OpeIika, sixty-seven
miles distant, before , O'Clock. The Gov
ernOr received a telegram from Col. l. G..
Jones little before 2 O'clock, announcing
the safe arrival of the Greys at Opelika.
de found all quiet. The Governor
telegraphed to execute and serve
process tonight, if necessary. At 2:45
a. IN. Col. Jones telegraphed that
after consultation with Pinchard they
had decided to arrest the rioters tonight,
and Colonel Lee, the Solicitor, was then
preparing affidayits. The. Governor an
swered: 'Spare no pains to execute the
law night or day, and permit no riOter to
escape" Dunbar is the old Mayor, whose
office was vacated by the act of Legisla-
ture Yacating the town charter and ap-
pointing a commission of five citizens.
Dunbar and his crowd refuse to recognize
the commission and resist its authority.
AS the State Legislature created the com
mission, the Governor will see that the
acts of the commission are sustained at
all hazards.
A dispatch to the advertiser says
Dunbar and others were arrested before
daybreak, and are now out under bonds.
Dunbar defied the Marshal and his posse
yesterday, but is very submissive now,
and offers to assist in getting the rioters
arrested: AT noon to-day everything was
quiet. 1t is feared that, if the military
leave tonight, there will be serious trou-
BILE. Over one thousand shots were fired
last night, but no one was hurt. The
firing was not at persons, but
was due to the general lawlessness
of the mob. Gov. O'Neil has requested
the Judge Of the Circuit Court to hold a
special term to try the law breakers. The
Solicitor went with the military last night
and prepared affidayits on which the war
rants were issued"