The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-01

began to rush through the side streets in
great alarm. He did not see that they were
armed, but they were greatly frightened.
Mayor johnson, Coalitionst, was i'll, but he
dirscted that the control of the police
be for the time given into the
hands OF Colonel George c. Cabe!l,
chairman of the Democratic club of this CITY.
Sergeant Wood, who appeared on the
scene of the riot just as the firing was over,
appealed to the crowd to disperse and to pre-
serve order. He says that most of the whita
men in the crowd were armed, and that
men were coming up with shotguns and
pistols which they had hurriedly procured.
Immediately opposite the opera-house is
Joplin's hardware store, where firearms are
sold, and down the street little way is the
store of ]. e. Schoolield, one of the signers
of the circular, in which firearms are sold.
Tyach, Doe & Co. and two other firms
also sell firearms. When the firing
began and the crowd of white men
rushed down stairs out of the opera
house, the door of Mr. Joplin's place. and
the store of Mr.. Scheduled became blocked
with men demanding arms. Mr. james P
Harrison, leading Democrat, said he tried
to get up to the door of Joplin's to get pis-
toll, and after some difficulty reached it, and
was Informed that they had only a few pis-
tolls, which ''were out of order" He took
one of these and found it as others did who
took the pistols tout of ORDER fully loaded
ana ready IOr use. Inc dealers IN arms say
they sold great many pistols and guns dur
ing the month preceding the election. They
say the early sales were to the negroes, who
bought weapons of inferior quality, and that
the latter sales were to the whites. Mr..
Schoolfeld would not sell pistols to the ne
groes.
While the Danville Grays, under command
of Captain Oliver, were gathering on Main
street preparing to do guard duty, the con-
stantly increased crowd of white men, ali in
tensely excited, surged up Main street toward
the federal building When they reached
| the armory, which is but few steps from
the postoffice, Postmaster Wheeler who was
in his private Office, says he could see Colonel
Cabell addressing large crowd of them very
earnestly. When he finished the men
strolled by the federal building in groups
with their pistols in their hands and their
guns over their shoulders. Some armed
men also appeared on horseback. A half dozen
of the men with arms stopped near the
federal building as If to guard it. Mr..
Wheeler was informed that Colonel Cabelps
speech was made to restrain the crowd OF
armed Democrats from entering the federal
building and going through the office OF
]. B. Raulston, the internal revenue col
lector. Many Democrats have admitted to
your correspondent that the feeling OF indig-
nation was great, and that at this time there
was reason to fear further bloodshed.
Many negroes left the city during the
| they said another massacre of blacks.
When Sunday dawped everybody was appre-
hensive of difficulty during the day.
The churches all neglected to open. The
guards of Colonel Cabell drove about town
with shotguns thrown across their saddles.
Guards withsshotguns over their shoulders,
stood at all the corners, and all white men
walked the streets with pistols protruding
from their outside pockets. There were no
Sunday schools during the day. Wherever
| black men appeared in groups they were
warned to dispense lest gatherings OF them
should excite feeling and lead to another
collision. On Nov, 16 Peter Walters the
negro who was shot in the abdomen on Nov.
3, during the firing on Main street. died
from his wound. coroner's jury WIS.,
tied the body next day. examined wit
ness. who testified that he undressed Wal
| tiers and put him in bed the day he came
home after the shooting. The jury also ex-
amined Dr. NJ. c. Douglas, who made state
ment that he had found Walters with gun
shot wound; removed the bullet from the
left side of bis abdomen; left him doing well,
| and did not see him professionally after Nov.
walked about and, getting worse again, went
home and died. With this light the jury
found that Peter Walters came to his death
on Nov. Is from imprudent exposure and
neglect, after having received a Slight gun
shot wound from the hands of some unknown
| party on Nov. 3. 1888"
The Danville Register of Friday contained
the following advertisement:
Observation-Disclosures and firms borrowed guns
and pistols Of us during the evening of the riot
Some of them have failed to return them, and
1t was impossible in the rush for firearms to
take a memorandum OF the names of all the
parties. we cali upon our friends TO refresh
their memories and examine their premises if
they should find any property of the kind here
advertised, not returned or properly accounted
for, to attend to the matter at once.
TYAeK, DOE & Co.