The Indianapolis journal., 1885-02-01
EARLY RACE MOBS.
Further Incidents of the QuarrelS in the
Young Days of Indianapolis.

Since the publication of the account of some Of
for the punishment of the first case of miscegen-
alton. the Journals informant has learned some
interesting particulars from old residents still
living here. who were present The time was
the year 1889, about the time the oanal was COM
pleted from here to Broad Ripple. The wedding
of the coi0red gentleman and the white female
organist took place at Crowder's house. at the
ford of the river ON the Crawfordsyille road just
below the little village at the iron bridge on the
same road. Crowder was for some years the
keeper of the most fashionable restaurant, if not
the first one in the town, in the room in Black
fords frame block Southeast corner of Wash
ington and Meridian streets, where the present
big Blackford brick block stands, afterwards oc
cupied for the same business by John Hodgkins,
who opened the first ice-cream garden
here in 1842, where ST. Johns Cathedral is.
The traditions of that time say that Crowder
was the original oyster dealer and cook, though
his goods were all of tho canned and picked va
.1ety. fresh oysters not being capable Of trans
portaton in Conestoga wagons in the days be-
fore railroads. Be that as it may, he was the
most aristocratic darkey in town-a half blood
of unusually good features and more than av-
race. except possibly the late Augustus Turner.
After keeping his restaurant for some years,
he bought this farm at the Charlottesville ford,
and moved out there. It was there the hemp
stacks were burned in the spring of 1843 the light
of which scared some of the Second Advent peo-
pie of the time so badly. This colored Benedict
and his bride met there to be married.
The officer performing the ceremony was Squire
Thomas Weaver, pretty good shot at turkey
rlatch, and good fellow who 'foved his lush'
number of the young fellows in the town
learned of the affair, and went out to Crowder's,
primarily for mischief, but later for little un-
gentle admonition against the practice instituted
by this enterprising couple, and ''honored in the
breach" ever since. DR.. G. w. Stipp was one of
the party, and he was a leading Whig as we'll
esteemed as any man in the place. Several
joined too, probably to interfere against extreme
measures So the demonstration bore nothing
of party character
The Crowders heard of what was coming
and the bridegroom escaped from the house and
hid himself in an outbuilding, where he remained
q good part of the night, finally escaping without
discovery or injury. The bride was mounted on
horse before one of the leading business men
OF this day, and brought to town to her residence
on North Illinois street. There DR.. Stipp was
called in to advise the lady, and the crowd,
thinking he needlessly long about it, made a
demonstration on the house, which the Doctor
resented in a fiery speech that one of the leaders
resented by knocking him down with club; so
that the only hurt of the whole affair was infct
ed by one of the mob on another. This ended
the ''show." The man was gone, the woman was
nothing more to be done. The woman and her
sister left ana SO did some of the mob, and
never returned. Some never troubled them
selves about the matter.