The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-20
BREAD RIOT IN RICHMOND.

Dixie in Washington Post
1t was in the early part of the late war, in,
think, the second year Our armies (the confed
erae) had been generally successful and there was
as yet little Of that great suffering to which the PEG
pie of the south were afterward TO be reduced. The
dearth OF men in Richmond made it necessary to
employ a large force Of women in the various de-
partnents of the government. great many Of them
refugees, and many from the Oldest and wealthiest
Of southern aItstocratc families.
The treasury department occupied on Broad
street in Richmond large store, and in that store
number Of ladies were occupied in numbering
and signing coupon bonds, and others in signing
ana numbering tae one and two dollar notes with
which the coniederacy was flooded.
One afternoon there was Il rumor in Richmond
that body of disordcrly women and boys had as
sembled on the Capital square, clamorng for bread.
1t was asserted TINT Governor Letcher and the
mayor of the city had addressed them in the inter
est of law and order and promised them relief.
But yet little was known for certain, and
gave the rumor little thought as walked up Broad
street the next morning toward the department now
only few squares of.
BREAD, bread; give us breadY' amid pandemo-
MUM of yclls, startled me.
AS turned in alarm, q scene met my eyes that /
will not soon forget
Pouring ont of side street a motley crowd Of
women and boys surged up in my wake to the very
building that was my goal. II striking and
unique hiBht-ilpt u YIslDle, Dut every WOHldu
in the city seemed to be there, yelling for bread.
For me to be thus the unwilling leader of mo-.
was anything but pleasant sensation, and, hasten
Ing my steps reached the department just before
1t was closed against the mob Hating in front Of
the building they vainly sought to force en-
trance. Fearing that they might have firearms our
chief had given orders that the ladies should keep
clear Of the windows, But Mother Ewes vice got
the better of us, and we eagerly watched the crowd
as they battered at the DOORS at the same tire de-
manding that the money SHOULD be given up TO them
FoilGd III tIeig attempt to obtqip The govern
mepts currency, they turned their attention to
other more accessible plunder, miiners'
shop ana a shoe store were quickly sacked and thei
contents appropriated pecked with the unlawful
spoil they next proceeded to break in bakery and
appeasc their furnished stomachs by emptying the
flour into the streets and trampiing the bread be-
meath their feet While employed In this congenial
occupation they were interrupted by the arrival ola
detachment of soldiers sent by The governor to dis
persc the rioters The troops opened fire with blank
cartridges with no other effect than causing laugh
and JeeIs from the mob, who seemed amused The
llundering continued, and there seemed no way of
dispensing them without using bullets, which the
soldiers were unwilling to do. Finally, by charging
with the bayonets, the military managed to
stampede tho crowd without however
woundng any Of them They returned to their
homes and gave no further trouble. TO the credit
Of the women of the south, it should be said that
the women who inspired the riot though in the
south were not of il, but the wives principally of
foreigners, who, when the war broke ouI, went
north leaving their wives 20 carry on their market
gardens and shops i'll Richmond and thereby save
their property. The leader of the riot, market
gardener, was said to be worth $1,000 in gold
Many of the participants were known to be almost
rs rich but their victims were reduced to poverty
The leader of the rioters sentenc I'd TO the pepi-
tenterr 1t was thought in Richmond that II was
concocted with view Of making the cause of the
conicdcIacy appear more desperate than II then