The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-06-21
A COLORED DEMOCRAT
WHOSE ATTEMPT TO VOTE PRECIPI-
TATED A RIOTIN THE OLD DAYS.
Ex.Chief of Police Richards Gives for
the First Time His Account of the
Election Troubles of 1S80-Face to
Face with Death

nv "ith Dehtu
Many old residents will recall the troublous
times OF what is known as the "Bowen re-
gime" and the reign of terror that prevailed
In some sections of the city on election days.
The negroes who had hocked here from all
parts OF the South after the war, who had
been recently invested with the suffrage and
who had little comprehension of the rights
and duties OF citizenship, literally held the
city and Its citizens by the throat. Liberty
and the right OF suffrage to the most of them
were synonymous terms with riot and an
archy. Led on by few irresponsible whites,
who claimed to be 'original Republicans and
Abolitonists," " the negroes committed acts of
lawlessness which would not be tolerated,
under other conditions, in any other city of
the country. But the times and the condi-
tions, were favorable to such excuses here in
the Capital City of the nation.
Matters had come to such q pass that repu-
table white citizens would not go to the polls
to cast their votes. In fact, 1t was dangerous
to do SO, as long before the polls opened the
voting precincts were surrounded by mob
OF negroes, many Of them drunk and dsor-
derly, and eager to set upon and slash white
Democrat upon the slightest pretext. The
only negro who, as far as the writer recolleots,
dared to attempt to cast Democratic ballot
In those times was mulatto named Charles
Stuart, left-hanaed scion of the Stuarts of
Chantilly, Va. He was at once set upon by a
bowling mob of colored men, and only escaped
with his life through the brave Intervention
OF the chief of police, A. c. Richards,
with his mounted force. In the
tight that ensued one negro was shot
dead while attempting to shoot Major Rich
ards, and more than hundred others of the
mob were more or less dangerously wounded.
For many years it has been believed that the
officer who fired the shot which saved his
chiefs life was Private Hopkinson. Such was
the bitter feeling among the negroes against
MIN that he was discharged from the force
and position obtained for him in another
city.
But history Is not always to be relied IN, as
the statement OF Major Richards, made re-
Gently to HERALD reporter, will show He
said: II have never given the facts about that
natter TO any one for publication. But on cleo
tion day, 1869, had about twenty mounted
men in reserve. A little after 10 O'Clock noon
word was sent to me that there was riotous
crowd at the corner of Twelfth street and Mas
sachusetts avenue. drove up there in my
buggy and found two or three thousand col
ored people had surrounded house in which
colored man named Charles Stuart had
taken refuge. He had been driven there be-
cause he wanted to vote the Democratic
ticket pushed my way through the angry
nd.story window, if he wanted to vote. He
replied that he did. 1 then said to him:
wait until l RETURN l then went
back to headquarters ana ordered
out the mounted reserves and went
with them to the place where Stuart was sur
rounded by this mob. I drew the police up
in front of the house and then told Stuart to
come down where l was and l would protect
MIN. He came down, and when he did so he
looked more like white than colored man,
shu In tha f.;,. II
came up to my side and l had the police form
q hollow square about him. We proceeded
Then in that form to the polling place, on
thirteenth street, above X. No disturbance
took place except the continuous hooting and
yelling OF about 5000 negroes until we
reached there.
"Arriving at the polls saw that Stuart was
permitted TO cast his vote. Then l turned
from the polls to take him away--the
mounted police still surrounding him. AS
soon as he started away the mob began to
throw bricks and stones. The missiles were
doubtless directed at Stuart, but some Of
them struck the policemen and myself
AS we proceeded toward X street a
burly negro, named Smith, broke through the
ranks Of the police and attacked Stuart, by
whose side was. l seized Smith and showed
him back, at the same time ordering the
mounted men to wheel into position and fire
into the mob, which they did. At the same
time Stuart, beside himself with fear, broke
and ran down Thirteenth street, part of the
mob following him. Smith drew his revolver
and began firing at me. l had nothing to de-
fend myself with save the half of walking
cane. All l could do was to thrust aside the
pistol with my cane While l was In this
almost helpless condition, Tending off his
pistol shots, saw him aim and level his pistol
at some one in another direction. About the
same instant Lieutenant Essex, of the George
town precinct, rode up and placed his revolver
within two or three feet of Smiths head and
fired, the ball passing through his neck halow
the jaws.
"You must understand, to account for the
comparatively small number of casualties
amid so much firing, that, at that time, the
police were armed with weapons to suit them
selves. When 1t was seen that such small pop
gums would not do in quelling mob the Navy
pistols were substituted by the local govern
ment During that riot a number of the
policemen and their horses were wounded, but
It would be difficult to estimate how many of
the rioters received injuries, either superficial
or fatal''