New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-16
THAT JACKSONVILLE RIOT.
CAUSED BY THE RECKLESS TALK OF A
FEW MEN.
NEGROES EXCITED OVER THREATS. OF LYNCH
ING-HOw ORDER WAS RESTORED.

long residence-to give an impartial account OF all
hat occurred. While the regular press report ana
the newspaper specials That have read do not
misrcpresent the affair, their necessary brevlty
and their confinement to strictly live news features
have rendered them not little misleading. In
brief the circumstances leading up TO the riot are
these:
About O'Clock on the Fourth OF July Benjamin
Reed, colored teamster in the employ OF the
Anheuscr-Busch Brewing Association In this city
struck g. Frank Burrows, the shipping clerk. In the
head with dray stake. fracturing the skull. from the
effects OF which died about hours after
ward Burrows was white man loss than twenty
one years OF age ordinarily pcaccably disposed anu
very gentlemany IN his department. But on this
occasion he annoyed at the delay Of Reed In
returning from his delivery of goods, the shipping
clerks halfholiday having been arranged TO begin
at IL O'Clock. Burrows talked very abusivey 10
the oolored d,'yman, and the latter resented 1t.
Angry words led TO fight In which (accordlng 10
the testimony Burrows first seized draw stake pul
Reed struck the first blow. Roth men used stakes
weapons. The negro received slight wound on
the head and In wurding of another blow had MS
knuckes cut. In return he swung his stake al
Burrows's head. and the blow deadly one
Burrows slight In Disappointing not over
1873 pounds; Reeds weight is probably 30 and he
is powerful propOrtonately. In all probability he
did strike to kill. At any rate he was surprised
what he had done and quietly submitted 10 arrest.
claiming sclf-defcnce.
News Of the assault flew over the city rapidly. but
IT was after O'Clock when Burrows died, and mnny
people did not hear Of his death till they read of 1t In
the newspaper the next morning.
Monday night the affair fully discussed IN the
hotels I'm barrOoms and street corners, and some
hot headed white mon talked Of lynching Reed-bnt
1t all talk, for attempt was ever made to
organize lynchng party. Two white men In par-
tcuar very loud in their declarations Of what
- lie la
had occurred In Mississippl"ec., etc one Of these
two went about from banoom to another bonst-
ing that Duval County "was going to have her 1rst
niger picnic that night As n matter OF iact TINS
same man could hardly have been hired 10 JOIN n
ynching party, II one had been seriously Thought Of
This reckless talk reported TO the negroes
and by midnight two hundred of them, armed
with all sorts OF weapons, had assembled In the
streets adjoining the jail where the negro. Reed, was
confined. They believed that the Wild talk they had
heard Of actually meant business" The mayor
WIS at Pablo Beach, but he tclegraphed the chief OF
police send detail Of patrolmcn TO the jail TO be
ready to assist the sheriff. II necessary. But no
lynchers came, and the armed negroes were ON
tcmplang no attack on the jail, but simply de
fence Of the Jail (aud of Reed against attack.
Tuesday and Tuesday night excitement ran high.
The Governor ordered sthc three local military com
psnies TO assist the sheriff in defending the jail
against attack aud 10 suppress all mobs"-whte or
black The excited discussions Of the day had served
stu further TO aruusc the negroes. and within all hour
after sunset there probably 200 OF them, all
armed within "A stones throw Of the JAN, though not
all I'm one body and nj times hardly constituting a
mob. The military companies did not report at the
ja TIL after 10 O'Clock i. IN. Long before that honr
went up there and quietly walked about among the
blacks found forty or fifty scattered about the
sidewalk and in the street IN front Of the JAIL They
were making no threats or demonstrations Of any
al
streets, down the hill back Of the JAIL
into the yards and gardens Of the cottages on I"
their porches and even into their houses. was ui
armed-Dot much ~ ls'iihnifc on my pcrsol-ah'
stranger 10 NIL these black men. Yea walked about
and among them without being stopped or spoken 70
unless | spoke fr-t. | talked with them. When
strange voice was heard they would quickly flock about
me nom every direction. but no word of Insult was
offered me nor did hear threat or boast
talked with at least II dozen different groups. and one
conversation Will serve as a sample of all
What are you BOYS nrmng yourselves for. and as
scmbling In this way ?" asked
Only TO sce the law carried ont. boss" wnS the
reply Of n middle aged mulatto OF slight frame. with
winchester rife In bis hand and pistol handle pro
tr1idng from his pocket.
What makes you think II Isn't going 10 be-"
Oh the threat, We have heard for the past two
days"
Have You seen any Indications that the whites In
tend TO lynch this man Reed =!
no but something makes Us AFRAID Of IT," ado
YOU belong hercabouts. boss ?" asked Young fellow
about eighteen years old. He was smarty" dressed
and had a nclelp plated revolver In his hand.
When ! explained that had never been IN Florida
before July !. they all seemed more Interested ana
talked more freely. The mulatto who, after7Sard
learned from some Of the Others. was carpenter and
man Of education and considerable mclIsl then
said
When cOlOrcd man commits serious crime IN
This state the white people rarely let him come 10
trial Al least twenty coored men have been lynchcd
In Florida In the last two years. and these things
have CRAFTY alarmed our people There has never
been II lynchng IN Duvpl County to my knowledge
but yesterdays billing the threats that followed IT,
and the knowledge have Of the practices IN other
counties have all alarmed us. and We have determined
that this man Reed shall have trial. We only want
the law 10 take rs course. We 10 harm nobody.
But we will never let Reed be- taken from that jail
there except lawfully. You can cull MS mob or not
d. not think we arr. We arc scattcrcd-not congrc-
gnted together But signal fully 800 Of MS woud
rally around tn" Jail. We are well organized All
found it dnicult- practically impoesble-to per
suade Them that lynching was ont Of The question
Most VI them ignorant. and In their talk DIS
played u strong race prejudice fut they were peace
ably dspOscd-nOt rioou'.
For three nights IN succession the negroes assembled
in the manner above described. The last night CIhurs
dny) there were eight military companies under orders
IN JdfhSOnNlIIt lhlll VI (il'H ON uuly AZ Wv
TALL FINAL, the negroes cOmDrclcndcd the situation
thn, the soldiers ordered TO protect Reed and 10
diSpeisc mObs. too. 4 Calling In font 81 the jaD
proved a powerful argument also. BY Friday night
The excitement lad subsidized, aud the negroes Ong,r
ssrnl,cd over forty Of them had been arrested for
carving concealed weapons and melting not. by
saturday "A n primal condition OF affairs had been re
stored and the soldiers were sent home.
NV belief Is that the whole difficulty from the
lnccndary talk Of less than a ha dJzen white men
dining the afternoon and early evening Of Monday.
Fortyninc out OF every hfty white Jacksonville
are opposed 10 lvnch law. But the mouthIngs Of a
,fc ph n isb axc
nearly "A week.. ntcrfered with business and cNt tho
state th),'and- of dollars. They did more-they have
aroused bad blood between the blacks and whites
wldcb IL Will take dozen year, 10 overcome.
Ipon inquiry ! have discovered thet the people.
TO a largo extent distruS the c)nrs. aud that this
feeling Is at the bottom OF many OF the lynchngs. A
Dc;nocratic lawyer said TO last night: "Onr
LII L.