The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-03-16

of firearms in two sections of the city
The morning was very foggy.
The police were massed in the Sixth
precinct police station all night under
command of Acting Chief of Police John
Journe Everything was quiet, when
there came message that dozen men
had been killed in front of Jackson
square and a terrible riot was in prog
ress. The police were at once hustled
into patrol wagons and hurried away.
They had barely gone when Sergeant
Richard Walsh. in command of the
precinct heard a volley from the drec-
ton Of the levee, in front Of the sta
ton. He rushed to the scene and among
the freight cars between Philip and
First streets he found a crowd of ne
groes surrounding a wounded compan-
ion. The mans head was covered with
blood. The negro was taken to the sta
ton. Those about declared he was cross
ing the levee and found a mob of 25O
men armed with Winchesters and other
guns. Port Warden McCubben said that
the rioters were from down town and
did not belong to the screwmen.
At $3.50 everything up town was COM
paratively quiet with few weapons in
sight. All negroes had left the levee
and the mob deposited their shotguns
and rifles in barrooms.
FOG HID ASSASSINS.
The trouble occurred at the landing
Of the Harrison Line steamships, op-
posite Jackson square. In the fog a
hundred armed men got through the
guards of police and opened fire on the
negroes at work. They fled in terror.
some jumping into the river. Those
who ran across the levee in the direction
Of the square We're subjected to a dead
ly volley. The shots seemed to come
from doorways, windows, galleries and
street. Look where they would the ne
groes saw pistols and heard reports as
the revOlvers were discharged Each
man ran in a different direction and
the poor creatures seemed panic-strick-
en-. For many minutes the firing con-
tiued on the river front, and the police
made no move against the murderers.
Not until every negro fled did the white
men desist. The entire police force was
called to the levee.
The time of shooting seemed to have
been fixed for the hour just preceding
the beginning of the working day. As
a usual thing, stevedores and longshore-
men begin work at o'clock, and it was
just before this hour the firing began.
1t seems it had been totally unexpected.
for the negroes were upon the levee in
large numbers. They evidently believed
there was sufficient police force on the
river front to protect them.
WOUNDED CARED FOR.
Eight negroes went to the Charity
hospital after being fired upon by white
and colored screw men at the head of
st. Ann street, to have their wounds at
tended to. Several received only slight
wounds which were promptly dressed,
and they left at once for their homes.
One of these was Robert Atkins, who
received four wounds, the bullets being
of small caliber. He stated that he was
talking to the purser of the steamship
Engineer, ]. A. Balm, when. without
warning, a number of shots were fired
at him, the shooters being about 20 feet
away from him. The fog was so thick
that he could not identify those who did
the shooting. He Immediately ran on
board the vessel while the purser fell
where he was shot.
Atkins stated that as soon as the fir
ing began there were policemen between
the rioters and himself and Purser Balm,
and they Immediately fell fiat on their
stOmachs behind the cotton bales When
questioned every officer declared he had
not been detailed on the levee after
o'clock
Mr.. Balm, purser of the British steam
ship Engineer, who was shot, is being
cared for on board his vessel. His
wounds are pronounced dangerous
The captaino of me Engineer threatens
to make the shooting an international
affair.
ASKED FOR TROOPS.
The president of the Maritime EX-
change telegraphed Governor Foster for
troops. The grand jury is investigating
the riots. The police have made no ar
rests. and Judge Noise has instructed
the grand jury to indict the city officers
who have been derelict. The Washing
ton artillery has been ordered to report
for duty.
The police. up TO o'clock tonight, had
made but two arrests in connection with
the riot Robert Brooks and Mike Fitz-
patrick both white screw men, were
taken into custody early in the evening.
Both were wounded.
OINEN REFUSED TO SEND TROOPS.
Louisiana Must First Admit Her Inahih-
~ to Control Matters.
Washington, March 12-Applicati ton
has been made for United States troops
to suppress the riotous uprising in Loui-