The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-03-15
NEGROES SHOT DOWN.
BLOODY RIOT ON THE LEVEE AT
NEW ORLEANS.

Men Armed with ,vinohesters Pick Their
Time and Shoot Down Negro Laborers-
Some White People Also suffer Death
and Wounds.
NEW ORLEANS, March l3-Tho thick
fog in the early morning in this city was
the veil behind which desperate white
levee laborers gathered, and which they
penetrated with Winchester rifle balls
aimed at the colored non-union men Mt
work on the ships. The attack was made
at points several miles apart, just before
the arrival Of the police, and as result
there are Il half dozen corpses and dozen
or SO wounded men. The police saw the
attack, but no arrests followed, they
claiming that they were too few to cope
with the unexpected outbreak. The day
before the mayor said all was quiet, and
the governor saw no grounds for inter
ference, but yesterday tho business men
We're denouncing these officials; the
militia was in readiness to move; an APP
peal to the federal government had virtu-
ally been made, and even the foreign con-
suls had decided to join in the move for
peace at any price.
What Led Up tn the Trouble.
The causes which led to the trouble
have been of long standing and grew out
OF the attempt of ship agents and Others
interested to reduce rates. The white
screwmcn claim that the colored men,
who were given share of the work un.
der an agreement, made secret cuts and
violated the agreement in order to obtain
more work and gradually crowd the
white men off. The white associations
then severed all ties with the blacks and
refused to work with them or for the
men who employed them. The white
longshoremen Joined the screwmen in
this. Since then the steamship lines
have been gradually going over to the
negroes. Lately the white screwmen
quit work on the lines still loyal to them,
stating that they would not work until
the whole affair was Strengthened out.
Several more lines then took on negroes
from necessity. The whites finally de-
termined TO rCtaliate on the stevedores by
Offering to reduce rates and deal with tho
ships direct. Ships in haste accepted the
offer, but the agents stood by the steve
dores. The latter offered to pay more
than the screwmen asked, but the screw
men refused to deal with them. The
agents offered to pay the screwmen their
wages and place the stevedores over them
as superintendents, but the screwmen
again declined. Then the stevedores be.
gan importing colored screwmen from
Galveston, and the whites, growing des-
perate, broke loose in riots. Much out
lawry has been the result. Sunday night
cbn
sands of dollars worth of tools were
thrown into the river, many riots have
taken place, the white union screwmen
being the aggressors, and in fact the levee
has been an extra hazardous place ever
since the troubles began.
elimination of the Turbulence.
Yesterday morning was the elimination
Of the turbulence, and it looks more like
a cold-blooded and deliberate massacre
than riot. The result was the following
list of casualties: Killed-William Camp
bell, colored screwman; Jules Calico Car
robe, shoemaker; unknown man; I'M
known negro; Leonard Mallard, colored
scaleman.
1njured-James y. Bane, white, purser
of the steamship Engineer, shot in the
head twice, once in the arm, dangerous;
Henry Brown, colored screwman, shot
five times, both arms and both legs; Tim
Porsten, colored coal wheeler, shot seven
times, both legs and thigh, serious case;
Lunis Cast, colored employed in sugar re-
flnery, shot in hip; Billy Williams, col
ored screwman, shot in leg; Frank
Lighthall, colored driver shot in leg,
dangerous; Robert Brooks, white long
shoreman, shot with Winchester in right
leg below the knee; two negroes, names
unknown, jumped into the river and it is
believed were drowned.
Calmly reviewing the happenings of the
morning, everything would seem to indi-
cate the attack 10 have been a prearranged
affair. 1t Is rumored, and there is every
reason to believe the rumor is correct that
a secret meeting was held Monday night
and the bloody affair carefully mapped
out. The guns and rifles which were used
by the downtown men, who went up
town, seem to have been deposited in the
various saloons along the levee.
Was a Prcarranged Plan.
1t seemed to be generally understood
that the guns used by the men who went
downtown were taken to some place in
the vicinity of the sugar re1neries in a
wagon and then were put away until
such time as they were required. 1t also
seemed to be agreed that in the precon-
certed attack the shooting should DO done
between 6:45 and 1880 o'clock, at time
when the men would be going to work,
A wounded negro Leonard Mallard, has
died, making six killed. Bane, the
wounded Englishman is not SO badly
hurt as at first supposed, and one of the |
unknown killed is identified. He is Henry
James, negro lnborer. Henry Bland, a |
negro laborer, has his body full of small |
shot and may die. Tho police have made |
but two arrests and both were wounded |
by their comrades in the mob Their |
names are Mike Fitzpatrick and Henry |
Brooks.