The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-03-21
MOB SHOOTS TO KILL.
SIX DEAD THE RESULT OF NEW
ORLEANS RIOTS.
City Terrorizcd by Hundreds of Armed
Men Who Attack Negro Wharf La
bOrers, Firing Reckless1y Into the
CrOwds-POlicc We're Ccwardly.


Authorities Dcficd.
Not since the day of the memorable at
tack on the Parish prison and the lynch
ing of the Italians four years ago has
New Orleans been wrought up as it was
Tuesday by Il bloody labor riot on the
river front. resulting in the killing of six
men and the wounding of at least Il dozen
others. The riot was far more serious
than the loss of life indicated, for it show
ed the mob to be in complete control and
able to defy and override the police and
hold the of the city completely
at its mercy. 1t marched along the en-
tire city front, some eight or ten miles, in
two armies equipped with rifles. shot
guns and pistols. dispensing all companies
of negroes at work there and shooting all
who opposed it without the slightest check
or hindrance or the least attempt ut re-
s%istancc on the part of the laborers or po-
lice. The mob was completely master of
the situation, firing right and left at all
who got in the way and ut many points
even the vessels lying at the wharf re-
ceived showers of bullets.
The riot produced the greatest excite
ment, %arOusing the commercial classes and
rendering probable Il suppression of he
riOting which has continued more or less
since October. eliminating in Tuesdays
affair. Appeals have been made to the
police. to the Mayor. to the Governor. to
the United States and finally to the Brit
ish ambassador at Washington, the Brit
ish ship agents appealing through him to
the home Government for protection, as
a British vessel at the wharf was fired on
hu fhn nnnh n,I thn 1iIrSnr of tho sfnD NOR
Engineer of the Harrison line fatally
wounded. The captain barely escaped
with his life.
Cause of the Trouble.
The white engaged in loading
vessels with cotton at that port have been
attempting for four months past to drive
negro labor from the levees. Several seri-
GUS riots have already occurred from this
cause, but these not succeeding in getting
rid of the negroes, the white laborers de-
termined upon Il display that would show
their strength, Oycrawe the authorities,
overwhclm the police and cause panic
among the negroes. There is no reason to
doubt the charge of the police that Tues
days riOting was prearranged in every
detail in order to strike terror to those
who opposed the demands of the white
laborers. 1t was well understood that
there would be a serious disturbance.
The Mayor and authorities were warned,
but no provision was made to meet the
mob. which had the field to itself, killed
the negroes or ran them off the levee.
overawcd the police and held complete
control. The white made no
attempt at concealment. They marched
in three companies of from 80 to 800
each along the entire city front, attack
ing the negroes ut three points and firing
indiscriminately at all persons whom
they saw at work on the ships or the
levce.
The first of these mobs, which consisted
of two parties, each 800 strong. appeared
at about I O'Clock in the morning at the
French market, near which the British
steamer Engineer of the Harrison line
was loading. The men were mainly arm
ed with Winchester rifles, shotguns and
pistols, but some carried the long pixies
famous in the French revolution. They
marched in semi-military order. quietly
and with few words, and the morning
being very foggy. they were not seen un-
til they filed into the French market.
Here some of them stationed themselves
behind the massive pillars of the market,
while others scattered among the freight
with which the levcc vas covered.
Fired Upon the Negroes.
Just as the negro ovcrseer called upon
| mis- men to go to work some one in the
| mob shouted: ''Fire." There was Il single
shot, followed by Il general fusillade. A
panic prevailed in the market, where hun
drcds of women were marketing. and the
crowd scattered in every direction, rush
ing for places of safety. The negroes
aboard the steamer. at whom the princi-
pal fire was directed, scattered, some of
them jumping overheard in their fright,
but most of them seeking refuge in the
cabin. The mob began firing not only
at the negroes at work on the Engineer,
but at any they could see passing and,
becoming frenzied, fired at all, white and
black alike. On board the Engineer the
purser, John Baur, was shot three times
in the face and arm and fatally wounded.
Three or four of the laborers were seri-
ously, if not fatally. wounded. The crowd
on the wharf Jared worse. however. The
negroes and Others who happened to be
there He'd in every direction when the fir
ing began and every one of those killed
or wounded was shot while III flight.
FIRES ON TIE FL AG