The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-04-23

grounds they were surprised to see a
negro and ncgrcss eng aged in wrestling
over pint bottle Of gin. The negro
finally wrcstCd it from the woman and
started to run away with it.
Nobody interscred. There was not
policeman in sight. The capitol police
force is made up of politicians, who re-
ceive $1,000 each per annum, and who
do nothing but walk around the capitol
building in beautiful blue uniforms.
Not one of them was out in the capitol
grounds to prevent the disgracefuI
scene.
There ought to have been one Of our
city policemen somewhere in the vicn-
ity; but none appeared, and the fight
went on. The woman grabbed the negro
by the coat collar, struggled with him
for the bottle, and finally he threw it
away over the bushes which line the
capitol grounds. 1t struck tree trunk
| and was destroyed. That did not end
| the fight.
The woman began pounding the
negro with her fists. while she uttered
a TRADE of ghastly profanity. The
statesmen and newspaper men did not
| feel called upon to enter the arena in be-
| half of either contestant. Moreover, it
| is dangerous to interfere with the
negroes of Washington, for nearly all
Of them, of both sexes, carry razors.
SO the fight went on, the woman doing
all of the swearing and pounding.
Finally the negro shook her from him,
and again tried to run, when she again
grabbed him. He then took hold of her
hair, and swinging her around like a
top, dropped her upon the hard cobble
stones on the south side of the street.
All this occurred within 200 feet of
the capito; building and at the edge of
the beautiful grounds surrounding that
splendid legislative temple. When the
woman dropped, the city policeman ap-
peared a block away. He was called to
by the assembled crowd. Everyone
beckoned to him, but he walked uncon-
cernedly down the street, as though he
were merely out for promenade.
There might have been a murder: com
mitted: but it seemed to make no diff
ference to that alleged guardian of the
| y
an of ordinary physiq'1e had fallen as
that necress fell, it must surely have
fractured her skull. But she arose and
went after the man again, and, long be
fore the policeman reached the original
scene, the woman caught the. negro a
block away and again began 20 assault
him.
The policeman now saw what was GO
: ing on, and he leisurely walked towards
, the fighting couple. Somebody must
. have told them that a policeman was
f coming, for they desisted from strug
Cling, and ran away. Still the police
man walked slowly along down New
: Jersey avenue, and he looked as prett,
9 a picture of the majesty of the law a
: one would care to see.
q You must not infer that the negro AM
, negress are types of their race in tn
national capital. But the quarrelini
. couple, who began their fight over
= bottle of gin, represents; majority .
4 their race in this city, and large ma
ioritv of it, too. But there are som
splendid specimens of the negro race
Washington, and a number of the1
e are of superior intelligence. There is
Z large Roman Catholic church on FL
4 teenth street maintained by colore
!. people, and their choir is an aggreg'
=, ton of excellent musical talent. q
i the same street, neal: the VIII! hous
). there is a Presbyterian chusch mail
tained by the same race of people, ar
some of its communicates are qui
wealthy, many of them being prom
* rent in she political world.
,, Then, at the foot of Capitol hill, n
far from the Botanical gardens, the
is a Methodist church where reyiva
are held four or five times each yet
I;ut this church Is contiguous to +