The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-21
ABUNDANCE OF RUMORS
FLOATING AROUND BUT LITTLE
TRUTH IN THEM.
SOMETHING OF THE SECOND REGIMENT
And the Conduct of the Men Since II Has
Been Stationed Here How The Incl
dents Look at Few Days
Distance,
Distance.

The Second regiment all left yester-
day, with the exception of fifteen from
each of the companies retained at camp
as guard The departure of the MA
jor part of the soldiers makes any furth-
er collision between them and the col
ored citizens of East Raleigh improbable.
For this the law-abiding citizens Of
both races will he thankful. The Off
GERS who remain at camp will adopt
special precautions to keep the soldiers
still here from creating disturbance,
should they be so inclined, though they
do not appear to be hunting trouble and
yesterday were in decidedly better hui
NOR If the c6lored people keep within
the law and mind their own affairs.
there is no reason to fear any further
outbreak.
The affair has already ceased to be
the talk on the streets" n sure sign
that the citizens are not in blood
thirsty frame of mind. Apparently il
only remains for the civil authorities to
bring the guilty parties to justice. and
so far as the city officials are concern
ed, no effort is being spared to do so.
The circumstances attending the out
rageous shooting on Monday night.
naturally render it somewhat difficult
to apprehend the criminals. ut least TN.
til few days have elapsed and they be-
come less careful. No one saw those
who fired the shots, and seeking for
them is necessarily hunting in the DARK.
The report current yesterday that the
shooting was done by a white man APP
peared on investigation to be unfound-
ed, and the best information the police
have been able to secure, is to the effect
that five or six negroes were engaged
in the affair. The peacefully inclined col
ored citizens should be equally interested
with others in seeing that these miscre-
ants do not escape the law
There has been much comment on the
rash order given by an officer to the
soldiers at the scene of Monday nights
shooting. 1t should be said. however.
that he was not the officer in command
Mt the time. and that the order was
given immediately after five. or. six shots
had been fired. just in front, and when
neither officers nor soldiers knew at
what moment they might be fired upon.
and were really expecting momentariy
to be fired upon.
The soldiers had gone to the scene at
the request of civil official and under
the impression that their comrades were
being attacked. 1t was only natural
that they should have been more or
less angered and excited in view of the
occurrences of the two days previous.
They were expecting violence to be Of
fered them, and were prepared to return
violence.
So much censure as attaches to that
attitude should be given them, and no
more. The officer who assumed com
mand to which he was not entitled, and
gave a rash order is another matter.
The many reports circulated that the
soldiers have persistently attempted to
provoke an encounter since Sundays
affair. that they tried to induce the
colored cooks of the regiment to come
into Raleigh and start fight that they
may take it up, &c, appear to be pure
fabrications when investigated The
soldiers. some of them. have been more
loose and rough in their conduct than
the average civilian, but scarcely more
so than is usual with volunteers. They
have been rather frolicsome than vicious.
and, so far as has appeared. there has
been 10 unpleasantness between them
and white citizens. Crowds of them
have been on the streets and the cars
constantly while here, and on the whole
their conduct has been rather surprising
ly good. Nearly thousand of them
were turned loose on the town yester
day, and no disturbance was created, so
far as could be seen. This much, in
view Of what has occurred, should be
said and noted of the rank and file of
the Second regiment of North Carolina
volunteers.
There are some hoodlums and tOughs
in the regiment who spend much Of
their time when at camp i'll the guard
house, and in saloons when up town.
lust as there are some civilians who di-
vide their time between the saloons and
the police station. A discerning public
will hardly select either specimen as
typical of its class.
Meantime all parties should remem-
her that these are days Of peace, and
rioting and promiscuous shooting will
not be tolerated by law-abding com
munity.