The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-11
GEORGIA BOYS DID 1T.
Squad Under Lieut.. Hartridge Called
out to Suppress Riot at Tampa,

out to Suppress Riot at Tampa.
There is a good deal going on In Tampa
which does not come to the outside world,
on account Of the rigid censorship which is
maintained there.
Savannahian, who returned yesterday
from Tampa, says there have been nu-
merous incidents of interest In connection
with tho army life there, even in the few
days he was there, which have not been
allowed to go to the papers outside Of that
city. He does not understand why, for
they are matters, to a large extent, not
connected with the movements Of the army
or tho invasion of Cuba.
One Of the most sensational incidents oc-
Cured there last Monday night he said,
when Fort Brooke and Ybor City were
practically In control of a mob, at least
for short time. Members Of the Twenty
fourth and TWenty-ffth regiments, United
States regulars, all cOlored, began their
work of destruction by forcibly taking
possession Of barroOms at these places. The
actions Of these colorcd men, he says, were
outrageous. The saloons, though under
protection of the state, their owners pay
ing the regular taxes and license, were
wrecked, and the whisky and beer in the
places We're ali taken by the soldiers.
treated, everything in them being demol-
Ashed, and the soldiers took whatever they
wanted that they could lay hands on. The
city authorities seemed powerless to stop
the depredations, and the disorder contin-
ued until after daylight Tuesday morning.
Lieut.. Walter c. Hartridge, with thirty
two men from the Georgia Regiment, I'M
der Col. oscar J. Brown, was sent out TO
suppress the rioting. The Georgia boys
arrested about thirty of the rioters and
locked them up. The Casino, the Cuban
theater, was made the headquarters of Maj.
Almand's battalion which had charge of
the riot, and in one of the rooms of the
place the men arrested were locked up.
number of shooting scrapes took place
in the melee. Several soldiers were wound
ed, but the names of the victims were
suppressed. One negro was shot by po-
liceman. and negro soldiers shot a mem
Der of one of the cavalry regiments, and
was afterwards arrested by the provost
guard and locked up.
Drunken soldiers seemed to occupy the
town for while, but the Georgia boys took
the matter in hand, and soon suppressed
the lawlessness. 1t is said that affairs
have gotten to such a state there that cit
liens are afraid to walk the streets alone
at night Citizens of Tampa and it's su-
burbs are remaining up all night with
shotguns and Winchester rifles, determin-
ed TO protect themselves and their prop
erty.
This Savannahlan says he does not be-
lieve such a state of affairs win be al
lowed to last much longer. He is salts
fed the military authorities will not per-
nit 1t, and believes that when the place
is put under martial law, as it must be
soon, If it Is not already done, the rloting
Will be suppressed.
While he was there, the steamer Miami
While being towed into the deep water
slip at Port Tampa, on Wednesday, for the
purpose of taking on a load of troops ran
into the steamer Florida, which was fill
ing her bunkers with coal at the coal
docks, located at the entrance to the slip.
The Miami's bow struck the Florida amid
ships on her port side. crushing her in
from her top rail nearly to her waterline.
The Florida was taking in water slowly
the night of the accident and all her
pumps were set at work. There were
many troops and about l25 horses on the
Florida at the time of the accident. but
none of the horses or men were hurt 1t
is said the Florida can be repaired with
out much delay. Several of the men were
badly frightened when she was struck. and
there came near being a panic, which.
however, was fortunately averted by the
action of cool heads.