The times., 1899-08-10
all QUIET IN ALEXANDRIA
No Race Riot Grows Out of the
Thomas Lynching.
Rifles Arrive From Richmond and
the Light Infantry Sleeps ON Its
&rms-AdditfonaI Police sworn In
Crowds of Men Gather i'm the
hreets. But Afterward Disperse.

10 <DAA4E A4AS y d. lEEdSil%s AU OtnE4S ~
was disappointing. The respectable ele-
ment was glad: the slum element was not.
The passing OF the night without loss Of
life or property caused dire prophecies to
fail Yesterday afternoon lurid rumors,
nagnified or distorted in transit, flashed
from lip to lip. Hideous visions came to
night The negroes. though resentful,
were orderly.
The Alexandria Light Infantry slept in
its armory and ten additional policemen
were sworn IN, thus raising the total
available force Of police TO thirty-one- a
guard was stationed at the home of Ed
ward Clark, father of the child, for an al
legged criminal assault on whom Thomas
was lynched. Policemen of duty were
held in reserve at headquarters. It was
said also that a large percentage of the
white civilians were armed
The white persons with whom a Times
reporter spoke claimed that il was their
vigilance and being prepared which ayerted
trouble. The colored people protested that
they did not and that they never had in
tended violence. Their leaders said, in
substance, Even though we wished TO
provoke violence, which We do not, what
have We to be violent with? You have
the arms and the wealth. We have neither
The law is with you and against us. We
would simply invite our humiliation were
we 10 provoke a conflict"
There was an increase in the excitement
when at O'Clock yesterday afternoon arms
arrived from Richmond for the Alexandria
Light Infantry -Four boxes of Spring
fields were taken from an express car.
loaded on a wagon and hauled TO the
armOry in South Royal Street. small
crowd followed this wagon with its omi-
nous load and little knots OF men loiter-
ing along the streets turned to look and TO
discuss the arrival Of the rifles. As the
afternoon wore on this excitement sub
sided. AT O'Clock the Virginia National
Guardsmen began 10 assemble and the
rifles were distributed crowd began to
gather in the street before the armory.
This crowd was composed largely OF boys
and youths. A group of girls would nov
and then appear upon the scene. When
the work day had closed and supper had
been eaten men began TO congregate ct the
street corners. The rendezvous was the
intersection of King and Royal Streets,
two Of the principal thoroughfares of the
city, and q square and e half north of the
armory-
About three hundred men and youths
were al this place There was much agi-
tated converse Many wild stories were
told. One man would say The negroes are
forming at Fairfax and Princess Streets
Another would announce that the foe was
forming at the corEGr of Cameron and Fa-
yette. StilI another was positive that the
blacks were advancing from the direction
OF Alfred and Gibbons. Some one started
the rumor that 2 host OF colored warriors
was coming down from Washington and
was then crossing the Long Bridge Another
rumor went through The crowd that the
steamer Kent had b1en chartered and was
bringing down colorei re-eaforcs sments
from the National Capital. One man said
he had heard that a mob was collecting
near the gasworks, and that Lieutenant
Smith OF the Alexandra police. had gone
down alone 20 disperse the rioters Ali
these stories were told and retold with
serious faces and heard with attentive ears
One gentleman. who wished that The Times
reporter should not miss any valuable in
formation. told him with an affecting show
Of confidence that every man in the crowd
had gun on
Uniformed men in pairs and trios walkei
about No colored persons could be seen
in this part Of the city. Above the throng
Tapping in a breeze that came quietly ont
OF the west, and Frightened by the silver
light OF an arc lamp, was white banner.
inscribed. Seventh Day Adventists' Camp
Meeting. All VIII be Welcome" At one
time through the crowd there came group
of Salvation Army soldiers. They carried
horns and bass drum, but they did not
pause TO sing a Christian song. As the
hands of the old and yellow clock that
giowed in the tower of the City Hall novel
round and round. the crowd grew thin. BY
midnight most of those men who had tod
and heard red stories Of race riots were
asleep.
In the parts OF the city inhabited by col
ored people all was calm early in the even
ing and still at midnight. Some Iounged in
saloons and some sat in the doorways of
their homes. There was no suggestion OF
an uprising.
OF course, the exclusive topic in Aisxan-
drla yesterday and last night was the
lynehiag OF Thomas. In the barrooms. the
lynching as a rule was commended. The
men who drained their glasses there told
The Times reporter that lynching is a
proper thing In the cigar stores where
men assembled there was a division OF
opinion. though majority appeared 10
support the iynchers.
In the drug stores The preponderance OF
opinion was against lynching and in the
substantial homes the sentiment was
strongly against il.
One OF the Alexandria police said. In
speaking OF the colored people generally.
that they ought 10 be shot on sight" A
private In the Alexandra Light Infantry
detailed as q sentinel at the entrance to the
Armory, when the reporter expressed the
hope that the night might pass without
trouble answered, Il hope theFe'll be Dlen-
" Of trouble. What's the difference?"
Mayor Simpson and the police are de-
nounced and defended Those who de-
nounce them declare that il was generally
known al noon on Tuesday that an at
tempt 10 lynch Thomas would be made
Yet no precautions were taken. 1t is
charged that the police practically surren-
cered the prisoner without protest or at the
most without opposition. One determined
man, il is claimed, could have defended the
jail against mob OF men, and for fourteen
policemen and a iailor to turn over the
premises 70 q wild, disorderly and unor-
ganized aggregation Of men and youths is
declared TO be a scandal on the good name
OF Alexandria
Though IL is claimed by the defenders
OF the police that they made heroic re-
sistance. the fact is pointed out that no
man IN the mob was injured by q police
man and no policeman was hurt by any
man In the mob. Estimates as to the size
OF the crowd that took the Alexandria
Jail by storm widely differ 1t has been
said that few persons have a Just esti-
mate OF she number. Some citizens Of
Alexandria informed the reporter FOR The
Times that the mob was 1000 strong. and
Others pat its strength as low as 300 or 40a
The lynchers wore no masks, and il is
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