The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-31
BEAuFoRT's QUIET CROWDS.
COiOred People Greatly Excited Over
Rumor of the AIphn's Loss.

Rumor of the AIphn's Loss.
The colored excurslonists to Beaufort
returned TO the city last night aboard the
Clifton Pilot Boy and Alpha, and, to the
destruction of a record extending over
many years, without row resulting in
anything more serious than scariied lip
a bloody nose, or blackened-if that were
possible-eye having occurred. Fights
there We're but they were unproductive Of
any serious results
During the morning and afternoon a ru-
NOR circulated through the city to the ef-
feet that the Alpha had gone down in Cal
abogue sound, carrying passengers and
crew to the number of some GOO or 100
souls to a watery grave. The rumor
aroused great excitement, and for a Tine
when il was at its most Virulent hight
the docks were thrOnged with a crowd of
excited negro women, mourning in clam
orous tones the loss of their loved ones
The rumor received alternate denial and
verihcation during the day and each new
story. and one seemed to spring from the
ground or the water as soon as its prede-
cessor had been pronounced false, was the
cause of excitement that rose 10 a fever
heat.
How the first rumor started will proba-
bly, never be known, as there seems 10
have been no foundation in fact for the
report. On the trip over the Alpha
grounded not at all, though on her way
back she was not SO fortunate, and twice
put her keel into the mud. Ii was in
all likelihood the product of the fancy of
some practical joker, anxious to raise
disturbance and careless of the suffering
or anguish that was caused in the opera
ton. The telephone of every Office which
of any definite or reliable Information
was kept busy, and with every few min
utes would come an excited query as to
the Alpha. The rumor had spread over
the city, and would not be quoted.
Later in the day a telegram from Beau
fort pronounced the rumor false, and this
served to allay the excitement and appre-
hension of those by whom it was known
that it had been received But the great
majority of the people were unconscious
of this fact and the flood of inquiries
was not materially lessened Not until
the arrival of the Clifton, with the news
that the story was absolutely without
foundation, did the excitement abate or
the crowds that thronged the wharves
begin to dispense.
The lack of serious quarrels on board the
excursion steamers was one of the won
ders of the day As a usual thing the po-
lice prepare for these and the resulting
arrests regularly, and expect with the
arrival of each boat to be summoned TO
send the patrol wagon and a squad of Of
ficers to the wharf. The variety of bug
juice that is dispensed in Beaufort is of
a character likely 10 promote and arouse
the evil passions of any race, and when
used in sufficient quantities is reasonably
certain to be the cause of battle, muir
der and sudden DEATH Usually this is
exactly the effect that is produced, and
the dearth of casualties on yesterday was
a matter of universal surprise, as well as
of qualification, among those by whom it
was discussed.
Il is probable that there were over 1000
in the crowds that went over to Beaufort
on the Alpha, Clifton and Pilot Boy, all
of which were packed from stem to stern
and from the hold to the hurricane deck
The steamers were living masses of black
humanity, but the crowd was good ma
tured and several of it's members more
than half sober. One gentleman suggest
ed last night as the reason for the lack
of accidents that so many went over to
Beaufort that the available supply of IL
quor was exhausted before the individual
members of the party had been wrought
up to the proper or improper pitch of
excitement This solution, probably, is as
reasonable as any that could be offered
but however it may be, the absence of
disorder was noticeable and in the light
OF past experiences most agreeable and
commenda BILE.