The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-13
EIGHT GOVERNORS OF ALABAMA
1874-190t
No. 1s-EIection Riots, November 8, 1874
1874-190t

must say they are not treated as those
VINO come here to settle with us. l am a
northern man, was born in Vermont"
NOT democrat, yet a responsible man
OF affairs, Mr.. Foote proved accessible to
tne most active political managers of the
radical element in his capacity as banker
lie testified that when an application
was made to his bank by certain radical
political managers, they told him they
wanted the money for political purposes"
saying; I'VE are going to send troops
mere; we are bound to carry this election
and you are bound to get your money
| back.
The testimony from the scalawag ele-
ment is fairly represented by that of one
of their number, Ben Lane Posey Posey
had been an officer in the Confederate
army. He was an eccentric person though
recognized man of courage and capacity
He habitualy rode the streets bestride a.
| little black pony, showing his long legs
in conspicuous contrast, so that the chill
dren on the way cracked many jokes at
his expense. He procured the appoint
ment for himself of deputy supervisor of
the polls at this election and assumed au-
thority not consistent with the limits of
his office He was reprimanded In at
least one instance by his superior on the
spot. He was himself a candidate on that
day for the decision of the polls.
Having been summoned to testify be-
fore the committee of Congress- he pre-
sented written dissertation on the gem
eral political and social conditions at Mo-
bile. In this he said: II know the people
Of Mobile thoroughly and am known by
them almost universally. 1 had before
then been always treated with respect On
that day election day) was refused by
them the loan or use of a chair or a box
to sit on. l was refused drink of water
and men who had long been my personal
friends and were bound to me by sacred
obligation not only failed to speak to me
but scowled at me in a fearful manner.
II was in short one of those terrible pop
ular frenzies, founded on some extraord-
nary delusion, which are indescribable and
inconceivable. by those who have not wit
messed them"
Three riots with bloodshed occurred in
Mobile on election day, all after 2:30
o clock in the afternoon. Allen Alexander
tho principal leader. He was notorious
character, had been arrested charged with
crime several times in Mobile and also in
Florida.
At the head of line of negroes various
ly estimated at 100 to 200, he was marching
from the Seventh ward, the locality in
habited by negroes, to another ward to
vote. The law provided that the ballots
should be cast in the ward where the
voter resided. The polls in the Seventh
ward were guarded against repeating
and other fraudulent practices familiar
there, with extraordinary care. Alex
ander had mustered the men he led to es-
cape. the restrictions they met in that
ward
The sheriff, a democrat, put his badge
for that day on large number of mount
ed deputies, some of the number repub-
licans, but all white men. This company
of deputies fired on Alexanders column
as it approached the Fourth ward poll
near Government street, killed one or
more and wounded several. The justifi-
cation for the firing was the negroes bore
arms, threatened to fire on the whites and
in all particulars constituted of themselves
a menace to law and order. Alexander
was arrested and placed in jail. His bail
bond was fixed at $1,000. He could have
had it executed but declined on the plea
that his life would be forfeited If he sur
rendered the protection of the jail walls.
State Senator Peter Hamilton and Judge
e. s. Dargan made joint application to
Mayor Moulton to. call out Colonel Hig-
ley with the battalion of state troops that
lived in Mobile They gave as cause for
their alarm the following incident:
freedman of intelligence. who 1t is be-
lieved here was once owned by Judge Il.
S. Dargan, came to him in privacy with
secret to unfold His urgent counsel to
the Judge was to leave the city the night
of the election He gave as the excuse
for his counsel his knowledge of plans al
ready made by the radicals, white and
black to destroy the returns of the cleo
ton IL it should go adverse to their side
OF course the rescue of the ballot boxes
would involve the shedding of blood and
probably other disasters. Upon this re-
port, made by Senator Peter Hamilton
to Mayor Moulton, republican, he ordered
Colonel Higley to take charge of the po-
lice and to put all his battalion of troops
under arms and consider himself the
custodian of the peace of the city for the
remainder of election day and all the next
day
Higley exhibited promptness and energy,
so that whatever ground there may have
been for the news conveyed to the mayor
at the time, the riotous scenes closed with
the close of the polls.
In our next following number we snail
relate the things that happened at Eu-
faula, Spring Hill, in Barbour county,
and in Sumter county on the day OF the
election.
JOHN WITHERSPOON DUBOSE.