The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1961-05-27
THE RIOT OF 1859
Detroit's Name
Besmirelled

smirched the fair name OF De-
troit, the blacklist In its stirring,
and romantic history. An unjusti-
fable feeling that the colorcd
people were in some measure
responsible for the South, and its
the North and Tn south, and its
attendant evil, was the motivat-
lng force behind the infamous
riot which occurred March 8. 1868.
William faulkn r, muiatto,
was arrested on the charge ct
criminally assaulting young
white girl and sentenced to pri-
son for life. The disordcrly ele-
ment of the city used this as
pretext for a general attack
on the colored people, and while
the prisoner was being taken
to the Jail, he was struck down
from blow on his head. by a paw
ing block thrown by one OF the
rioter. The provost guard was
called out by the acting mayor +.
B. Phelps and assaulted by the
mobsters. Some of the soldiers
fired, killing one and wounding
several.
The guard returned TO their
quarters, and soon after con-
eerfed attack was commenced
on the eoIored people in the
vicinity Of the jail.
The provost guard were again
ordered out, but fearing that in
their absence, the men who had
been drafted. would run away,
they did not respond. Regular
troops were ordered from Fort
Wayne. under the command OF
Captain c. c. Churchill. Volunte-
ers from the Scott and Light
Guards. also came. while five
companies of the 'Twenty-sevcnth
Infantry. under command OF
Colonel ID. NJ Fox, were summon
ed from Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The Lyons Guard were muster
ed. and many members of the
Board of Trade were deputlzcd
as special officers. and the city
ividcd into thirty-two patrol di-
stricts. During the day. and that
night the city was fired in twenty
one places, and eightyfive houses
burned. in an area comprising
the blocks between Croghan (now
NIonroe) and Congress street East;
No one was killed but members
of the colorcd people were badly
beaten. AS the unfortunate, men,
women and children, tried to es-
cape from their buring homes,
they we're driven back into the
fire. by the rioters who threw
paving stones at them. Large
numbers of armed and indignant
citizens patrolled the streets all
night. No one felt safe in person
or property. and altogether it was
the blacklist day in the history
Of this city. On March Z, public
meeting of citizens was held in
which the mobsters were bitterly
condemned, and sought out for
arrest.
The terrors Of that black night
fingered long in the memories
of Marian and John H. Williams,
the latter headwaiter at the Old
Russell House. who then lived
on Croghan street between Hast
ings and St. Antoine streets. AS
told to their two grandchildren,
they with a number of ncighbors,
living nearby. sought and POUNDS
refuge in the spacious grounds
Of the old Cass estate, on West
Fort street.
There were many who doubted
the alleged quilted of Faulkner,
and never lost faith in his in
noccnce, and seven years later,
on December 81, 1869, he was
grated a pardon, and a return to
civil life.
In an effort to rcctify the grave
wrong done Faulkner, number
of his well-wishcrs, collected a
sum of money and set him up in
business with a vegetable stall in
the old City Market building, then
located in Cadillac Square.