Saturday, January 04, 2014

"The colored people are arming in self defense...."

BY TELEGRAPH.

Special to the "Sentinel.'

NEW ORLEANS.

Riots and Bloodshed--The Civil Power Unable to Keep the Peace.

  New Orleans, May 15. The Times special dated Summit, Mississippi, May 15th, says: Information was received last night of the row between the negroes and whites at Laurel Hill, West Feliciana Parish, near the Mississippi line. On Friday night about 30 negroes went to the store of a white man in the vicinity, called him to the door and riddled him him with bullets. A posse from Bayou sara went out on Saturday for the body. The negroes would not not give it up and a fight ensued. Three niggers were killed and two white men were missing. The negroes gathered and 1100 are said to be under arms. Whites are going down from the neighboring counties in Mississippi. A serious fight is expected. A special to the Republican from Bayou sara of May 16th, says: Eight colored men have been shot dead, four hanged and about 20 wounded. No whites killed. Persons just from the scene report 6 blacks killed, but this statement is considered exaggerated. Twenty colored men are reported, held as hostages. Their fate is uncertain but the supposition is that they will be killed; also that the number of negroes killed will never be known, precaution having been taken to remove the dead secretly. The number of regulators under arms are said to be 500 from east Baton Rouge and east and west Feliciana and Wilkinson Co., Mississippi. The colored people are arming in self defense. Saturday and Sunday nights a number of colored men crossed to Point Coupee to escape those hunting them. Governor Antoine has received the following dispatch from Dr. Kaufman, Sheriff of East Feliciana Parish dated at Bayou sara: "In reply to your telegram I have to say that seventeen colored men are killed and many wounded on the line of Mississippi and Louisiana. A large number of armed white men are approaching this town. We cannot summon and secure a posse comitatus for the support of the civil authority and the suppression of riots and the prevention of further bloodshed. Nothing but military authority will keep peace. Therefore I respectfully request that the military be placed at my disposal." Dispacthes have been laid before General Augur, commanding the Department who has referred them to Washington.

[The Arizona Sentinel, Yuma, A.T., Saturday, May 20, 1876. Vol. V. No. 6. Pg. 2]

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