More Resistance to the Law

Another run-in between police and black people occurred.Police tried to arrest a black person who was causing a scene but a mob responded and threw bricks at the police officers.

MORE RESISTANCE TO THE LAW BY COLORED MEN. ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO RESCUE A PRISONER. The Negroes Fire Upon the Police. THE POLICE RETURN THE FIRE. ARRESTS BY THE MILITARY. ALARMING CONDITION OF THE CITY. MILITARY PATROL. On Saturday night last at about 10.5 o'clock policeman Sweeney had occasion to arrest a negro on the corner of Twentyfirst and Main for being drunk and disorderly. He had hardly arrested him before he was surrounded by a crowd of some twenty or thirty negroes, who made an attempt to rescue the prisoner. Policeman O'Dwyer came to his assistance in a short time, and took charge of the prisoner while he went to get more policemen. Policeman O'Dwyer started across the street with the prisoner, but had not gotten many steps when a shower of bricks were thrown at him, pistol shots fired, and he was knocked senseless with a brick. His head was very badly cut. When he came to, he saw the party rushing towards policemen Engel and Franklin, who had come up in the mean time. He pulled out his pistol and fired away at the nearest one to him. The negro fired at yelled aloud and fell. He got up and started off, but had not gotten far when he fell the second time. Brickbats were still being showered, and policeman Engel was knocked down. The four policemen -- O'Dwyer, Sweeney, Franklin,and Engel -- then went to work in earnest, and had well nigh gotten the crowd dispersed, when a squad of soldiers from the Libby prison came up and arrested nigh unto twenty of them. The following were retained at the station-house, and will be examined before the Mayor this morning -- viz., Doctor Banks, William Holloway (white), Aaron Short, Robert Hardgrove, Philip Banks, Jerry Page, Bill McCoy, Beverly Skipwith, Robert Lee, and Moses Ross. No other disturbance took place during the night. General Schofield is determined to preserve the peace and good order in the city. Companies of soldiers will be placed at available points in the city to-day, and mounted patrols will pass up and down the streets as upon yesterday. Policemen were stationed at the churches yesterday to prevent disturbance.

“More Resistance to the Law,” Reconstructing Virginia, accessed March 29, 2023, https://reconstructingvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/599.