Race War

Whites undertake to Regulate Negroes, and Bloodshed Follows.

New York, Aug. 17.- A dispatch from New Iberia says a certain class of immoral characters being ordered that many took refuge at Freetown, a village composed entirely of negro families. Here 500 to 600 mounted men congregated and armed themselves. Then the residents and property owners of this section collected, and finding a large body of armed negroes, demanded a surrender of their arms. A number accepted the terms. Thursday morning fifteen armed negroes took possession of the colored minister’s house, refusing to surrender. The whites hearing of this sent a message with a command that they lay down their arms within twenty minutes. The negroes again refused. At the expiration of the time a volley was fired at them which soon became general, the fusillade lasting nearly an hour. Finally F.P. Smith a white man, was shot dead. The negroes were found in the house and five others outside. It is rumored that three or four more were killed.

New York, Aug 18.- Reports from Freetown indicate that more than twenty negroes were killed on Thursday by the Regulators and several others severely wounded.

source: The Standard
location: Odgen, Ohio