From the Cincinnati Times.
TERRIBLE RIOT AT CAIRO.
Attack on Free Negroes by a Gang of
Desperadoes!
Fire Arms Used & Several Persons
Wounded.
BUILDINGS FIRED!
Organizations of a Vigilance Committee.
Several of the Desperadoes Arrested!
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN CAIRO!
CAIRO, July 26.
DEAR TIMES.--Our city is no in a state of great excitement. Riot and lawlessness ran rampant last night; blood was shed, and the city had a narrow escape from conflagration. I hasten to give you the details, so far as I can gather them.
It seems that a number of slaves escaped from Missouri, in this vicinity, a few days ago. It was ascertained that they had made their way to Cairo, and a number of Missourians came over in pursuit of them. They were here joined by a number of the most desperate characters of the city, who supposing that the fugitives were secreted among the free negroes of the place, determined to make a search for them after dark.
About 1 o'clock this morning our citizens who knew nothing of the affair, were alarmed by the repeated discharge of fire-arms, accompanied by the yells of men and the screams of women. It was terrific, and brought the people to the streets. A gang of men, armed to the teeth, cursing the niggers, made their way to that portion of the city, occupied by the free blacks.--They surrounded and immediately commenced an assault upon one of the houses, forcing in the doors and windows. A number of blacks, including two or three women, were in the house [illegible] they endeavored to escape, they were fired upon. No less than fifty shots were fired, some of them by the negroes. There was an instant stamp of the blacks from all parts of the city, and they were pursued, and in some instances fired at. The assaulting party declared their determination to drive every one of them from Cairo, no matter at what cost.
One of our constables was soon upon the ground, and valiantly interfered in behalf of two negro women who were being maltreated. He also endeavored to force the mob to cease their violence, telling them that if they did not he would have them arrested. They laughed in his face, and prosecuted their work of destruction. They entered the house they had broken open, piled the furniture up in the centre of a room, and with a yell set it on fire. The constable, aided by some citizens, fortunately extinguished the flames. A high wind was blowing at the time, and if the fire had once got under way, as was intended, Cairo would by this time have been in ruins! After performing this act, and causing a 'scatterment' among the negroes, the rioters retired.
I visited the scene this morning. The house is a perfect wreck. The doors and windows are all demolished, and the weather boarding riddled with bullets. There are three bullet holes in the headboard of the bedstead, in which the women slept. Several of the negroes were wounded, but none seriously or severely, as I can learn, although it is miraculous how they escaped. --One of the rioters, whose name is Aill, was shot by one of his own party by mistake. The ball struck him on the chin, and glanced around his jaw into his neck. His jaw is completely shattered, and all his teeth knocked out. He is in a very critical condition.
The excitement this morning was very great, the citizens generally condemning the outrage. Mayor S.S. Taylor called the citizens together at 10 o'clock, and the meeting determined that the rioters should be brought to justice. Mr. W.M. Williams was appointed Marshal, and fifty resolute men volunteered to aid in the arrest.--They were divided into three squads, and immediately marched off in different directions in search of the rioters, one squad pacing up each side of the town, and the third through the center. Each man was armed with a six shooter, and they went determined to capture the rioters dead or alive. At 3 o'clock they had arrested three--Ewing, Stannon and Latting.--The rest could not be found.
"Terrible Riot At Cairo - Attack on Free Negroes by a Gang of Desperadoes!," Davenport (IA) Quad-City Times, August 5, 1857, p. 2