"THE AVIS"
CHRISTIANSTED, ST. CROIX
Wednesday 9th October 1878.
Since our last issue tho inhabitants of this town have been gradually recovering from their alarm, and business is now completely resumed. Vague rumours are passing about that the rioters are still together in largo numbers in the north-west, and the troops are now in that quarter. Our own opinion is that the rioters will not he seen. Before this they have probably slunk away to their various estates in the hope of passing themselves off as quiet and well-aflected labourers. On Sunday, troops and volunteers from each of the towns passed through the island to the centre and found all quiet. Yesterday a detachment left this town in carts for the north-west hills but we have not heard any particulars of their progress. A rumoured burning of cottages at "Betty's Hope" on Sunday turned out to be false; the smoke so interpreted came from burning meegass heaps at "Manning's Bay". The firing of this megass was probably the work of individual malice, and not of an organized band. Numbers of prisoners continue to be brought in, and a gang who escaped to Tortola in a boat have been captured in that island. The trials were commenced on Monday, on which day three of of the prisoners were condemned to death and were shot in the court yard of the fort.
We learn that the three prisoners executed on Monday, by sentence of Court Martial, were James De Silva, from Upper Love, a native of Antigua, of the English Church. John Louie, from Lebanon Hill, a native of St. Croix, of the Moravian Church. Joseph Paris, from Castle, a native of Barbados, of the Roman Church. For nearly an hour before the execution, the wretched criminals had the ministrations of their clergymen, Messrs. Branch, Franze, and Guilbot, who were with them in separate rooms, and who attended them to the place of execution. They were shot in the yard of the fort. These three were, it is certain, among the most notorious of the criminals. Wo are told they evinced great panitence for their crimes.
(St. Croix Avis, 9. oktober 1878)
9. oktober 1878:
ST: CROIX
THE Danish schooner Petrel, arrived here, yesterday from Fredericksted, St. Croix, bringing about forty passengers, most of whom are sufferers from the late riot. We have spoken to some of them who informed us that the distress is great and that provisions
are scarce and dear.
(From the St. Thomas Lloyds, 7th instant.)
\We have been authorised to publish the following extract from a telegram sent by the commandor of the "Labourdonnais"' to the French Consul here:
"Situation Meilleure. Insurrection Decroissante."
We leant that last night the estate " Betty's Hope," was burnt. The Arno arrived last night from Bassin, bringing a few passengers and returned again at one o'clock.
The following telegram received by us at 1 p. in. from our Special Correspondent, we are glad to say, in quieting, and it is with pleasure thai we lay it before our readers:
"If anything important will advise - Prisoners coming in hourly and all quieting down"
" All well. Court martial commence today."
The above private telegram, was received at 10 o'clock this morning and kindly placed
at our disposal.
LATER
(From the West India & Panama Telegraph Co.)
St. Croix. 7th October. - In St. Croix confidence is restored and business was resumed in Bassin this morning. The total number of estates destroyed is estimated at sixty but many of the works have escaped destruction.
Twenty estates are unarmed.
The rioters have taken to the hills on the extreme north-west side on Saturday night, and the negro village of Betty's Hope was fired yesterday noon.
Only one planter and two soldiers have lost their lives. Other planters who were reported murdered have since made their appearance.
The volunteers and soldiers have captured about one hundred and fifly prisoners, who are being tried by Court Martial today.
Three of the ringleaders have just been shot in the fort yard at Bassin.
Our Special sent us the following at 3:30 this afternoon.
"First three prisoners just shot more it is said will follow to-morrow - Work is being resumed on the estates in this quarter."
(From yesterday's Lloyd.)
The following extract of a private letter, dated Basin 7th instant, has been kindly communicated to us;
"The volunteers are constantly bringing in numerous prisoners in both towns. The rioters are so scared at the consequences of their rising that they themselves detect and hand in their ringleaders "
Extract of a private telegram received here this afternoon:
"Good news from the country. Burnt works examined by competent Engineers, not irreparable. Damage can be put in order in a few weeks. The bulk of the planters, at first, were undoubtedly panic stricken, and had they only rallied together and done on the 2nd and 3rd inst., what they are doing now, many of the 64 Estates burnt, or more in less damaged, would have been spared, and not unlikely some of them at work grinding to-day."
LATER.
(From the West Indian and Panam Telegraph Co.
St. Croix. 8th October, 3:30 p. m. - Every tiling is quiet.
The reported burning of tlie negro village of Betty's Hope is contradicted.
The fire seen in that direction was Manning's Bay meegass.
Troops and volunteers left Bassin at 7 a. m. to capture the rioters hiding on the north side.
LATEST
Our special at St. Croix telegraphed to us this afternoon:
"All quiet. Confidens is restored throughout the island"
(St. Thomas Times (formerly St. Thomæ Tidende)
Avisen oplyste endvidere at der var iværksat indsamlinger til de berørte plantere.
THE AVIS
CHRISTIANSTED, ST. CROIX
Saturday 12th October 1878.
Although wo have now returned to a state of comparative security and quiet, the sole topic of conversation is still the late insurrection, as the riots are generally termed. It is difficult after all to say which is the correct name. While there is evidence to show that many perhaps most, of the disturbers of the peace merely contemplated revenue for real or supposed injuries in the past, and a rise of wages for the future, there is also evidence to show that some of the ring- leaders, in their ignorance, really contemplated what they called taking the island. From the first point of view, we should call the disturbances riots, from the latter, they amounted to an insurrection. What, ever name wo use, the sad story remains as the darkest page in the history of this island.
From personal observation and ful inquiries made in various quarters we are now able to give a tolerably complete list of properties destroyed, Leaving out all those where sugar making was not carried on, the properties destroyed were
1. Castle Coakley,
2. Diamond & Ruby,
3. Work & Rest,
4. Strawberry Hill,
5. Barrenspot,
6. Clifton Hill, (works saved)
7. Slob,
8. Fredensborg Kings Hill
9. Bethlehem,
10. Blessing,
11. Anguilla,
12. Castle Bourke,
13. Lower Love,
14 Golden Grove,
15. Adventure,
16. Paradise,
17. Mannings Bay,
18. Betty's Hope,
19. Mt. Pleasant & Plessen,
20. St. Georges,
21. William's Delight, (works saved)
22. Enfield Green,
23. Carlton,
24. Whim,
25. Concordia, (west)
26. Good Hope,
27. Wheel of tune
28. Diamond, (works saved)
29. Mt. Victory
30. Punch
31. Nicolas, (works save
32. Annally,
33. Montpellie
34. Mt. Stewart (works save)
35. Two Friends (works saved)
36. Grove PIace
37. Big Fountain
38. River,
39. Hermitage,
40. Upper Lov
41- Mount Plei
42. Jealousy
43. Canaan,
44. Mon Bijou,
45. Lebanon Hill,
40. Glynn, (works saved)
47. Concordia,
4S. Morning Star,
49. Dolby Hill, (Montpellier,)
50. La Vallee,
51. Rust up Twist, (works saved)
Strawberry Hill. En af de plantager som blev ødelagt under opstanden. Årstal ikke angivet. Det Kongelige Bibliotek.
Besides these, the following buildings were destroyed: Glynn Factory Station, the weigh-house at Peter's Rest Station, the school aud teacher's house at Mt. Victory, the police station and school house at King's Hill, and the residences at Peter's Rest, Negro Bay and Allandalo.
The other properties in the island which escaped destruction, not including east end estates which were never threatened, are as follows :
1. Orange Grove & Beeston Hill,
2. Little Princess &.Golden Rock,
3. La Grande Princess,
4. St. John's,
5. Judith's Fancy,
6. Constitution Hill,
7. Annas Hope,
8. Sion Farm,
9. Sion Hill,
10. Rattan,
11. Mary's Fancy,
12. Bonne Esperance,
13. La Reine,
14. Granard, & Cane Garden,
15. Jerusalem
16. Hope
17. Two Brothers
18. Williams
19. Sprat hall
20. Butler's Bay,
21. La Orange,
22. Prosperity, (west)
23. Little La Grange, & Jolly HilI,
24. Hogensborg,
25. Orange Grove, (west)
26. Oxford,
27. Becks Grove,
28. Spring Garden.
If we add to those the eight estates where tho works were spared, we have thirty-six works standing and forty-three destroyed. This is therefore not so bad as our first rough estimate that two-thirds of the works were destroyed. If we suppose that the absolutely essential outlay in order to go on again is on an average $3,000 for each set of works, we get $129,000 as the total required. This does not include putting up same kind of temporary residence for the manager, which in some cases will be absolutely necessary. We do not mean of course that the comparatively small sum we have mentioned represents the loss to the island. Omitting all consideration of the immense losses in West End town, we have in the country to take account of the great quantities of rum sugar and molasses lost, an the injury done to the cane fields. We cannot pretend to estimate these items, but they would amount to a formidable sum.
The pecuniary losses are not all that we have suffered by this sad affair. Many families have had to flee from their homes at short notice, some of them moving with them sick members at
great risk. In one case a family consisting mostly ot ladies had to hide in adjoining canes, and while so hidden found to their horror that the canes had been set on fire. In another remote quarter, the ladies and children concealed themselves in the bush while the marauders burnt down their residence and retired. It is said by some that there was no intention among the rioters to take life; but we fear that this is a very doubtful point. That only one life was taken was probably owing to the fact that people who fell themselves in danger got out of the way. The brutal treatment of Mr. Fleming's son at Allandale does not evidence much inclination to mercy on the part of the ringleaders. This young lad was in no position of authority and could
not possibly have injured any of them, yet when he appealed to them for protection they replied by knocking him down, beating him so severely that, the fingers on one hand were broken, his head cut and his whole body covered witth bruises. Another case, that a retail dealer in the country, shows the same spirit. She had a slight dispute with a women who went away and returned with a man, and the two set upon the poor creuture, broko one arm, bruised her fingers in getting oft'her rings, beat her. and left her on the floor nearly dead. In the mean time a following of these brutes helped themselves from the little shop. Such horrors as these mean n loss of peace and confidence for some time to come, which it is impossible to express in figures, but is nevertheless not the least of our losses. We are glad to find that the people on most estates are again at work, and that provisions aro being carted for the weekly allowance, and we sincerely hope that wo shall shortly be going on as usual. When the normal condition of things is established, the next consideration will be how to surmount the difficulty of preparing for the coming crop. Among the few consolations we have at the present time, one of the brightest is tho deep and active sympathy which has been awakened in the sister island of St. Thomas, which wo have received not only endless messages of enquiry and condolences, but, as will bo seen in another paragraph, a handsome amount in cash raised to assist those who have guttered by the late sad events.
Three criminals, sentenced by Court Martial to be shot, were executed on Wednesday. They were Augustus George, of Castle, born in St. Croix. Jehu Adam, of Morning Star, born in St. Thomas. Henry James, of Windsor, born in St. Eustatius. All belonged to the English Church, but the Rector of St. John's Church was assisted in ministering to them in their last moments by the Lutheran and Moravian Pastors in this town.
Two criminals were executed in West End on Thursday, and two yesterday, but we do not yet know their names.
The merchants of St. Thomas with that wonderful liberality which characterizes them, and which we in St. Croix have experienced before now, have nobly responded to the efforts made by Messrs G. O. Gyllick and P. A. Cameron to collect immediate aid for the sufferers in this island. In two or three davs, tho large sum of $3,705 has been raised, of which the Rector of the English Church and the Lutheran Pastor have been informed by telegram. We shall give in our next particulars of the formation ot Relief Committees here and in West End.
For the present we merely assure our kind friends in St. Thomas of the deep gratitude we feel, and of the fact that a large part ot the amount sent over by them has been at once forwarded to West endin cash and in provisions.
May He, who does not forget "a cup of cold water only", given in His name, abundantly reward "seven fold into their bosom", those who have remembered us in our need.
(St. Croix Avis, 12. oktober 1878)
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