I den med den igaar ankomne vestindiske Post til Finansministeriet indløbne Rapport fra Gouverneur Garde, fremhæves den forekommende Maade, hvorpaa Cheferne for henholdsviis det engelske Orlogsskib "Tourmaline", det franske "La Bourdonnais" og det nordamerikanske "Plymouth" have opfyldt hans Ønsker om deres længere Ophold ved Christiansted og Frederiksted, indtil enhver Frygt for en Opblussen af Urolighederne med fuld Føie kunde ansees for at være fjernet. Dette Tidspunkt ansaaes indtraadt ved Beretningens Afsendelse, den 26de October, og da Gouverneuren samtidig hermed ad telegraphisk Vei herfra modtog Meddelelse om, at en Allerhøieste Resolution af 25de October havde bemyndiget ham til at udnævne en Commission til Undersøgelse og Paadømmelse, under Appel til Høiesteret, af Sager imod Deeltagere i Urolighederne, var det hans Hensigt umiddelbart derefter at udnævne en saadan Commission, til hvis Medlemmer han havde udseet Overdommer Rosenstand, Underdommer, Justitsraad Sarauw og forhenværende Politimester Justitsraad Forsberg, for derefter at hæve Beleiringstilstanden og Standretten, hvilket ifølge indløbet Telegram derefter skete ved Udgangen af October Maaned. Iøvrigt var Standrettens dømmende Virksomhed, efterat den ind til den 13de October havde afsagt ialt 12 Dødsdomme, som strax bleve exeqverede, der efter foreløbig stillet i Bero, og da der siden ikke indtraadte nogen Nødvendighed for at gjenoptage den, havde Standretten siden den nævnte Dag udelukkende været beskjæftiget med at optage Forhører.
I Henhold til de fortsatte Undersøgelser formenes det hele Tab af Menneskeliv ikke at have oversteget 100. Angaaende de materielle Tab vare de detaillerede Undersøgelser og Vurderinger ikke tilendebragte ved Beretningens Afsendelse; men efter hvad der forelaa, skjønnedes de at ville udgjøre en Sum af mellem 5 og 7 hundrede Tusinde v. D.
Fra St. Thomas berettes, at den militaire Caserne, hvori der igjen var optraadt el Par Tilfælde af guul Feber, er bleven rømmet og en Commission nedsat til at undersøge de derværende sanitaire Forhold. Ved Beretningens Afgang forelaa intet Febertilfælde, hverken i Byen eller i Havnen, saa at det tør haabes, at den truende Epidemi er undgaaet.
Udsnit af New York Heralds kort over Sankt Croix som gengiver navnene på plantagerne. Frederiksted er angivet på vestkysten (til venstre), Christiansted på nordkysten, længst til højre.
Angaaende Enkelthederne ved det første Udbrud af Urolighederne i Frederikssted giver nedenstaaende Rapport fra const. Politimester Rübner-Petersen nærmere Oplysning.
Indberetning til
Gouverneuren for de danske vestindiske Øer om de i Frederiksted den 1ste og Natten til den 2den October 1878 stedfundne Begivenheder
fra
Const. Politimester i Frederiksteds Jurisdiktion R. Petersen.
Da jeg Tirsdagen den 1ste October 1878 efter Frokosttid lidt for Kl. 12 begav mig fra mit Hjem i Dronningensgade tilbage til Politikammeret i Frederiksfort, traf jeg kun faa Landarbejdere paa Gaden. Der var fra om Morgenen Kl. 8 g til 3½ Eftermiddag en heel Deel at bestille samme Dag med Pas-Sager, der dog alle bleve ordnede uden Vanskelighed, og da Forretningerne det anførte Klokkeslet syntes at være forbi, opfordrede jeg Politiassistenten, Overkrigscommissair Gyllich, til at kjøre med mig rundt i Byens Gader for at se, hvorledes det stod til der; der havde nemlig været forholdsviis roligt om Dagen i Sammenligning med tidligere Aars 1ste October, og saagodtsom ingen Anholdelser for Gadeuorden havde fundet Sted. Vi kjørte da ud, og først da vi kom til Apotheket paa Hjørnet af Dronningens og Kongens Tvergade, traf vi paa en større Samling af Landarbejdere. Justitsraad, Byfoged Sarauw stod paa Gaden og opfordrede mig til at sende Politi, da Folk sloge hinanden ihjel paa Hjørnet af Prindsensgade og Kongens Tvergade. Jeg kjørte da først derhen, men fandt kun der en drukken Mand, Henry Trotmann of Pl. Mt. Pleasant & Plessent", der havde skaaret sin Fod paa en Steen eller Glas, saa den blødte, liggende i Rendestenen. Han blev bragt paa Hospitalet. Derpaa kjørte jeg videre tilbage til Fortet for at faae hele Politistyrken ud samt lade 2 Ordonnantser ride rolig op og ved ad Gaderne, hvilket jeg haabede vilde have nogen Virkning paa Pøbelen.
Paa Veien til Fortet, nærved Apotheket, mødte jeg 2 Betjente, der havde opholdt Joseph af La Grange, som senere viste sig at være en af Hovedlederne, og søgte at bringe ham til Politikammeret. Jeg kjørte lige bagefter dem, stod ud af Vognen og talte til Landarbeiderne, men de viste sig støiende og truende og befriede med Magt Joseph af La Grange, der løb sin Vei. Nu kjørte jeg til Fortet og fik Resten af Betjentene og 2 ridende Ordonnantser ud samt fulgte med tilvogns tilligemed Assistenten. Ved Hjørnet af Apotheket væltede en af Pøbelen sig ind paa den ene Ordonnants og truede ham med sin Stok, hvorfor begge Ordonnantser trak Sablen og huggede om sig, dog uden at slaae Nogen. Da Hoben imidlertid tiltog, raabte og hujede, og da jeg efter deres Antal og Miner kunde forudsee, at min for Størstedelen aldeles ubevæbnede Styrke vilde blive slaaet ned, og Fortet saaledes være udsat for at falde i Pøbelens Hænder, lod jeg Ordonnantserne følge min Vogn langsomt tilbage gjennem Dronningensgade, og Politibetjentene et lille Stykke bagved følgende efter, dannende en Linie tversover Gaden. Pøbelen fulgte, og det var mit Haab, at de dristigste af dem vilde følge os ind i Fortsgaarden, hvor jeg da vilde lade Porten hurtig slaae i og see at anholde dem og paa den Maade mulig faae tilveiebragt Ro, naar Hovedmændene vare fangne. De kastede Steen efter os paa Gaden, men jeg afholdt min Styrke fra at angribe dem; og vi kom ind i Fortet, medens Hoben standsede i Kongensgade.
Nu efterlod jeg de 3 Ordonnantser og Politibetjentene i Fortet og begav mig tilfods med Politiassistenten op i Kongensgadc for at komme til at tale med Urostifterne og see at faae at vide, hvad de vilde. Til os sluttede sig offentlig Læge, Dr. Hansen og Controlleur Birch; engelsk Viceconsul, Pastor Du Bois befandt sig allerede iblandt Mængden, søgende at berolige dem. Vi gik alle spredte imellem Pøbelen op ad Gaden, forhindrende dem fra at slaaes indbyrdes og søgende at komme til at tale med dem, hvilket ikke var let paa Grund af deres støiende Adfærd; de vare villige nok til at tale, men Ingen vilde høre. Vor Plan var at lede dem ud til den sydlige Udkant af Byen og der see at faae dem til at gaae hjem. Dette lykkedes tilsidst ogsaa, det vil sige, at faae dem til Udkanten af Byen, og flere lovede at gaae rolig hjem og faae de Andre med, blandt Andre lovede Joseph La Grange, som jeg atter traf her, mig det. Imidlertid fik vi da ud af dem, at de vare misfornøiede med den i Arbeidsregulativerne fastsatte Betaling og vilde have 20 a 25 Cents daglig i Penge.
- Pludselig bleve alle vore Bestræbelser tilintetgjorte, idet et Fruentimmer, Felicia James, af Pt. Mt. Pleasant & Pleesens kom farende og fortalte Hoben, at Henry Trotmann af samme Plantage, der af Politiet var indlagt paa Hospitalet, var død der af de Slag, Politiet havde givet ham. Nu blev der en saadan Støi og Steenkasten, at jeg gik bort for at skrive til Præsidentskabet om Assistance, men paa Veien traf jeg ved Apotheket Dr. Hansen og gik da først med ham til Hospitalet for at see, om der var Noget iveien med Henry Trotmann. Vi fandt ham liggende døddrukken i en af Stuerne paa en Madrats uden videre Overlast, end at hans ene Fod var blodig, saaledes som jeg tidligere havde seet ham ligge i Rendestenen. Da vi vare komne op i Galleriet til Strandgaden for at gaae bort ad Hovedtrappen, kom Pøbelen fra Udkanten af Byen stormende med Felicia James i Spidsen, raabende, at de vilde see, om Henry Trotmann var død, og prøvede paa at sprænge Porten til Strandgaden. Porten holdt imidlertid, og jeg raabte til dem ud fra Gallerivinduet, at jeg lige havde seet Henry Trotmann og at han ikke feilede Andet end at han var aldeles drukken, Dr. Hansen og jeg løb nu ned paa Gaden til Pøbelen, og Felicia kom strax løbende hen til mig; jeg forklarede den atter, at Intet var iveien med Henry Trotmann, og sagde, at de skulde gaae rolig bort og ikke forstyrre de Syge; Dr. Hansen gjorde ligeledes alt muligt for at faae dem bort. Alt vare uden Resultat; de stormede op ad Hovedtrappen fra Kongens Tvergade, og vi lob begge op med for at holde Døren, men den blev strax stødt op af dem, og vi gik da, Dr. Hansen hjemad og jeg ad Kongensgade til Fortet. Ved min Ankomst der havde Politiassistenten alt ladet uddele vore 9 Minierifler (den ene gik dog strax efter istykker) til Betjentene, der stod ved Ydreporten og de 3 Ordonnantser holdt beredne i Gaarden.
Jeg vilde netop gaae op for at skrive til Præsidenten i Christiansted om Assistance, da jeg saae Pøbelhoben komme fra Hospitalet i forøget Antal, hujende op ad Strandgaden og stille sig op overfor Fortet mellem Toldboden og Værftet. Et Par Minuter efter fik vi en Regn af Steen over os ind i Fortsgaarden, - og da dette gjentoges, lod jeg fyre. Ingen blev truffen, saavidt jeg veed, men hele Hoben stormede nu under vilde Skrig ind mod Fortet og rev Ydreporten, der kun bestod af Trætremmer, af og kastede den i Søen. Vi skyndte os ind i den indre Fortsgaard, stængede Porten under Byfogedcontoiret og fik Ordonnantserne, der i en Hast satte deres Heste i Stalden, ind ad en Bagdør fra Staldgaarden. Nu begyndte en morderisk Regn af Muurbrokker, Steen, Conchylier og Kanonkugler, hvilke sidste fra gammel Tid laae opstablede i den ydre Fortsgaard, saa at hele den indre Fortsgaard og Bastionerne vare aldeles oversaaede dermed, og vi havde stor Nød med at komme til at fyre uden at blive knuste; flere Steder, hvorfra der kunde have været fyret, vare Arresterne belagte med Fanger. Pøbelen var rundt om Fortet, foran Byfogedcontoiret og inde i Staldgaarden og kastede med en voldsom Iver deres Projektiler over os, saa at jeg ikke forstaaer, at kun een Mand, Nattevagt Fosset, blev truffen i Siden af en Steen. De 3 Soldater og de tilstedeværende Betjente (nogle vare afskaarne i Byen) samt 2 Mænd fra Byen, der med Politiassistenten var fulgt med til Fortet, Skræder Tolderlund og Slagter Adolphus Joseph, viste et særdeles Mod og stor Koldblodighed og fyrede saa vel paa Pøbelen, at den efter en halv Times Forløb, c. Kl. 5½, og navnlig da det ikke var lykkedes dem at sprænge den indre Fortsport (der dog nær havde givet efter), trak sig bort fra Fortet og gik ind i Byen. Jeg turde ikke paatage mig det Ansvar - efter hvad der var hændet - at rykke ud fra Fortet og angribe Pøbelen i Gaderne, thi Antallet af Pøbel var meget betydeligt og tiltog i Aftenens og Nattens Løb (det er af paalidelige Folk senere anslaaet til 6 a 800 Personer, og jeg havde kun 8 Forladegeværer og 3 Bagladecarabiner; derimod skrev jeg nu strax til Præsidenten om Assistance af 20 a 25 Militaire og sendte min Kudsk John Mac Intosh paa en af mine Heste med Brevet Kl. 5½ Eftermiddag afsted ud af Staldporten ad Nordsideveien, da han ikke kunde passere Byen tilhest, og da jeg ikke turde afsende en Ordonnants, der rimeligviis vilde være bleven myrdet af Pøbelen. Det viste sig siden, at der var en Mængde Mennesker paa Benene paa Nordsiden; de forfulgte min Kudsk, saa at han maatte tye ind til Forvalter Ramsay paa Plantagen "Punch". Denne afsendte nu et andet Bud med Brevet til Forvalter Foster paa "Mon Bijou"; ogsaa dette Bud blev antastet paa Veien af Skarer af Landarbejdere, men naaede dog "Mon Bijou", og Forvalter Foster afsendte et tredie Bud, der Kl. 1 Onsdag Morgen naaede Christiansted og afleverede Brevet til Vicegouverneuren. Alt dette vidste vi Intet om her i Fortet; vi haabede, at Militairet vilde kunne være her Kl. 10 a 11 om Aftenen, og at vi saaledes vilde blive satte istand til at redde det Meste af Byen, der alt Kl. 7 a 8 begyndte at blænde paa enkelte Steder, idet Pøbelen opbrød Boutikkerne, kastede Varerne ud paa Gaden, overheldte dem med Petroleum og stak Ild i dem; fra Varerne forplantede Ilden sig i Regelen til Tagene paa Husene, og disse nedbrændte derefter. Ilden forplantede sig paa denne Maade mere og mere. Endelig blev Toldboden stukken i Brand. Hvert Øieblik ventede vi et nyt Angreb paa Fortet, da det idelig hørtes fra Byen, at Pøblen sagde, at det Hele ikke nyttede Noget, før Fortet var nedbrændt; men der var ikke Enighed herom, da Halvdelen fandt det sikkrere at ødelægge Boutikkerne og Husene, efter, om ikke Faa vare blevne saarede ved det første Angreb paa Fortet. Flere Gange rykkede de dog frem, gesticulerende forskrækkeligt og slaaende Øxerne, de havde røvet i Boutikkerne, mod hverandre samt pegende truende mod Fortet; men da der altid blev fyret, naar Nogen kom nær nok, holdt de sig dog gjerne i Afstand og trak bort igjen. Forøvrigt maatte vi spare saa meget som muligt paa Ammunitionen af Hensyn til den Eventualitet, at mit Bud var bleven opsnappet af Pøbelen paa Landet, eller at ingen Assistance kunde sendes os fra Christiansted, som Pøbelen her paa Gaderne meget ivrigen paastod ogsaa brændte. Kl. 2½ om Morgenen den 2den ds. fik jeg en sort Mand, der var kommen ind til os i Fortet om Natten, Charles Thomas, til at ride op med et andet Brev til Vicegouverneuren, og han ankom efter endeel Vanskeligheder til Christiansted Kl. 5 om Morgenen, men da var Styrken alt afgaaet for tre Timer siden. Mellem Kl. 3 og 4 skete det andet Angreb paa Fortet, denne Gang fra Staldporten og fra Søsiden ved Badehuset, men da der øieblikkelig blev fyret, saasnart der stak et Hoved frem, brød Pøbelen ind i Haven bag Staldgaarden gjennem en lille Laage ud til Landeveien og stak inde fra Haven Ild i Taget paa et lille Huus, der benyttes til Oplagssted for Petroleum fra Byen og hvori dengang fandtes 840 Galloner Petroleum og ca. 2000 Sqvibbs, og samtidig bombarderede den os med Steen for at forhindre os fra Slukning og Skydning. En lille Sprøite blev nu bragt op fra Gaarden og med den blev oversprøitet Shingle-Taget paa det lille Huus (almindelig kaldet Fugleburet) til Nordøst, hvori jeg har 2 private Contoirværelser; ligeledes oversprøitedes alt Træværket i Staldgaarden ved at sprøite ud fra Vinduerne, saavel foroven som forneden, naturligviis med Fare for at blive knuust af deres Steen, som de forstaae at kaste med stor Sikkerhed og i lang Afstand; vi maatte ogsaa paa Grund af Faren for Ildens Udbredelse slaae Hestene løse i Staldgaarden. Pøbelen søgte ved Steenkast at forhindre os fra Slukning, men nogle velrettede Skud holdt dem dog i Afstand; Nogle, som kom for nær, bleve skudte ned, og det lykkedes os at indskrænke Ilden til Petroleumshuset, af hvilket Taget og hele Indholdet brændte; kun de revnede Mure ere tilbage. Dette Angreb varede til Klokken ca. 5. Ilden havde fra Petroleumshuset taget fat i et Trætremmeskuur, der fra Petroleumshuset strakte sig til Staldgaardsporten, men Politiskriver Henderson, Undercorporal Petersen og en af Driverne med nogle flinke Varetægtsarrestanter gik ud i Staldgaarden og slukkede den. I et af mig et Par Dage efter afholdt Forhør er forklaret, at Meningen med dette sidste Angrib var først gjennem Staldporlen at komme ind i Staldgaarden, men da dette ikke lykkedes, ved Nedbrændingin af Petroleumshuset at bane en større Aabning, hvorigjennem Pøbelen skulde storme ind under et Halvtag ud til Staldgaarden paa selve Politikammerbygningen; der skulde en Dør forceres aaben og 2 a 3 Flasker brændende Petroleum kastes ind i Lokalet forneden (den forhenværende Brandstue) for at opbrænde Besætningen ovenpaa. Lidt før Kl. 6, da en Deel af Pøbelen havde forladt Byen og de fleste af de Tilbageværende vare samlede Nord for Mährisk Etablissement og rimeligviis forberedte et tredie Angreb paa Fortet, da der idelig blev blæst i Skallen, kom Lieutenant Ostermann med 19 Militaire nordfra og blev indladt gjennem Staldporten. Nu lod jeg Flaget heise og fulgte strax efter Ankomsten af Militairet med Lieutenanten og 20 Mand ud i Byen. Der blev først fyret paa den ved Mährisk Etablissement forsamlede Hob, der blev splittet ad, og dernæst marcherede vi gjennem Gaderne, hvilke Lieutenanten klarede med nogle Salver; vi foretog tillige endeel Arrestationer. Det lykkedes os at komme netop itide til at redde Coutrolleur Birchs store Huus paa Hjørnet af Kongensgade og Toldbodgade (Politimester Egges tidligere Bolig), som Pøbelen var i Begreb med at stikke Ild i; de havde heldt Petroleum over Meublerne, men heldigviis var der kun Ild i en Dør til Toldbodgade, hvilken jeg strax satte Folk til at slukke. Efterat vi vare komne tilbage til Fortet, lode vi en Malmkanon, som Major Moore tilbød os og som laa i hans nedbrændte Gaard i Strandgade, flytte op paa Bastionen og opstille paa en gammel Lavet samt lave med en Kardætske; heldigviis havde Militairet ved dets Flytning fra Fortet forrige Aar ladet nogle forblive her tilbage, men da der ingen Kanon blev overladt Politiet, vare de hidtil ikke af videre Betydning for os. Klokken omtrent 9 om Morgenen fik Lieutenant Ostermann og jeg med Rombodholder Ths. Elliot fra Christiansted afsendt Indberetning til Vicegouverneuren om det Passerede.
(Den til Forsendelse med de Kongelige Brevposter privilegerede Berlingske Politiske og Avertissementstidende 18. november 1878. Afsnit indsat for læsbarhedens skyld).
Artiklen blev bragt over 1½ måned efter begivenhederne, men er i kronologien indsat på det tidspunkt den beretter om. Petersens beretning fik nedenstående ord med på vejen af Morgenbladet:
Prospect af Frederiksted på St. Croix set fra Rheden. Illustrereet Tidende nr. 994, 13. oktober 1878.
St. Croix. Den i Søndags ankomne vestindiske Post har ikke bragt væsenligt Nyt med Hensyn til de stedfindende Arbejderuroligheder. En af den konstituerede Politimester i Frederikssted, Hr. R. Petersen afgiven Indberetning tit Guvernøren skildrer bredt den af Politiet udviste Bravour, men bærer for øvrigt det samme Ensidighedens Præg som tidligere Beretninger, hvorefter det er tvivlsomt, om Politiets Optræden har været en medvirkende Aarsag til, at den gjærende Misfornøjelse slog ud i saa voldsomme Flammer. Om Standrettens Virksomhed oplyses, at 10 Deltagere i Opstanden ere blevne dødsdømte og strax henrettede, og at derefter en mindre extraordinær Retsforfølgning er sat i Gang ved en Undersøgelseskommission med Appel til Højesteret. Medens selve Opstanden ikke ved de ny ankomne Beretninger kommer i anden Belysning end hidtil, viser den sidste Post et væsenligt Omslag med Hensyn til Vurderingen af den anrettede Skade. "St. Croix Avis" tilbagekalder sin umiddelbart efter Ulykken afgivne Dom, at Stillingen var fortvivlet, om end ikke absolut haabløs. Den reducerer Skaden fra 3 Mill. Dollars, som et Overslag fra St. Thomas har lydt paa, til højst 3/5 Mill., hvoraf lidt over Halvdelen antages at falde paa Landet, Resten paa Byen Frederikssted. Frygten for, at Planterne skulde være sat ud af Stand til at bjærge den rige Høst, imødegaas af Ingeniør Berg paa St. Thomas. Efter en paa St. Croix foretagen Undersøgelsesrejse udtaler han, at mange Plantager kunne sættes i arbejdsdygtig Stand for en mindre Udgift, idet Maskin- og Kogehuse kun mangle Tag. Til foreløbig at sætte Plantagerne i Drift vilde efter hans Skjøn behøves 50,000 Dollars, og denne Sum søges rejst paa Aktier med 1ste Prioritets Panteret i Ejendommene.
(Morgenbladet (København) 19. november 1878).
Artiklen blev også bragt i St. Croix Avis på Engelsk, se nedenfor. Af læsbarhedshensyn har jeg indsat afsnit på steder hvor de ikke forekommer i den originale artikel).
REPORT
to the Governor of the Danish West India Islands, concerning the events which took place in Frederiksted the 1st October 1878 and the night following, rendered by acting Policemaster in the Jurisdiction of Frederiksted. R. Petersen.
On Tuesday, the 1st October 1878, after breakfast time, say a little before noon, when I returned from my house in Dronningensgade to the police office in Frederiksfort, I met only a few estate-labourers in the street. From 8 o'clock a.m. to half past 3 o'clock p. m. that day there was a good deal of passport business in the office, all of which, however, was settled without difficulty; and when at the last-mentioned time the business in the office appeared to be over, I asked the Police Assistant, Overkrigskommissær Gyllich, to join me in a drive through the streets of the town, in order to see how matters stood, seeing that the day had passed quietly in comparison with the 1st October of other years, and hardly anybody had been taken into custody for disorderly conduct in the streets.
Accordingly we drove out, and reached as far as the Apothecary's Shop on the corner of Dronningens and Kongens Tværgade before we met any larger number of estate-labourers; the Judge, Councillor Sarauw, was standing in the street, and requested me to send out some policemen, as people were being killed at the corner of Prindsensgade and Kongens Tvergade. I drove up to the place thus indicated, where however, I found only one man, Henry Trotman, of Est. Mt. Pleasant and Plessens, lying in the gutter in a state of drunkenness; he had cut his foot on a stone or a piece of glass, in such a manner that it was bleeding. This man was brought to the hospital. I then drove back to the Fort, in order to call out the whole police force, and intendirg to cause the two mounted orderlies to ride slowly through the streets, which, I hoped would have some effect on the populace.
On my way to the Fort, and close to the Apothecary's Shop, I met two policemen, who had arrested Joseph La Grange (who afterwards proved to be one of the chief ringleaders,) and were endeavouring to bring him to the Police-office. I drove immediately behind them, got out of the carriage, and spoke to the Iabourers, but they were noisy and threatening, and effected by main force the rescue of Joseph La Grange, who ran away.
- I then drove to the Fort, called out the rest of the policemen and two mounted orderlies, and followed them with the Police Assistant to the carriage. At the corner of the Apothecary Shop one of the rioters threw himself upon one of the orderlies, and threatened him with his stick, upon which both of the orderlies drew the sable and cut about them, but without striking anybody. As, however, the mob was increasing, and shouted and yelled, and as I judging from the number and manner of the mob, could foresee that by using violence I ran the risk that my force, the greater part of which was unarmed, would be struck down, and that thus the Fort might fall into the hands of the populace - I caused the orderlies to follow slowly behind my carriage back through Dronningens Gade, the Policemen following a little further back, forming a line across the street. The mob followed us, and I was in hopes that the boldest among them would follow us into the yard of the Fort; in which case it was my intention to have the gates promptly closed, and thus endeavour to restore quietness when the leaders were caught. The mob threw stones at us in the street, but I restrained my men from attacking them; and we got into the Fort, while the mob stopped in Kongensgade .
I then left the three orderlies and the policemen in the Fort, and went, accompanied by the Police-Assistant up in Kongensgade, in order to speak to the rioters and to learn what they wanted. While we were on our way thither the Public Physician, Dr. Hansen and Comptroller Birch joined us; the British Vice-Consul, Revd. DuBois, was already on the spot, in the midst of the mob, seeking to pacify them. We went singly about amongst the rioters, proceeding up-street, preventing them from fighting amongst themselves, and trying to speak with them, which was not easy, on account of their being very noisy; they were willing enough to talk, but nobody wanted to listen. Our intention was, to lead them on to the Southern outskirts of the town, and there to persuade them to go home. At length we succeeded partly - that is: we got them on to the outskirts of the town, and several of them promised to go home quietly and get the others to go with them; amongst those who gave me their promise to that effect was Joseph La Grange whom I met again here. Thus going along with them, we learned also from them, that they were dissatisfied with the pay fixed by the Labour Act, and wanted 20 to 25 cents per day in money.
Suddenly all our endeavours were frustrated: a woman, Felicia James, from Mount Pleasant and Plessens, came running and told the mob, that Henry Trotman of the same Estate, whom the police had caused to be lodged in the hospital, had died there in consequence of the blows inflicted upon him by the police. Now there ensued such a noise and throwing of stones that I went away in order to write to the Presidency for assistance; but on the way I met Dr. Hansen near the Apothecary's Shop, and with him I went first to the hospital, in order to see if anything was the matter with Henry Trotman. We found him lying on a mattress in one of the rooms in a state of utter drunkenness, having suffered no further bodily injury, except that one of his feet was bleeding, and in the same state as when I found him lying in the gutter. When we were in the gallery fronting Strandgade, intending to leave by the chief staircase, the mob which I had left at the outskirt, ol the town came rushing, headed by Felicia James, shouting that they were going to see if Henry Trotman was dead, and tried to force the gate fronting Strandgade. The gate, however, withstood their attack, and from the window of the gallery I called out to them, that I had seen Henry Trotman just now, and that nothing was the matter with him, except that he was quite drunk.
At this juncture, Dr. Hansen and I ran down into the street to the mob, and Felicia came at once running up to me; I explained again that nothing was the matter with Henry Trotman, and told them to go away quietly without disturbing the sick; Dr. Hansen also did everything in his power to get them away. It was all to no purpose; from Kongens Tværgade they rushed up the main staircase, and both of us ran up also to keep the door; but they pushed it open at once, and we went away, Dr. Hansen homeward, and I, taking the way of Kongensgade, to the Fort. When I arrived there, the Police Assistant had already distributed our Minié-rifles, 9 in number (one of which, however, broke at once) to the policemen, who stood by the outer gate, while the three orderlies were holding on horseback in the yard. I was just going to write to the President, in Christiansted for assistance, when I saw the mob coming shouting up Strandgade from the hospital, in increased number, and take up their stand in front of the Fort, between the Customhouse and the wharf. A couple of minutes after, a rain of stones was sent down upon us in the fort yard, and when this was repeated, I gave order to fire.
As far as I am aware, no one was hit; but the whole mob stormed under savage cries against the fort, pulled down the outer gate, which consisted of palings only, and threw it into the sea. We hurried into the inner fort yard, barred the gate under the Judge's office, and got the orderlies, who promptly stabled their horses, in by a back-door fronting the stable-yard. Now began a murderous fire of brickbats, stones, couch shells and cannon-balls - which latter from old time were piled in the outer yard, - in such a manner that the entire inner fort yard and the bastions were covered by the missiles, and we had great trouble in delivering one fire without getting crushed; in several places whence we might have fired, the prison-cells were occupied by prisoners. The mob surrounded the Fort; they were in front of the Judge's office and in the stable-yard, and threw their missiles at us with great violence, so that I failed to understand that, only one man, nightguard Fossett, was hit by them (in the side). The three soldiers and the policemen present (some had been out off from us in town), and two men from town, who had followed with the Police-Assistant into the Fort, Mr. Tolderlund and Mr. Adolphus Joseph, exhibited great courage and coolness, and fired on the mob so effectively, that after the expiration of half-an-hour, about 5.30 p.m., especially because they had not succeeded in forcing the inner gate of the fort (which, however, nearly gave way) - they drew away from the Fort and went down to town.
Considering what had happened, I dared not assume the responsibility of leaving the Fort and attacking the mob in the streets, seeing that the number of the rioters was very considerable, and increased in the course of the evening and the night (if was reliably estimated at 600 800), and I had only 8 mozzle-loaders and 3 breechloaders; but I wrote at once to the President for an assistance of 20-25 soldiers, and despatched my coachman, John Mcintosh, on one of my horses with the letter at 5.45 p.m., through the stable gate by the Northside road, seeing that he could not pass through town on horseback; I dared not send an orderly, who in all probability would have been murdered by the rioters. I learned afterwards that a good many people were in motion on the Northside road; they pursued my coachman to such a manner that he had to seek refuge with Mr. Ramsay, manager of Estate "Punch " This latter sent, by another messenger, the letter to Mr. Foster, manager of Estate "Mon Bijou"; this messenger also was stopped on the road by great numbers of estate-labourers, but succeeded in reaching "Mon Bijou," and Mr. Foster despatched a third messenger, who reached Christiansted at one o'clock a.m. Wednesday morning, and delivered the letter to the Vice-Governor.
We knew nothing about all this in the Fort; we hoped that the military might be on the spot about 10 or 11 o'clock in the evening, and that thus we would be enabled to save the greater part of the town, which as early as 7-8 o'clock p.m. began burning in some places, seeing that the mob broke open some shops, threw the goods into the street, poured kerosene over them and put fire to them; from the burning goods the fire in most cases caught the roofs of the houses, which thereupon burned down. In this manner the fire spread more and more; at length they put fire to the Customhouse.
We were expecting every moment a new attack on the Fort, as we heard the rioters constantly saying that it was all of no use, so long as the Fort was not burned down; but there was no unanimity on this point, and one half of them thought it, was more safe to destroy the stores and houses, seeing that not a few of them had got wounded in the first attack on the Fort - Several times they advanced, gesticulating fearfully and striking together the cane-bills which they had robbed from the stores; but as we fired whenever any one came sufficiently near, they generally preferred keeping their distance, and retired again. It should be observed, that we were obliged to save our ammunition as much as possible, to provide for the eventuality that my messenger had been intercepted by mobs in the country, or that no assistance could be sent us from Christiansted; the streetmob declaring eagerly that that town was burning also.
- At 2.30 a-m. the 2nd inst. I got a black man, Charles Thomas, who had come to us in the Fort in the course of the night, to ride up to the Vice Governor with another letter, and he, after encountering much difficulty, reached Christiansted at 6 o'clock a.m., but when he arrived, the military had left 3 hours before
- Between 3 and 4 o'clock a.m. the second attack was made on the Fort - this time from the stable-gate and from the sea-side by the bathing house; but as we gave fire whenever a head peeped out, the rioters broke into the garden behind the table-yard, through a small wicket fronting the public road, and from the garden put fire to the roof of a small house, Which is used for storage of petroleum from town, and at the time contained 840 gallons petroleum and about 2,000 squibs; at the same time they sent volleys of stones at us in order to prevent us from extinguishing the fire and shooting. We now got a small fire-engine up from the yard, by means of which we threw water on the shingled roof of the small house (commonly called "the birdcage") in which I have two private office rooms; we also, by directing the hose through the windows shove and below, poured water over all the wood work in the stable yard, - at the risk, of course, of being crushed by the stones thrown by the rioters, who understand throwing stones with correctness of aim and at a great distance. In view of the danger that the fire should spread, we had also to loose the horses in the stable-yard.
The rioters endeavoured, by throwing stones, to prevent us from extinguishing the fire, but some well-aimed shots kept them at a distance; a few who came too near were shot down; and we succeeded in limiting the fire to the kerosene house, of which the roof and the contents burned, so that only the shattered walls are left. From the kerosene-house the fire caught the wooden shed between the kerosone-house end the stable-yard; but police-writer Henderson, under-corporal Petersen, and one of the drivers with some active prisoners, went down in the stable-yard and extinguished the fire. This attack lasted till 5 o'clock a. m. In an examination which I held a few days after, it was explained, that the purpose of this last attack was to get into the stable-yard, and when this failed, to burn down the kerosene-house, so as to make a wide gap, through which the mob should then rush in under a lean to which, fronting the stable-yard, is attached to the Police office; from this point a door should be forced, and 2 or 3 bottles of burning kerosene thrown into the room thus opened (the former guard-room), in order to cause the burning of the men upstairs.
- A little before 6 o'clock a.m., when a part of the rioters had left town, and most of those remaining had gathered to the north of the Moravian establishment, and were most probably preparing a third attack on the Port, Lieutenant Ostermann arrived with 19 military by the Northside road, and was admitted through the stable-gate. I now had the flag hoisted, and, I immediately after the arrival of the military, went out in the town with the Lieutenant and 30 soldiers. The first thing was to fire on the rioters assembled at the Moravian establishment; after dispersing this mob we marched through the streets, which the Lieutenant cleared by firing some volleys; at the same time we effected some arrestations. We succeeded in being just in time to save the large house belonging to Comptroller Birch, situated on the corner of Kongensgade and Toldbodgade (formerly the residence of Policemaster Egg. ), which the mob had commenced firing; they had poured kerosene over the furniture, but luckily only a door fronting Toldbodgade had caught fire, which I caused to be extinguished at once.
After our return to the Fort, we had a brass gun - which was offered us by Major Moore, and was lying in his burned-down property in Strandgade - moved up on the bastion, mounted on an old gun-carriage, and loaded with a charge of grape shot, some of which had, luckily, been left behind when the military last year was removed from the Fort, but which up to that moment had been of little use to us, seeing that no gun had been left to the police. About 9 o'clock a. m. Lieutenant Ostermann and myself got a report of what had occurred sent off to the Vice-Governor, by the hands of Mr. Thomas Elliott from Christiansted.
(St. Croix Avis, 30. november 1878)
