“The convention assembled at twelve (12) M. on the thirtieth (30), the timid members absenting themselves because the tone of the general public was ominous of trouble.  I think there were about twenty-six (26) members present.  In front of the Mechanics Institute, where the meeting was held, there were assembled some colored men, women, and children, perhaps eighteen (18) or twenty (20), and in the Institute a number of colored men, probably one hundred and fifty (150).  Among those outside and inside there might have been a pistol in the possession of every tenth (10) man.

“About one (1) p. m. a procession of say from sixty (60) to one hundred and thirty (130) colored men marched up Burgundy Street and across Canal Street toward the convention, carrying an American flag.  These men had about one pistol to every ten men, and canes and clubs in addition.  While crossing Canal Street a row occurred.  There were many spectators on the street, and their manner and tone toward the procession unfriendly.  A shot was fired, by whom I am not able to state, but believe it to have been by a policeman, or some colored man in the procession.  This led to other shots and a rush after the procession.  On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some throwing of brickbats by both sides.  The police, who had been held well in hand, were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder.  The procession entered the Institute with the flag, about six (6) or eight (8) remaining outside.  A row occurred between a policeman and one of these colored men, and a shot was again fired by one of the parties, which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through the windows by the policemen.  This had been going on for a short time, when a white flag was displayed from the windows of the Institute, whereupon the firing ceased, and the police rushed into the building.

“From the testimony of wounded men, and others who were inside the building, the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire upon the audience until they had emptied their revolvers, when they retired, and those inside barricaded the doors.  The door was broken in, and the firing again commenced, when many of the colored and white people either escaped throughout the door or were passed out by the policemen inside; but as they came out the policemen who formed the circle nearest the building fired upon them, and they were again fired upon by the citizens that formed the outer circle.  Many of those wounded and taken prisoners, and others who were prisoners and not wounded, were fired upon by their captors and by citizens.  The wounded were stabbed while lying on the ground, and their heads beaten with brickbats.  In the yard of the building, whither some of the colored men had escaped and partially secreted themselves, they were fired upon and killed or wounded by policemen.  Some were killed and wounded several squares from the scene.  Members of the convention were wounded by the police while in their hands as prisoners, some of them mortally.