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2.
not considered worthy of notice by the authorities.

These causes combined produced a state of feeling between whites and blacks, which would require only the slightest provocation to bring about an open rupture. 

The immediate cause.
On the evening of the 30th of April 1866 several policemen (4) came down Causey Street and meeting a number of negros forced them off the sidewalk. In doing so a negro fell and a policeman stumbled over him. The police then drew their revolvers and attacked the negroes, beating them with their pistols. Both parties then separated deferring the settlement by mutual consent to some future time (See Affidavit marked "A") On the following day, May 1st during the afternoon, between the hours of 3 and 5, a crowd of colored men, principally discharged soldiers, many of whom were more or less intoxicated, were assembled on South Street in South Memphis. 

Three or four of these were very noisy and boisterous. 

Six policemen appeared on South Street, two of them arrested two of the negroes, and conducted them from the ground. The others remained behind to keep back the crowd, when the attempt was made by several negroes to rescue their comrades. The police fell back when a promiscuous fire was indulged in by both parties.

During this affray one police officer was wounded in the finger, another (Stephens) was shot by the accidental