Editing Groesbeck, Texas (section)

=== Groesbeck Riot of 1871 ===

On September 30, 1871 in Groesbeck, two black police officers went to arrest a white man committing a crime, when the white man pulled out a gun, and was then shot and killed in a firefight. The police officers, understanding the immediate threat to their lives, fled to the mayor's office. Soon, after the town had gathered around the scene, a man rode in on horseback claiming there were "one-hundred armed blacks" heading towards Groesbeck.<ref name="auto3"/> The mayor, Adolph Zadek, was threatened with his life by a mob of armed whites to call all citizens to arms and to issue arrest warrants for the two black officers. Shortly after, the mob appointed a new mayor and used their new-found authority to expropriate 30 weapons from a local store. At this point the mob numbered about 600-800 men. The two black police officers escaped the mob, but were arrested the next morning and put under the protection of the state guard. Blacks were prevented from voting in Limestone County during this period due to threats of violence, but this was especially relevant in the election of 1871, which occurred just a few days later on October 3.
:"Words had passed through the county that Blacks and [Republicans] would be killed if they attempted to vote. Blacks who did go to the polls were told to go home."<ref name="auto3"/> 
Communication with the capitol was slow since riotous citizens cut the telegraph lines.

Having finally heard news of what was taking place, Governor [[Edmund J. Davis]] petitioned the US Department of War for aid, and General [[John F. Reynolds]] personally responded. Governor Davis also placed Limestone county under [[martial law]] and sent the State Police Captain and a Major General commanding a combined force of hundreds of armed men, although by the time they arrived, the elections had passed. The state faced resistance from local officials, but the rioting was calmed by this show of force. On November 6 the [[Texas House of Representatives]] voted that the declaration of martial law was illegal, and civil authority was restored on November 9, 1871.<ref name="auto3"/>