Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-15
NEGROES DRILLING.

We find the following paragraphs in
the Nashville Banner:
The drilling OF negroes on st. Cloud
Hill and the Sulphur Spring bottoms
has become an intolersbie nuisance to
the good citizens Of those localities.
Those who are drilled at the former
place are led by q negro, Leander Wood,
whom the respectable cOlOred men Of the
city denounce IS the yilest Snd most cor
rupt seOuHdrel in Nashville. He lives
in Whist Is known IS RocktOwu, a set
Element of negroes, over whom he hiss
st various times Fsssyed to exercise su
preme control. He has induced the ne
grOes who come from the country TO ioin
his bogus company, by telling them that
he holds q com mission from Brownlow.
and that al act would soon be passed by
the Legislature calling out the militia
that IL they were thoroughly drilled they
would be taken into the militia service
Immediately after the passage OF tina.
sat, representing that they would have
little more to do than to drill and to
sleep in their camps. As be has. how
ever, Bothing TO feed his starving recruits
upon, they are nightly plundering gar
dens Of the citizens who live arcuad ard
south OF st. Cioui Hill, after tearing un
aud scattering about such vegetables as
they cannot take away. Some of them
have been shot ct while thus engaged in
stealing, but after the lapse OF a few
nights they sgain return and carry Off
all the more, Out OF revenge. The citi-
gems complain bitterly Of these outrages
but have As yet found no relief
The band Of fifty negroes who drill in
the Sulphur Spring bottom are said 10 he
ander the leadership of one John DDr-
ham, magician, who seems TO be 40
little knewD that 1t hiss been impossible
20 obtain history OF bis autecsdents.
He has been circulating petition ask.
ing aims Tor negroes who, he alleges,
have been driven into the city nv ~
Kuklux. He told q Representative ~
the capitol yesterday that he had been
feeding. 81 the southerh portion of The
city, too hundred refugee negro men.
women and children, and that he wished
him to give email sum for their SUM-
pert. Doubtless most Of the money goes
into his own pocket. He also stated
that be had "good company OF drilled
men ready to enter the service of ms
State as soon az the militia shofId he
called out, but that be wanted more thar
$l20 month for 3 salary.n Acting or
this hint, the Representative suggested
that perhaps hs (Ddrham) would Iike
TIE commission OF g Colonel. The story
told by Durham, that he was snn-
porting two hundred negroes. tnrns
out 70 be, however, q stuoendons
falsehood, unless he directs them ia Their
raids on gardens. he has no visible
means Of support.
That Is what the negroes are doing in
Nashville. 1t is denied that they nave
bezn drilling here. We have heard n,
their doing so, continually, for six
months or more, and we again REQUEST
those who kzlosV If, Of their OWL positive
knowledge, to furnish Us with their testi-
mony. One would suppose that the
police would know whether that which
is so difficult to conceal, has been habit
uslly or even occasionally done. II tits
not true, it is very unfortunate that it is
30 generally believed for this not only
creates widespread uneasiRess and az.
prehension OF disturbance but it justi-
ies the citizsns In srming, and requires
them to arm to protect themselves and
thsiE families.
II the negroes have not been drilling,