Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1868-08-08

Frt hf river lUttDm, in search II
thr laiiY ufthrir frirnd, and when
thrY arrived 20 ihr suspseird pro.
misss, lhey numherrl -, All armed
ani mounted, They met with some
white I.ersnBs ia the h'i.i0m, and
we're quite insdlsni aEi imPoraiivs
as 10 What they would do la ihs
event ihry iound lhe bUly-
Aloui : 4 N news came Ia town
that the nesTacs contemplated Vio-
lenee, SOME II lhe White ladies and
thiliren drtined il prudent 10 eoms
into the town for projections the
eili6tns 10 the number oi about 40
were soon armed, mounted, and on
the bottom, nepuiy Sheriff lailllo
and myself thought il advisable that
No sh1nli ga with tho citizens and
use all the power vested ia us by
the law, as well as bur personal in
fluGnce with hath parties, ani pre-,
vent any collision, We suggested
Ia the white men that We should b.
allowed Ia hold a conference with lha
ifeedmen, aud try 10 influence them
10 lay down their arms aud return
Ia their homes, which proposition
met with the approval Of all, Tbs
II. Sh'ff and myself We're la front
aud passing through thick wood
and a sudden turn in the road
brought us within 30 steps of the
head of the column Of the freedmen,
Capt, Harry in front, We asked
him What docs all this armed
demonstration mean, aud before hc
could reply, u small! negro, who was
some 10 steps in his rear, nj M
angle on the len, IN an open spact
la the road, discharged his gun; his
horse Immediately lied, the firing
Then commenced in our rear. The
shofiir aud myself ordered both
parties Ia dcsist, but the freedmen
I ilcd in such hot haste that the thing
was over, and all were out of sight
Ia less than two minutes. Tho
Captain was killed by my side. |
only saw his body, but learn that
two others were len dead, and
some thrcd or iotr wounded.
Tho citizens returned 10 towf,
and learning that many. of tho
freedmen who were in the fight,
were then in Frccdmaitown, and
that others were coih> Eating, and
thinking that there might be fur
Their trouble, requested mo TO take
one citizen and hold conference
with Parson Brooks and learn his
intentions, and IL possible como to
some understanding by which tho
thing should be settled. ! did so;
the Parson was snrrOuncd by u rab-
bic who were clamor0us for war;
one man drew his Enfield on me-
and would have shot, if not provcn.
ted. ! refused TO confer with such
an element, and used all endeavors
to induce the Parson to meet Il
delegation of white men and como
to an understanding, which he re-
fused. / then returned to the
citizens and told thcm chat fight
il was" 1t was now about p. NJ;
pickcts were placed out. and ar
rangemcnts made to holEkZho mat
ter in check until Sheriff Neil
should arrive from Bryan, n dis
patch having been sont him to come
down and arrest the parties. About
8 p. NJ. Parson Brooks rcconsidcrcd
tho matter, sent in Il delegation, nc
ecding to my proposals Of II com
promise, some Of the citizens met
Brooks, agreed upon terms by which
tho freedmen, individually and col
lectively, were to lay down their
arms agreeing that in future
freedmen should dcsist from the
universal practice, in their daily
walks, Of wearing arms, ana that
there should be no further dcndf-
strations on the part of the Whites.
Hero matters stood until the train
arrived from Bryan, having Sheriff
Neill, with a posses Of about lou
men on board. They were on the
platform at the depot, and assured
Iiyall things were amicably arran-
90, and that their presence was
not required, and urged to, and did
return that night The Sheriff,
however, deemed il advisable to re-
main that night to investigate the
matter. lie did so: and early the
next morning dispatched his deputy
to see Parson Brooks, and learn Of
him about the matter. Tho deputy
found him at his headquarters with
an armed sentinel at the door,
twenty or thirty mon, arms in
The Parson then and
there declining to comply with the
terms agreed upon. Soon there
after l sent a negro to ask him to
see me at place appointed, at 8 A.
NJ, Capt. Randlctt, Sheriff NELL
and myself attended, but his Rover
ence was not there; nor did ho come,
thus the terms of agreement were
violated. News came in that the
freedmen were collecting; large
number of horses and mulss were
stolen from the premises, and
some negroes asserted that the
blacks had sufficient force to and
would attack the town. The sher-
if sent the locomotive drawing the
freight, back to Bryan for volun-
tcers, and about $50 came. The
negroes saw the utter impracticabi-
lity ofsuccess, and dcsistcd. To-day,
many have returned to the farms,
and say that this time out they
have no desire to do military, duty.
/ cannot say what number has been
killed in the skirmishing, but will
learn in a few days.