The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-25
BLOODSHED I'm ALABAMA.

Particulars of the massacre Mt Cress Plains
Three n1en Hung and Two shot DeRd-An
Hnnooent school Teacher Lynched-Hts
Touching Letter TO his Wife.
From tLe Selma (Ald,) Press, July TO.
The State of Alabama, in the last few years,
has often been disgraced by acts of violence and
bloodshed. Republicans have in many instances,
been assassinated because of their political
opinions, and still more frequently black men
have been murdered because they belonged to
mated race and were powerless to defend them
selves. Crimes of this character, however,
have generally been committed upon individuals,
and have rarely or never partaken of the nature
Of a wholesale massacre OF unoffending people.
II remained for this bloody stain to be fixed
upon the fame of the State at Cross Plains on
Monday night last
On Sunday evening a young colored man,
who was waiting at Cross Plains for the up
train or the Selma Rome, and Dayton Railroad
was ordered by drunken white nan to hold his
mule. The young man readily complied, but
the noise of the approaching train frightened
the animal, which was young and wild, and 1t
broke away from him. The drunken white man.
returning soon after, got into a furious passion
about the circumstance abused the negro, and
ended by kicking him Of the platform.
The young man was naturally very indignant
at this treatment from man for whom he had
endeayored to do kindness. He went to
Patona, about three quarters OF a mile distant,
and urged a party OF friends to return with him
TO Cross Plains to whip the man. At this point
the teacher of the colored school at Patona, q
Canadian named Luke, was apprsed OF the
trouble left his house, went among the negroes
and endeayored to quiet their anger, and advised
them TO let the matter rest. The party, however
Ca dozen in number, according to the Rome
Ddily), persisted in their intention to go to
Cross Plains.
When within a short distance of the village,
one of their number was sent forward and an
structed to fire pistol as a signal when he
should see the white man they were in pursuit
OF. The pistol was discharged just as people
were returning from church. Coming right
after the brutal conduct of the white man in the
evening, it instantly aroused the fears and fired
the passions of the white people. Says one
account:-"The citizens assembled and shot
four negroes who refused to surrender. Over
one hundred negroes were arrested. carpet
bagger named Luke, from Canada, who is
teaching a negro school at Patona, is under
arrest as being the leader of the negroes in this
murderous assault" AS we have said Luke
endeavored to dissuade the negroes from pro-
ceeding to Cross Plains and the murderous
assault consisted of a signal shot, which hurt
no one, and was not intended to-.
Luke and the arrested negroes underwent
some kind of an examination on Monday, and
all were discharged except Luke and four
colored men. At midnight large party of
armed and disguised men rode into Cross Plains,
took these five men out OF the calaboose, hanged
Luke and two of the colored men to trees near
by, shot the other two dead, and threw their
bodies over the fence.
The particulars of Luke's death are very
affecting. He was granted ten minutes in which
TO prepare to meet MS Maker. lnlS Tune he
occupied in writing touching letter to his wife,
and in fervent prayer. His letter was stuck in
the cleft of tree, whence it was taken.
Indefensible any other ground, his assassi-
nation is charged as the legitimate result of his
own lncendiary teachings. We are told, how
ever by many who have known him long and
well, that more inoffensive man lived not in
all that region. Though firm and pronounced
in his own opinions, he never on any occasion
sought to advance them by violence in deed or
word. The only part he had taken in this affair
was to endeavor to allay the anger of the
negroes, and to prevent the party from going
to Cross Plains.
We are told now that all is quiet at Cross
Plains and Patona. 1t is the quiet of death.
Free American citizens dare not express the in
dignation they feel lest they should meet the
fate OF the men who were murdered on Monday
night.
LUKE's LETTER TO HIS WIFE,
PAToNA July 11.-My Dear Wife:-I die to-
night. 1t has been so determined by those who
think l deserve it. God knows 1 feel myself
entirely innocent of the charge-l have only
sought to educate the negro. | little thought
when leaving you that we should then part for
ever so far distant from each other. But Gods
will be done-He will be to you husband better
than have been, and father to our six little
ones.
There is a balance of a little over 5000 in the
companys hands of my money, also my trunk
and clothes are here. You may send for those
matters, or let Henry come after them.
God OF mercy bless and keep you, my ever
dear dear wife and children. Your
WILLIAM.