Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-28
THE asKuLL BoNRRs" AND OTHERS.


THE SKULL BoNERs" AND OTHERS.
In the northeastern portion of Gibson
comfy lies a section of country, en-
bracing a portion of Carroll county,
which is euphoneously named Skull
Bone" 1t is principally inhabited by
an ignorant and illiterate set of people
who. during the war, were play outs
from both armies, and were formed into
what they called home guards to de-
fend themselves from Confederate con-
script officers. When the Federal
forces took possession of that portion
of Tennessee these Skull Bone
companies protested to be Union
men, but they kept shy Of the Fed
eral forces. During the war they
prowled around that section OF country
robbing and plundering both sides and
committing numerous outrages. These
guerillas could never be brought within
the picket lines Of either the Confeder-
ate or Federal armies, although repeated
efforts we're made to enforce their return
to their respective regiments from which
they had deserted, Since the war this
same element has been engaged in the
illicit distilling Of whisky and smuggling
in order to defraud the Government.
Revenue officers have to 90 armed and
in force when searching that section for
illicit stills, and have been shot at by
these marauders many a time and
oft. Not many months since these
men placed distractions on the railroad
tracks and fred into trains in which
they supposed we're the revenue officers,
and on one occasion they boarded q
train and rescued prisoners who were
arrested for violating the revenue laws
These are the men who committed the
murders at Trenton. tits probable that
several young men of more respectable
origin and parentsge were with the
masked assassins, but all are equally
guilty and are liable to punishment. II
is needless to deny that the negroes
since the passage of the civil rights bill
by the United States Senate have been
turbulent and aggressive in many sec
tons of the country; and from the
confessions of several Of the negroes ar
- . C:Lron onuntv - "a av;1ant
that they were organizing to attack the
white people. Not long since the out
RACES committed by the Pele Bearers at
the National Cemetery, under their mill
tary commander, Swan, excited the live
lest Indignation throughout this portion
Of the State. The bloody threats of the
negro Williamson in Fayette county
against the whites are not forgotten.
Nor are the incendiary harangues made
in this city by Shaw, the negro Wharf
master Of Memphis, and other leading
negroes, who are to-day the deadliest
enemies Of their own race, and ever will
be, because they are inspired with a
hatred against the white race, and are
politicians, who use their own people as
stepping stones into Office. The speeches
Of Barbour Lewis, Dyer and other white
leaders of the negroized Radical party
during the late canvass were we'll calcu-
lated to create the most intense feelings
Of amnesty between the races. Lewis
denouncing white men a, the Turner
Hall aHd describing in indecent manner
and gesture how the white ladies' would
fall into the arms Of Ed Shaw and Other
negroes, was vociferously applauded b,
the negroes present, whose imagination
became inAamed at the picture presente
By this disgraced Congressman. Til
Someryille and Austin riots On both {
which the negroes we're at fault, hay
added fuel to the flame Every
thing was tending toward an on
break of some character, when tn
frightful news from Trenton created tb
most profound sensation throughout tn
State. The Radical party, which is con
posed Of Federal ofiee,holders, ofic
seekers and the negro voters, is respo
sibe for all these outrages and crime
II is now time for the negro to diseov
Who are his best friends-to abandC
the little Federal ofice-holder's ring
90 avoid the professional ofice-seeke
in the Radical ranks, and to attach hir
self to the Southern white people Of Il
State who can and viii protect him
all bis legal rights and privileges. b
the negro must give up that dream, th
bet idea, Of social equality with the dor
inant and superior race Of white men.