Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-09-11
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without halting them, and had nc
provocation except their enmity to.
ward the white people. The prisoner s
statement corroborated that of the
other negro, and they both were placed
in vacant house for safe Keeping
News of the movement made by the
negroes spread rapidly throughout
| the county. and the excitement be-
came most intense, tho citizens being
generally alarmed and fearing the
worst, as it then became known that
the negroes were well organized
Men from all parts OF the country
ficcked to Gibson, one party having
come from Milan.
The excitement became all the more
general and intense as it was rumored
that the negroes would likely attack
the town that night; accordingly, a
meeting was held, Justice Gunter pre-
siding. The meeting selected Justice
Parker to the command of the men.
but this gentleman suggested the pro-
priety of assigning Maj. E. c.. Burnett
to the position, as he was the chief
magistrate of the town. 1t was then
resolved to use all legal measures for
the arrest Of tho guilty negroes and
the suppression of the riot. In
order to accomplish this, the off.
GERS of the law summoned posse of
citizens and proceeded to the
country, where they arrested the fol-
lowing named negroes on the charge
of shooting with intent to kill, ETC.:
George Greene, Steve Bryant, Dan
Williams, Bob Love, Dick Shaw, Dug
Jamison, Hays PEBBLES, Jarrett Bur
rows, Alfred Williams and Nick Ivey,
whom they conveyed to town and
placed under strict guard to await
trial the day following.
During the night 4 party Of masked
men rode into town and demanded the
surrender of the prisoners. This the
town marshal, j. A. DUNCAN, refused
to do, stating that he intended to pro-
ceed according to law, and have the
negroes tried by the courts. Despite
the threats Of the mysterious horse
men, the officer maintained his high
resolve and held the prisoners safely
guarded. After q while the masked
men left without having effected the
relief of the prisoners, who remained
in stone house, closely guarded. No
attempts were made to kill the impris-
oned negroes, and no other demand
for their surrender was made that
night. Next morning (Monday) an
other meeting OF citizens was held
in the college building for the purpose
of ascertaining what was the public
sentiment of the people upon the sub
ject of the negro outrage and the
probability of q riot among them.
Justice Arch Jordan, who is Mayor of
Milan, presided over the meeting,
which, being called to order, adopted
resolutions deprecating Iawlessness,
and also resolved that III the suppress
sion of the same the citizens should
be regulated by the civil law and its
authorities. After the adjournment OF
the meeting, which was largely attend
ed, the above-named negroes were ar
raigned before Justices Jordan, Fly
and Hunt upon tho charges above
Justice Parker declining
to sit, as he had already formed an
opinion.
The negroes admitted their guilt,
and that they intended to have o gen
eral riot. One of the ssprisopers, Jar
rett Burrow, turned States evidence,
and releated fearful story of tho
cause, origin, purposes and expecta-
tons Of an extensive organization
among the negroes Of Gibson county.
The statement of this negro, is well as
that of Nelson McGhec. was listened
to with breathless anxiety, by over
three hundred persons, who were
in the building, anxious to
hear the evidence Of the Witnesses.
After hearing the evidence the ne
groes were bound over by the Justices,
and, in default OF required bail, placed
under charge Of Marshal DUNCAN, Con
stables W. W. Senter and Spence Ell
bridge, with n guard OF forty or fifty
men, to be escorted TO the Trenton
ail ten miles distant. The negroes
we're kindly cared for aGJ in no man
ler r2alJreatcd whie at Gibson, and
lai fair trial. The officers and
guard departed az twenty minutes past
our O'clock for Trenton, the pris oners
being heavily chained. During the
lay near four hundred citizens from
he country had foc,,ed to the town,
)ub their aid fortunate y was not re-
lulred, as the negroes made no de-
As has already been "nnounced by
the Jail at 1ranton was
broken open hy masked men and the
negroes taken ogt5 . = .it9n Of them
hot near the town. The rest OF the
prisoners were carried of by the
masked men ana have not since hccn
heard o..