The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-04
A Dispute Over a Roast Pig and
a Black Conspiracy.
THE MASSACRE AT TRENTON
Negroes TOrmented by Armed Ruff
fans and ROwdieS.
MURDER In LINCOLN COUNTY.

county, Tennessee, TO murder all the white people
and commit other acts OF unheard OF atrocity, had
its origin IN dispute over roast pig. ABOUT three
weeks ago the coored people OF Plckettville had
barbecue. Joe Hale farmer living in the neigh
borhood and several other white men, CHANGING
TO pass that way, bought pig from the negroes
for their dinner. They ate as much as they
wanted giving the rest OF the pig to a negro they
had brought with them. This fellow was happy
for only short time. however, in the possession
or this roast meat, for no sooner had the white
men lett than the managers or the barbecue
sezed the rest of the pig, saying that it belonged
to them. Hale heard Of this, and be and his
friends returned and took the pig away from the
negroes. In getting back the pig Hale used some
violence ana good many abusive epithets, which
greatly exasperated the negroes, but his friends
interiered and compelled him TO go away with
them. The point in dispute was whether he had
PAID for the whole Dig or only so much as he had
eaten. The negroes held the latter view OF the
transaction, but Hale enforced the former ana out
OF this quarrel, 80 Insignificant in ITSELF grew the
war OF races in Tennessee
THE ATTACK ON WARREN AND MORGAN
Schemes OF revenge at once filed the heads of
the negroes. They determined to Kill Hale and
burn his house aud to kill some OF the friends who
accompanied him. company was accordingly
organized Tor the purpose and on Saturday night,
the 22d OF August this band OF choice volunteers
was drilling IN the woods near Shiloh church, not
far from Pickettville. Two young men, named
James Warren and Monroe Morgan, CHANGED to
pass that way while the negroes thirty or forty in
NUMBER, were practising their secret man9uvres
Believing they were observed by the young men,
the negroes opened 6re upon them. Warren and
Morgan at once abandoned their horses, and, TAX
ing to the woods, escaped to PicKettville. The
citizens had heard the firing, and when the two
young men reached the village they found party
already armed and equipped 10 march against the
negroes. This party Immediately started in hot
pursuit of Gideon's band and succeeded in captur-
ing sixteen OF the negroes. These were taken to
Picketrvllle where they were securely guarded till
Monday, when they had a hearing before Squire
JOrdon, of Milan, by whom they were committed
to jail at Trenton to await their trial.
ASTOUNDING REVELATIONS AT THE HEARING.
At the hearing before Squire Jordon some OF the
oegroes were induced to turn States evidence.
The disclosures they made are astounding if they
are true. According to the testimony or these
men, members OF the organization, it was their
purpose not only TO Kill Joe Hale and MS frlends
and burn their houses but also to march upon and
destroy Plckettville and other towns and villages
II the testimony stopped here it would be easy TO
understand IT, But they went further and said
that the negroes Of this county had well organized
bands for carrying out their intentions. There
seems to be-" says the Hum Journal, IN CON-
nenting on tnls, "a deep iald conspiracy among
be there are unprlncipled and deriish white men
at the bottom OF II, urging them TO an undertak-
ing which cannot but prove suicidal 10 the black
racer the thing seems incredible. bus hear 1t
on every hand; ~ have no DOUBT" said Mayor
are organized all over the county, and
there are Just tears Of violence BY them
At any time other people AFFECT to believe
state, and one young man gravely informed me
that 1t Is matter OF general acceptance that the
drive the whites away. Nobody, however, pre-.
tends to be Id the possession OF any facts TO Jus.
tily such belief except the determination TO Kill
Joe Hale and the assertions OF the negroes VINO
turned states evidence against their companions
70 save themselves. AND IL Is q TACT worthy OF
particular notice that no general fear OF an at
tack, nor even so much as fear OF an attempt at
the rescue Of the sixteen prisoners, was felt at
the outset. The alarm was altogether subsequent
to and consequent upon the massacre at Trenton
by the masked men.
THE MOB ATTACKS THE JAIL.
The negroes were placed in the jail at Trenton
on Monday night, and the next night mob sud-
denly surrounded the prison and demanded the
keys. The party was at first described as
consisting OF Jour hundred men, disguised,
armed ana mounted; but calmer estl-
After some parleylng with the mob the sheriff
yielded up the keys, being powerIess to resist
them, and the prisoners were at once taken away
from the jail When short distance outside or
the village SIX oil the negroes were shot by the
mob, iour being killed and all left Tor dead. The
other ten were taken away, ana, though week
has since elapsed, NO trace OF them has been found
The sheriff was interviewed soon alterward by
reporter and he gave the following account OF the
analr THE moo came he sad, "and got the
Keys from my office. and, giving three four yels,
went to the JAN, unlocked it, took out the sixteen
negroes who had been brought here rom Pickett
vile tCIbson), and, tying their hands escorted
them away. rhey proceeded on the Huntingdon
koad without saying word, and IN fifteen minutes
| heard Shots In company with several citizens
proceeded down the road in the direction taken
nv nj and
river bridge, hall mile rom town found four
negroes dead on the ground, their bodies rddied
with bullets and two wounded. We saw no
masked men. Leaving the dead bodies where we
found them, we brought the two wounded negroes
TO town aud summoned medical aid. Justice J. M.
Caldwell he'd an inquest on the other bodies, the
verdict hei1g IN accordance with the facts, that
aesn resulted ~. oanSs Of onsnown INDICTED
this morning. These are all the facts relative to
vent the rescue OF the negroes, but fosnd it use
less TO oppose the men, one OF whom said there
we're four hundred IN the band.n The great mys-
terry In this natter the disposition OF the ten ne
groes who are unaccounted Tor. II they we're
killed it is strange their bodies have not been
stranger still that no trace OF them should have
been discovered. II they were set at liberty some
view Of the We may the riddle is as perpexing
as the Nathan murder or the kidnapping OF Charley
10 ey are %ana
GUS Efforts to unravel the mystery ana arrest the
criminals.
THE SUBSEQUENT ALARM OF THE CITIZENS
AS soon as the murder OF the negroes taken from
trenton jail became known there was the greatest
excitement and alarm among the people. Five
hunnreu armed negroes were reported Is marching
on Plckettvllle and Trenton That the rurnor might
lack nothing 1t was also reported that two women
and several children had been murdered already.
Other bodies OF armed negroes were
reported In other directions. without
stopping 10 CONSIDER that SO large force would
include nearly onehalf OF the adult male negro
population OF the county. that 1t would be lmpos
slble 10 bring SO many men together on snch short
notice and that the negroes have not weapons
enough TO arm any sucD number the whites at
once new TO arms. company OF armed men
marched from THIS place TO Pckettyille where
they met another company from Milan and were
organized into one command, numbering about
800 men, The command then marched toward
Trenton In search OF the armed negroes, but failed
so find the seat Of war. Not an armed negro was
encountered anywhere, and the whole thing looks
ike scare got up to cover the murder at Tren-
ton. The negroes, on the other hand, were really
alarmed. Few oil them slept In their beds while