Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-16


EASTMAN, GA, October 1s.-various and nu-
merous intimations having been received that
we might have trouble on the day Of the hang
ing of the six negro rioters recently convicted
of the murder Of James Q. Harvard, on the 9th
or August last, and that an effort would be
made to rescue the prisoners and prevent their
execution the citizens Of Eastman held a meet
ing the other night and resolved themselves
into temporary military organization for
the protection and safety of the town.
and to assist the Sheriff in preventing
trouble of any sort should any unlawful at.
tempt be made by the negroes. L. NJ. Peacock
was elected Captain, W. W. Harrell and j. M.
Sapp Lieutenants, and ]. Bishop, Jr., Orderly
Sergeant. The organization is to last only SO
long as the necessity is thought to exist and IT
is to be subordinate to the Sheriff and subject
to his directions in case that officer should
need assistance in keeping the peace and
carrying out the sentence Of the law
The meeting adopted resolution requesting
the City Council to put on duty a sufficient
police force on the 10th instant, the day of the
execution, to protect the town and maintain
order. Also, resolution was passed recom-
mending that the Council put on duty several
extra policemen for few nights before and
On motionthe following resolution was unani-
mously adopted:
ResOIUed, That for the protection of our
town against any trouble possibly arising from
1ntoxlcadon on the day OF the execution of the
six negroes to be hanged here on the Goth inst
we, the citizens of Eastman here assembled do
respectfully petition the barkeepers of East
man and nelghboring towns to neither omen
nor allow to be opened, their barrooms at anv
hour on Thursday or Friday, October 18th and
Goth.
The Secretary. by request. has sent copies of
this resolution TO HaWkinsville, Cochran Du-
bois Chauncey. McRae, Melville. and Lumber
City. While in Cochran Yesterday was told
that the matter was being very favorably CON
sidered there. Our neighbors can readily
Nc fo 70, g. 90
should be any trouble or disturbance on the
day of the hanging the disastrous conseouences
would necessarily fall directly and almost solely
upon our town and community, and we have
already suffered great expense, ineonveni-
ences and damage to business in consequence
OF the famous riot of August 9th. / believe
all trouble may be avoided if all who come
here on that day will come perfectly sober
and remain sober until the whole thing is over
with. 1t is true there have been a good many
rumors or threats OF violence and of proba-
BILE attempts to forestail and prevent the exc
cution on the part Of the colored people.
While the cases Of the rioters were being
tried Judge Pate received a threatening
anonymous postal card from Macon
Directly after the trials a scurrflous and
shameful editorial article was published in
the Atlanta Defiance, a negro paper, outrage
ously attacking our court, iuries and officers
and everybody at all connected with the trials
in any capacity whatever, and calling upon the
negroes of the whole State to know whether
they would tsmelY submit to this thing This
was copied by the Savannah Echo another me-
gro paper, and recently that sheet published
another article totally unfounded in truth or
reason, and calculated to incite the negroes to
violence and interference with the due course
Of law and Justice. Besides this,
to take them to Bibb county Jail for safe keep-
ing until the day for their execution, crowd
Of excited negro women gathered around them
at the depot in this place and made use of
threatening expressions. Another snonyInous
postal card was put in our post Office a few
days since addressed to "Mr EVERYBODY hv
Cd and profanely threatening trouble on
the day Of the hanging, saying that when
those negroes are hung we will all die to-
getheF."
There have also been reports of numerous
other threats circulated In this section that
have never reached publication. Sheriff Sapp
received letter from the jailer in Macon
yesterday, saying that he had information that
the colored people there were organized for
the purpose of preventing the prisoners from
being brought back here and executed and
that it was rumored that the railroad track
between here and Macon would be torn up and
the train wrecked on the day the prisoners are
to be brought down. in order to rescue them.
1t is further said that the negroes in all the
neighborlng counties are in sympathy with
the unlawful and unreasonable movement
and that thousand negroes may be
brought here on the 10Th instant or the ni0ht
before to play the mischief.
Il is impossible TO say whether or not any of
these threats will be carried out. Some Of
them may have originated in the brain OF some
fellow desiring to get up a sensation for the
mere fun Of the thing, or they may be the va
carries OF some foolish young negro bucks who
think they know everything, but really haven't
sense enough to foresee the rashness and dan.
ger Of such an undertaking as that which has
been threatened. At any rate, it were well FOR
those who are disposed to participate in such
an unlawful enterprise that they bear in
mind that We are determined to nip ia the
bud every probable or even possible disturb
ance, and we are therefore organized and viii
be prepared to meet any emergency. Sheriff
Sapp win have hundred or perhaps two hun
dred armed men on duty from this county
These viii be backed by the whole town. under
command Of Mr., Peacock, as already stated
equipped men will come down from Cochran
to assist in guard duty, and there may be more
from other places. It is our intention simply
that the law shall assert ITS majesty at all haz-
ards. n Tp