The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-19
The Mississippi Tragedy.

NEW OtsLEAnof MdICu 1O.-A SpSCldi
from Winona, Mississippi, to the Times
Democrat gives the following particulars
of the circumstances leading to the
tragedy enacted at Carrollton, Miss,
yesterday: Some months ago Robert
Moore, a young man from Lefre, Lef1ore
County, went to Carrollton. There he
met Ed. Brown (colored) with whom he
had an alteration, and the negro
smeared and poured on him molasses
which he carried IN jug. j; N. Lid
dell, Jr., of Greenwood, a friend of
Moore's, happened to meet Brown and
made some illusions to his treatment of
Moore; Brown gave him impudence,
and Liddell starred at him. but was
prevented by the bystanders from at
lacking him. The negro then went and
armed himself and induced others to do
likewise. They stationed themselves on
the street, some concealing themselves
behind trees, and when Liddeu came
out, after supper, from the hot l. he saw
them and asked what they meant,
VIII ereupon Brown responded it was
none of his damned business. Atihat
Liddell struck at Ed. Brown with his
fist and Ed and Charles Brown (hls-
brother) both simultaneously fired upon
Liddell, one ball striking the elbow of his
right arm. About this time some fifteen
or t5enty shots were fired from
different quarters. Liddell pulled his
PISTOL and hit Ed. Brown in the abdo-
mes and received one shot in the
was shot in the shoulder. The parties
who had taken part were brought be-
fore the mayor and forthwith received
an examination and were bailed to
appear before the nsxt circuit court.
Threats were continually made by the
Brown brothers that they would have
Jim Liddell's blood. Further they had
five double barrelled shot guns loaded,
seven fingers deep and would kill the
first man who put his foot on their
ground. On the 18th instant they
made an affidavit against James
Liddell and others, including some
of the best citizens of the place and men
who knew nothing of the difficulty,
charging them with assaulting with at
tempt to murder in the previous diff
fculty. Previous to the opening of the
trial, yesterday, Brown boosted on the
street that he had his body guard and
would shoot the first man that made
move in his direction. The case was
called at noon, when the court house
was Immediately filled with negroes
who stationed themselves around and
about the Brown brothers. The at
torneys were proceeding with the case,
when there suddenly appeared about
hundred white men, all well armed.
drew his pistol and fired in the di-
rection of Liddeu, who was
between his attorneys, and thereupon
firing became general. Ten were in
killed and two others have since
died. Some escaped by jumping through
the windows, a distance of at least
twenty feet from the ground. The
room was completely filed with smoke.
The judges bench is on the north side
of the room. and the benches facing it
are towards the south. 1t is very
large court room, with windows all
around. On the south wall were
counted 135 shot holes; in the wall of
the passage leading down stairs ten shot
holes, and in the bench thirty shot
holes. One shot struck the north win
dow sash and glanced into the wall.
Five other shots show on the
north wall from the direction
of the benches. Large pools
room. The mob then left as quickly
and quietly as they came in. The gen.
eral impression is that it will end in
further trouble, as heretofore a few of
the negroes killed were constantly Gre.
ating a bad feeling and led other
negroes, peaceably inclined, to produce
strife between the whites and blacks
The good people of Carrollton depre
cate all this, and regret that few in
nocent colored people were drawn into
the fuss. The following is list Of the
killed: Andrew Robertson, Charles
Brown, Ed, Brown, Joe Lang, Jim Har
ris, Amos Matthews, Scott Moore,
French Hughes, COley Little, Jim
Johnson.
Fully as many were wounded. |
One colored man rolled himself out of
one of the west windows, falling on the |
brick pavement outside, but got up
and made his escape unhurt. AS he |
was getting out, th rhots were fred |
at him, two OF which struck the window |
sill, and one went through the-glass. |
All is quiet now.
The principal leaders of the gang were
Charles and Ed Brown, who were |
the killed. 1t is impossible to
get anyone to state the names of any of |
the persons in the mob, and it Will be |
very difficult to ascertain them, as no |
body in the excitement took notice of I
any persons who entered the court |
house. No arrests have yet been made.