The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-03-24
THE MISSISSIPPI TRAGEDY.
Particulars of the Circumstance Leading to
Killing of the Negroes.

NEW ORLEANS March ia special from
Winona, Miss, gives the following particu-
lars OF the circumstances leading to the
tragedy enacted at Carrollton yesterday:
Some months ago Herbert Moores, young
man, went to Carrollton. There he met Ed
Brown, a negro, with whom he had an alter
cation, and the negro smeared and poured
on him molasses, which he carried in Jug.
j. NJ. Liddell, Jr, of Greenwood, friend of
Moores, happened to meet with Brown, and
made some illusions to his treatment.
Brown gave him impudence and Liddell
started at him, but was prevented by by
ISLANDERS from attacking him. The negro
then armed himself and induced others to
do likewise. They stationed themselves on
the street, some cOncealiDg themselves be-
hind trees. When Liddell came after supper
from the hotel he saw them and asked
what he meant, whereupon Ed Brown
responded it was none of his id
business. At that Licdell struck at Brown
with his fist, and Brown and his brother
Charles both simultaneously fired upon Lid
dell one ball striking on the elbow of his
right arm. About this time some fifteen to
twenty shots were fired from different quar-
tiers. Liddetl pulled his pistol and hit Ed
Brown in the abdomen, and received one
shot in the tieshy part of his leg. Charles
Brown was shot in the shoulder. The par
ties who had taken part in the affray were
brought before the Mayor forthwith, waived
examination and we're bailed to appear be-
fore the next Circuit Court. Threats were
continually made by the Brown brothers
that they would have Jim Liddells blood.
Further, they had five double-barrelei guns
loaded seven fingers deep, and would "kill
the first man who put his foot on their
ground" On the 18th inst. they made atfi-
davit against James Liddell and others, in
place, and men who knew nothing of the
difficulty, charging them with assault and
intent to murder in the previous difficulty.
Previous to the opening of the trial yester-
day Brown boosted on the street that he
had his body guard and would shoot
the first man that made a motion il his
direction. The case was called at noon, q hen
the Courthouse was Immediately filed with
negroes who stationed themselves around
and about the Brown brothers The attOr-
neys were proceeding with the case, when
there suddenly appeared about hundred
white men, all well armed. Perceiving their
entrance Ed Brown drew his pistol and fired
in the direction of Liddell, who was between
his attorneys, and thereupon the firing be-
came general. Ten negroes were instantly
killed and two others have since died. Some
escaped by jumping through the windows, a
distance of at least twenty feet from the
ground. On most of the dead bodies arms
were found. The room was completely filled
with smoke. The judges bench is on the
north side of the room, and the benches fac
ing it are toward the south. 1t is a 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
benches, thirty shot holes. One shot
wi nd
glanced into the wall. Five other shots
show on the north wall from the direction
of the benches. Large pools of blood were
on the floor of the courtroom. The mob
then left as quickly and quietly as they
came in. The general impression is that
fore a few of the negroes killed were
constantly creating bad feeling, and
led other negroes, peaceably inclined to
produce strife between the whites and blacks.
The good people of Carrollton deprecase all
this and regret that few innocent people
were drawn into the fuss. Following is a
list of the killed: Andrew Robertson,
Charles Brown, Ed Brown, Joe Land,
John Money, Simon Keys. Jim Harris,
Amos Matthews, Scott Moore, French
Hughes, Coley Little, Jim Johnson.
The following is list of the
wounded: VIII Dodd, Jim Keys Christian
Preacher, Jim Hows, Jake Kane, seriously;
Bill Ewing Charles Price, Henry Gle, Coley
Thompson badly, and reported dead. Pay
ton Hemingway and Walter McClou6
junped through window, carrying the
sash along witA them. The former received
a slight shot wound in the hand but was
otherwise uninjured. Amos Matthews was
shot dead while trying to make his escape in
the same way. One colored man threw him
self 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, three SHOTS were fired at him,
two of which struck the window sill, and
one went through the glass. All is quiet
now. 1t is impossible to get any one to state
the names of any person in the mob, and it
viii be very difficult to ascertain them, as
nobody in the excitement took notice of any
of those who ntered the house. No arrests
have vet been made.