Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-02
A MASSACRE.
Thirteen Negroes Shot Down by an Armed
Mob in = Court Room at CarrOllSOn. Miss.
Ten INSTANTLY Slain and Three Mortally
lYoundni-Caus nf thn TrAEadY.

Thirteen Negroes Shot DOWN ny An ArtheN
Mob in u Court Room at CarrollSon, Miss.
Ten Instantly Slain and Three Mort"liy
Wounded-Cause of the Tragedy.
New OnaE Ans, La, March lS.-1nforma-
tiou is received OF a sickeniqg tragedy in
the court house at C%arrollton, Miss. 1t is
impossible, owing to the isolated charac-
ter of the town, to give full particulars,
but the following facts are CLEANED from
different points within telegraphic
reach: About Il month ago James
M. Liddell, Jr, axoung lawyer OF Carroll
County, was shot and wounded by three
negroes in ambush. The wounds were pain.
full but rot serious, and Liddell suffered
only temporary inconvenience. The negroes
were arrested, but made a counter charge
against Liddell, and both cases had been
fixed for trial yesterday. At the opening
of court the negroes were on hand with
their witnesses and o number of spectators.
About one o'clock Il party of forty or
fifty white men, armed with carbines n
revolvcrs, rode up to the courthouse, dis
mounted, lcisurely hitched their horses,
and entered the courtroom. Scarcely m
words were spoken before theparty opened
fire on the negroes. Kidding them with
bullets and shooting them down as they
attempted to escape. In an incredibly
short space of time ten negroes had
been killed and three mortally wounded,
none of the negroes in the courtroom es-
Gaping. Having finished their work the
party withdrew, mounted their horses. Inc
left the town by the same road they came
in on. Those at the courthouse, who wit.
messed the affair, claim not to know the
attacking party. and all say none of the
men live near CarrOlltOn.
A later dispatch from Winona throws a
little more light on the assassination. At
the trial about twenty colored men were
present. The fifty white men, well mounted
and each carrying a Winchester, anne rid
ing up and surrounded the courthouse.
They then fired into the building, instantly
killing'tcnncgroes and wounded three 9th.
crs 80 that they died soon after. and, with
the exception of a few who escaped through
q window, all the other negroes in the
building were wounded, some seriously.
The trouble between Liddell and the
negroes occurred three weeks ago. Liddell
had interfered in a row between two ne
groes, and afterward heard the crowd
cursing him. He walked up to them and
inquired why they were abusing him. An
alteration eEsued and a number of shots
were fired, Liddell being severely wounded.
1ue pcOpleO vi SarFOllGOuC tlttrSe tue tTaB-
edy to the unreasonable leniency of Gov.
ernor Lowryin committing death sentences.
Some very important convictions OF
both white md black murderers have
taken place in the last few years,
but in. nearly all, ii not every
instance, the executive power has been in
terposed to W. the condemned from the
g%allows. The people have wearied of this
and have in half a dozen cases lately done
their own lynching to save costs OF court.
This may not be a case in point. but is
doubtless an outgrowth OF this sentiment.
Carrollton, where the tragedy occurred,
is the capital town OF Carroll County, and
in the interior away from the railroad
or telegraph line, but on the line of
the proposed road from Greenville to con-
meet with the Georgia Pacific. 1t is
twenty-four miles south OF Grenada and
about eight miles west OF Winona. The H.
linois Central runs across the southeastern
portion of the county. The population of
the county is about evenly divided between
white and colored. The county takes good
care Of her schools and churches and the
people have been regarded as exceptionally
laW-abidinr.