Omaha daily bee., 1888-12-19
THE MISSISSIPPI MASSACRE.
Later Details of the Fight Between
Whites and Negroes.
THE ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLES
Two White Men Said to Have Organ
lied the Mob and Urged Them
to Resist the Posse Of
Officers.
The Rate War.

MERIDIAN, Miss, Dec. 1S.-A number OF
kilograms were received here yesterday
morning, stating that a riot had occurred al
Wahalak, Kemper county, fifty miles north
of Meridian, and that Holly Morton, of this
place, had been killed. 1t appears that last
Thursday a son of G.. F. Nicholson, a promi-
nent farmer, was driving along the road,
when he met a negro desperate named
Maurice driving in the opposite direction,
Young Nicholson's vehicle, by accident, came
IN collision with that of the negro. The
negro cursed the youth, when old Nicholson
appeared and interfered. The negro, there
upon drew a revolver and knocked
Nicholson senseless. The negro then fled.
Saturday it was determined to organize a
posse and arrest the negro. Information of
this determination of the whites reached the
negroes in some way. 1t is said that two
white men gathered n party of negroes to-
gether at church Sunday night, and after
haranguing them, organized a force of ten
of them to resist any attempt TO arrest
Maurice or an attack on his house. The
negro force raised by the two white men
went to Maurice's house when the church
meeting adjourned and concealed themselves.
Very soon after this a posse of white men
came up the road and halted in front
walked up to the house, but found
1t deserted. When the whites found where
Maurice was they rushed in n body for the
building, and as they came in sight were met
with a volley from eight or ten muskets and
shotguns. William Vaughan was seriously
wounded by buckshot in the neck and shout
ders, and another man received a slight
wound in the hand. This volley came from
a cotton house and was promptly returned
by the whites; but the negroes, being be-
hind stout plank walls, received no
injury. The whites received another volley
resulting in the instant death of Henry
Maury, and the wounding of his brother, j.
+. Maury. The whites now drew off and the
firing ceased temporarily.
Notwithstanding their losses, however,
the posse determined to make another at
tack on the cotton house. AS they came up
to the building they received q third volley,
Seth Cobb having the entire front ofhis body
torn away by buckshot. John Dew, another
of the whites, was probably mortally wound
ed by a pistol ball in the groin.
TIL whites now determined to wait for
daylight and reinforcements. While they
were consulting the negroes rushed from the
cotton house to Maurice's residence in a
body and proceeded to fortify that building,
and the whites went to Wahalak.
Yesterday morning another force of fifty
men was raised and proceeded to Matrices
residence. The place was found entirely de-
serted, even the bedding and furniture
having been removed. The whites burned
the buildings on the place, together with the
house on the farm adjoining, and secured the
woods for the negroes, but could find no
trace of them. 1t is certain that if any ne
Groes who fired on the whites are caught
they will be killed at once. The feel
ing, however, is now against the two
white men who are said to have organized
the negroes. Not a single negro is known to
have received a single injury. Two white
men beside those already reported were
slightly wounded. 1t does not appear that
the whites, in attempting to make the arrest,
were under any legal authority, but were
sustained by the entire white population of
Kemper and adjoining counties, and it is un-
likely that any proceeding will be taken
against them.
MEMPHIS, Dec. 1S.-A special from Meri-
dan, Miss, says there is no change in the
at Wahalak. The village was
crowded this morning with men from the
surrounding country. Parties have been
the swamp and surrounding
country, where the negroes are supposed to
be hid, but not one of them has been found.
II is supposed they have left the country.
New ORLEANS, La, Dec. 1S.-A special
from Wahallak says that later accounts do
not materially change last nights story of
the ARRAY. Seth Cobb and w. II. Maury
were killed, William Vaughan, John w.
Dew and j. T. Maury fatally shot, and two
or three others slightly wounded. Apartyof
seven white men have started for the hills,
where the negroes are said to be hiding, and
a serious fight is expected IN case of a meet
ing. 1t is believed, however, that the nc
groes have dispersed.