The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07
THAT RACE WAR.
Which the Senate has Been Investigating
Due to Prohibition Agitation.

WASHINGTON, August 1.-The minority re-
port of the senate Judiciary committee on the
jackson, Miss, political riots, was submitted
by Senator Pugh to the senate today.
The minority says the hearings were held
with closed doors, and in Washington, more
than coo miles from the locality of the trans
action. Hence the members of the committee
had no opportunity of examining the great mass
OF witnesses who were on the ground. How
unsatisfactory and misleading such a course isl
says the report. twill be evident to those who
carefully examine the evidence
The minority says that for many years there
existed in Jackson
TIIR KISDEsr FEELING
between the two races. 1t is shown that the
white people had in all proper ways, contribu-
ted to advance the progress and welfare of the
colored people. 1t is also shown, the minority
says, that before January 1888 the colored voters
of jackson had uniformly voted and that their
votes had been counted without trouble.
Under the local option law enacted in 1886,
an election was held in August of that year to
determine whether the sale of intoXicants
should be entirely prohibited in Hines county.
The canvass in jackson was conducted with
great excitement and bitterness on both sides
Il. 7. Barr, citizen of high character and
republican, issquoted as teStifying with respect
to an anti-prohibition meeting held in Jack
son, that the ammunition and arms belonging
to the penitentiary were brought down and
stored in tho city hall, so that in case of riot
they could be used against the prohibitionists.
The report says: THE police and other city
authorities were there as participants and not
as preservers of peace. They had been parti-
sans and not preseFvers of the peace"
This, the minority says, was denied by no
witnesses not even by Mayor MoGiH. Prohi-
biton carried the county, although the major
ity in jackson was AGAINST it. There was a
belief ON part OF the prchibitionists that the
law would not be enforced rs Mayor MCGill
and the city government had actively opposed
the movement, so law and order league was
IN a u i.A lnNNo
were commenced by the league,
Tho report relates tho circumstances of the
! renconter between Colonel j. S. Hamilton,
Leader Of the prohibitionists, and Young
organ, in which Gambrell was killed
and Hamilton wounded. Hamilton was
an intimate friend of McGil, says the report
! and OF Carrowav, the chief OF police and many
citizens believed that the officials were in some
! way implicated in the ARRAY. The trial of
! Hamilton was prolonged one, and was not
! concluded until after this Investigation began.
! The excitement was such that n change OF
venue was secured. While Hamilton was still
under arrest no was seronaded and among the
/ serCuuders was Mayor McGil.
! These things tended to keep alive and inten-
! silly the bitter feeling. When affairs were in
| this condition tho events OF December 94th
occurred, Edward Eugene Baldwin. n lawycr
/ OF Intelligence, and, rs the minority claim, The
| instig9t0r Of this investigation. ana one very
! much preiudiCed against the officials is quoted
/ as representing that matters were very riutous
/ IN the latter part of the day, December 24th.
| Young men came around town in crowds car
| rying whisky IN gallon jugs and blowing tin
I horns. They threw cannon crackers in the
/ stores and the owners Went out with revolVers
| and drove them away by threatening 10 shoot
| them. Store windows We're broken ANA other
/ acts of roWdyiSm were committed. IL does
I not appear that the police made any effort to
1 suppress the disturbance. SAYS the rcnort
about 8 O'Clock that night, Melville Mitch
! ell, accompanied by some ofhiS young friends,
| who seem to have becu among those who were
! blowing tin horns and riotng, encountered "A
I WmteSitcs, and IN the end both parties were
I killed"
The minority here quotes the evidence OF
witnesses who narratos-cnch from his own
I standpolnt-the circumstances OF the killing
! The reports sketches the pathetic grief OF
father and friends of the murdered Mitchell
saying The young mon and boys. sorruWina
ana in0amcd 10y the spectacle, with one mind
repaired 90 hall 20 ccucort measures q
punish tie mUrdcrerS. They formed what i.
called
TWE wurr rrAeuE.
They undertook 10 lind the policeman and the
others who wore Implicated, That this VIZ,
The solo object Ol the society is testified 20 hy
I all thc witnesses who were members"
Thus aiters ytosd Tuesday night when the
nominating convention WAS held. This mee:
ing though called democratic. was really
meeting ot all parties. Two republicans were
ou the committee on resolutions and were act
4 lytlN participating lu the movement. More
than onc-hah She @lite republicans IN town
were syupatllTcrs iu the NOV cmcnt and act
lively participating IN &C. The proceedings OF
thIs meeting were, ia tlc language used IN IA,
resolutions aud in some OF the expressions OF