Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-19
WAHALAK'SRACEW WAR
WHITE AND BLACK CONTEND IN A BLOODY
CONTEST.
The Origin Of the Troubls-NsgrOss Resist an
Attempt 10 Arrest 0ns Of Their Num-
Der and a Desperate Battle
is the Result


Morton. of this place, had been killed. A
party OF men was at once organized and
left for the scene on a regular passenger
train. Subsequently another party Of
forty was raised and left on special train.
A number of wild rumors were soon In cir
culstion to the effect that the posse from
this city had hai fight with negroes and
that several Of them had been wounded.
These rumors were set aside by the arrival
of the posse on q regular mail train last
night. They reported that everything
was quist at Wshalak and that their Pres
ence was not required there. They told
the following
STORY OF THE BLOT:
''Last Thursday son of G. F. 'Nichol-
son, prominent farmer of Kemper coun-
ty, was driving along the road, when he
met negro desperate driving in the op-
posite direction. Young Nicholson's vehi-
Gle by accident came in collision with that
OF the negro, who kept in the middle OF
the road, as if determined to drive the boy
out. The negro cursed the youth, whsn
old Mr.. Nicholson appeared end inter-
fered. The negro thereupon drew a re-
volver, but Instead of firing, closed with
Nicholson and knocked him senseless with
the pistol The negro then fled.
The following day, Mr.. Nicholson told
his friends of the negro's assault, and on
Saturday it was determined to organize q
posse and arrest him. Information OF this
determination of tbs whites reached the
negroes, and in some way, it is said, that
two white men gathered party OF negroes
together at church, Sunday night, ana af
ter harsnguing them, organized force Of
ten of them to resist any attempt st arrest
Maurrsy, o. sn attaCt on his house. These
whites are known to the people of Walahak,
but their names cannot be learned.
THEY WILL BE LYNCHED.
1t is the settled determination to lynch
them wEea found and the psOple srSue
that when they are hanged 1t will be the
proper time to make their names known
TIE negro force raised by the two white
meD, went to Msurry's house when
tbs church mee,icg adjourned and
concealed themselves III the smoke house
aud cation houses. Very sO3n after this
the pcs,e of white men came up the rOsd
aud halted ia front of Msurry' 8 house.
Four OF them walked rp to tie house, but
found it deserted. They then went to the
smoke house, where they Eound three me-
gr1es. The7e men were questioned sS to
Maurry's whereabouts, but they pretended
they could nat tell where he could he
found. While the whites were trying to
gain aome information from them, q man
on the outside shouted:
"Hera is Msurry. Suppose you come
and arrest him.
The whites rushed in body frCm the
building and ~ they emerged were met
With a volley from eight or ten muskets
and shot guns. William VauGsn was se-
riously wounded by 6uCkshot in the left
arm, neck and shoulders, and ano;htI
mar, whose name the whites will not re-
veal, received q al; ght would in the hand.
This volley came from the cotton house
and was promptly returned by the whites;
bat the negroes, being behind stout p'auS
walls, received 20 injury. The whites
soon discovered that thy were iighiiog a,
| q great disadvantage and moved arCuUd to
the Forth side Of the structure. Here
they received another volley, resulting in
the instant death of Henry Msurry aud
and the wcunding of his brother, j. F.
Maurry, in the arm near tie elbOw. The
whites now drew off and ths firing ceased
Temporarily.
ANOTHER BLOODY ASSAULT.
Notwithstanding their LOSES, however,
the p,2s. determined to make another at
tack on the cotton house, approaching II
this tine from tie s)uth side. AS they
came uo to the building they received
third v0lley, the nCgcoes apparently await
lag tie order to FIRE, "a they had done In
the two previous instances. At this vol
| lev Seth Cobb received twenty-five buCk'
SEQ. in the bre9st and stomach, tearing the
entire froat part of his body away. John
Dsw, another of the whites, was probably
mortsl'y wounded by pistol ball in the
groin. The whites again drew oii io7 con
sultst:oo, when it was decided that an
OTHER attack on the building with their re-
ducsd force would be u9, LEGS, and they de-
trmiaed to wait for daylight and rein
fJrcements. While they we're CONSULTING
the negroes $ rushed from this tton house
to Maurry's residence in bcdy and pro
ceedet TO fortify that bui'diug and The
whites went back TO Wahalak.
Yesterday morning another force o.
fity men was raised and proceeded tC
Maurry's residence. The place YVES found
entirely deserted, even the bedding and
'forniturs having been removed. The
whites buruei the buildings on the plIct
together with those on the farm adj joiu'
log and s,ou' ed TIE woods for the negroes
bat could find TO trace of tItm. 1t wa
impossible to fi1d the negroes within five
miles of the Stens OF trouble.
THE RACE WAR on.
White people from the adjoining town.
poured ia Wahalak all day aud Joined 1T
The search, but as none OF the negroes ex
cspt Msurry was knovp, they accom-
plished nothing. One negro was seer
!urkirg in the woods and was fred upol
bv party of whites, but he instantly dis
appeared. When the posse. from Meridian
uqder command of Capt. Thomas JamisoE
reactei Wabalsk, they were told tha
their services were not required. They
say the white, throughout Kemper count!
ara very sore and think more trouble vii
occur.
1t is certain that if any OF the negroe
who fired on tee whites are caught they
will be killed at once. The feeling, how
ever, is now against tie two white mel
who are said TO have organized the ne
groee. Not single negro is known t
have received any iDjury. Two white
men besides those already reported wer'
wounded, but as their hurts were slight
their names are not given for prudential
reasons. 1t does not appear that TIT
whites in attempting to make the arres
were acting under any legal authority
b 1t they are sustained by the entire Whit
70 oulatioa of Kemper and the adjoining
counties, and it is unlikely that any pro
ceedings will be taken against them.