Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-21
FEARFUL s'.CARNAGE.
: %
A Posse of White Men Completely
Exterminated by Negroes.
A Terrible Tragedy Enacted ina Rural
Village of Mississippi-The Ae-
counts are Conflicting.
A Hundred and Fifty Negroes Said to Have
Been Killed-The Insurrectionists Flied
From Ambush-The Particulars
TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE =


lie dead as the result. For a long time
there has been much i'll feeling between
| the whites and the blacks at this place,
aggravated by the impudence of the lat
ter, and yesterday the two elements be-
came involved in n quarrel which ended
in a great loss of life. The facts rs far
as they can be obtained were as follows:
A negro and white man became en-
gagged in n quarrel and the negro was
killed. This was an excuse for an as
sault, and Immediately n black horde
swept down upon the whites, who were
greatly outnumbered. Knowing that it
was fight to the death, the whites pre-
pared to receive their black assailants,
and when the battle was ended it was
found that twelve white men and over
150 negroes had been killed.
THE CAUSE OF THE DISTURBANCE.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Dec. II Only mea-
ger details of the riot near Walhala,
Miss, have been received. The cause
which led to the disturbance is said to be
as follows:
About two months ago farmer living
near that town had his gin house and
eight bales of cotton burned. The act
was thought to be incendiary, and the
matter was placed in charge of an officer
to ferret out the criminal. Sus-
piciOn pointed to some ne
groes, ;, and yesterday an officer at
tempted to arrest one who was believed
to be a ring leader of the gang who
burned the gin. The negro resisted ar
rest and gave the officer a severe beating
He returned to Walhala for assistance
and posse of white men went with him
to arrest the suspected gin burner. AS
they approached his cabin they were
fired upon from ambush by party of
about fifty well armed negroes. The re-
suit was that four of the posse were in
stantly killed and eight wounded, three
mOrtally. The greatest excitement pre-
vailed, and an armed force of seventy
five men left Meridian, Miss. this fore
noon for the scene of the trouble, and
doubtless more bloodshed will follow.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec. IA
special to the Picayune from West Point
Miss. says: News reached here this
morning of terrible tragedy enacted at
the quiet little village of Wahala, Miss. ,,
forty miles south of this city on the Mo-
bile and Ohio Railroad, last night, where
four white men were killed outright and
tISHb hOuINShJ IIOui "a
yolley of lead from the hands of des-
perate mob of negroes. The only partic-
ulars to be had are as follows:
Some months ago white farmer living
few miles from the almost deserted
village lost his gin house, together
with eight or ten bales of cot
ton, by fire, which was evil
IDENTIFY the work OF an incendiary
Suspicion was at once directed to one or
two negroes living in the vicinity with
whom the farmer had had some trouble.
The officers in the meantime had been
searching for some evidence against the
negroes AT a late hour last night suffi-
cient evidence had been secured and one
of the negroes was approached by an Off
Ger who demanded that he surrender:
The negro became furious and terribly
assaulted the officer, after which he made
his escape. This attack on an officer of
the law aroused the Indignation of the few
white citizens in the neighborhood, who
organized themselves to capture
and mob the fugitive. The
woods in the vicinity were secured
but without result. No trace of him
could be found, and it was decided by
the posse to act in a body, or surround
his premises. They had proceeded only
a few miles in the direction of the ne
gro s house when from ambush came
deadly volley. Fifty well armed negroes
composed the mob. After every white
man had fallen to the ground the ne
groes dispersed. The horror stricken
people have telegraphed for aid, and
seventy-five well armed men have left
Meridian for the scene of the trouble.
West Point will furnish more help as
l. I H.
CONFLICTING REPORTS.
MERIDIAN, Miss, Dec. 17.-Reports
from the scene of the riot are conflicting
1t is now stated that no negroes were
killed, but twelve white men lost their
lives. Aspecial train left here at p m.
bearing troops for the scene of trouble.
WELL ARMED NEGROES.
NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec. 1.-THE
Picayune Macon, Miss, special says:
The people here are excited over the kill
ing of Henry hurry, Cob and Vaughan,
three prominent white men in kemper
county by negroes, and the wounding of
other whites. Among the number Tom
Nicholson was shot in the body and had
an arm broken. No negroes were killed
or wounded Twenty young men have
left this city for the scene of the trouble,
two of them being recently from the
North. The negroes are said to be well
armed and assembled in mass, and seem
determined to fight it out.
Various rumors exist. 1t is said six
men were killed and as many more
wounded, and that the trouble originated
in two negro men whipping white boy.
W. B. Hare, resident of Noxubee
county, near the Kemper line, was also
killed. 1t is feared that there will be
bloody work tonight, as the negroes are
concentrating. Nearly every town in
East Mississippi is sending aid to the
whites.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
MEMPHIS, TENN, Dec. IA special
ito the Avalanche from West Point,
Miss, gives the following details of the
killing near Walhala:
News has Just reached this point of
riot at walhala, which bids fair to be
followed by a serious sequel. 1t seems
from the meagre information that can be
obtained that at some time during the