The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-23
A REVOLVING AFFAIR.

The news autographed from Maha'
lax, Mississippi. the scene Of the riot
between white and colored law-break.
ers. which occurred about week ago
Is most extraordinary. II seems that
the whites have been pursuing the ne
grocs ever since the shooting which
started the conflict, hunting them
through woods and swamps. and
shooting them wherever seen. IL was
reported that few of the fugitiyes
were attempting 10 reach the railroad
in order TO leave the state. and the
residents Of the towns along the road
were notified of the fact in order that
they might be prepared 10 prevent
them from doing 30. Now IL Is said
that considerable number of the ne
groes are surrounded by the whites and
that the latter are only awaiting rein
forcements before making an attack.
II should be borne in mind that these
fugitive negroes are not criminals or
desperadoes. Their white pursuers
are equally as guilty as they. The
trouble originated in a fight between a
white man and negro, In which the
former was worsted. The friends of
the beaten man then undertook to ar
rest his opponent without warrant OF
law and without any legal proceedings
whatever. The friends OF the negro,
fearing, and doubtless with reason,
that he would fare badly in the hands
OF these volunteers, resisted them when
they attempted to take him, and in the
melee which followed one white man
was killed and several others were
wounded. This is an outline state
ment Of the events leading up TO the
riot, and il may truly be said that II
does not appear whether the negroes
or the whites were more to blame, IL
is certain that the right was not all on
one side and the wrong on the other.
Since this shooting aifray, however,
the niger hunt" has been prosecuted
vigorously in the woods and swamps
around Mahalak The appearance of
a negro In the vicinity of party Of
white men il the signal for fnsillade,
and the shooters do not seem 10 care
particularly whether their victim was
concerned in the Mahalak affair or
not. THE mere fact that he Is a negro
and is found skulking in the woods is
deemed sufficient 10 justify Kidding
him with bullets. II Is not even pre-
tended that the negroes who are now
said 10 be surrounded will be dealt
with according to law il they are cap
tired. On the contrary, It seems to
be understood that they viii be shown
little mercy. Even the fact that they
resist being taken seems to exasperate
their pursuers, though they would
probably have difficulty in explaining
how the negroes could reasonably be
expected to do other than fight for.
their lives.
Assuming IL 30 be true that these
surrounded negroes are the ones who
were engaged in the trouble at Weha.
LAX, assuming it TO true that their
action there was totally unjusti6ed
and that they we're entirely in the
wrong, admitting everything that the
pursuers claim, the course pur sued by
the white men must still be character.
ised as utterly unjustihahle. II Is not
pretended that the negroes now con-
template violation of the law. IL is
not pretended that radical measures
are necessary 20 preserve the lives or
the property of white men. IL is not
pretended that the negroes are oileling
any opposition to the legal authori-
ties. unless the facI that they resist a
party OF men who openly avow their
intention Of killing them may he re-
garded as such. At the worst, they
are merely fusitivcs from Justice and
they stiIl have rights which should DO
respected. The idea OF mcreilessly
hunting them down and shooting
them wherever found is utterly indie.
feasible. Even were the tugiiives the
desneradoes that their pursuers as.
sumo them 10 hc, the sympathies OF
the thinking world would 50 out q
them in the situation In which they
are now placed
These negroes are entitled 10 pro
lection and thew shoald have t.