Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-19
MURDEROUS SHOTS.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF THE RIOT IN
MISSISSIPPI
The Origin OF the frouble-Ths Negroes Fire
Three vollsys-fnstigatsd BY
White Men.
rRr telegram 20 the pl,pnrch.l !


had a fgLt With the negroes and that several
Of them had been wounded.
SET ASIDE.
These rumors were set aside BY the arrival
OF the posse on the regular mail train last
night. They reported that everything was
quiet at Wahaiak and that their presence
was not required there.
THEIR STORY.
They told the following story OF the riot
Last Thursday, sou OF G.. +. Nicholson, q
prominent farmer Of Kemper county, was
driving along the road when be met negro
desperad0 drivi0g In the opposite direction.
Young Nicholson's vehicle by accident came
into collision with that OF the negro, who
kept in the middle OF the road, as II deter
mined 10 drive the boy out The negro
cursed the youth, when old Mr.. Nicholson
appeared aud interfered. The negro there
upon drew revolver, but instead OF firing
closed with Nicholson snd Knocked him
senseess with the pistol. The negro then
fed. The following day Nicholson told bis
friends Of the nogro's assault, and on Satur-
day 1t WIS determined TO organize posse
and arrest the marauder. Information Of
this determination OF the whites reached the
negroes I'm some way. IL is said that two
white men gathered party OF negroes to-
gether at a church Sunday night and after
haranguing them organized force OF ten OF
them to resist any attempt te arrest Naury
or attack his house.
THEY ARE KNOWN.
These whites are known to the people Of
Wahalsk. but their nsmes cannot be learned.
IL Is the settled determination to lynch them
when found, aud the people argue that when
they are hangedit will be the proper time TO
make their names known. The negro force
raised by the two white men went 10 Maury's
house when the church meeting adjourned
and concealed themselves in the smoke. bOuSe
snd otton-hOuses. Very soon alter this y
posse OF white men came up the road and
halted in front OF Maury's house, -Four OF
them walked up 10 the house. but found It
deserted. They then went 10 otbesmoke.hOuse.
where they found three negroes. These
men were questioned as TO Maury's where.
abouts, but they pretended they coeld not
tell where he could be found. The whites
were trying TO gain some information from
them when man on the outside shouted
" Here is Maury Suppose you come aud ar
rest him !"
yOLLgY..
The whites rushed in a body from the
building. and az they emerged were met with
a voley from eight or ten muskets and shot
guns. William Vaughan was seriously
wounded by buckshOt in the left arm, neck.
aud shoulder, and another man, whose name
the whites will not reveal, received slight
wound in the hand.
This Voley came from the cOtton-house and
was promptly returned by the whites, but
the negroes being behind stout plank walls
received no injury. The whites soon dlscoy-
cred that they were fighting at great dissd-
vantage and moved around 10 the north side
OF the structure.
ANOTHER vOLLEY.
Here they received another volley, result
ing In the instant death OF Henry Maury and
the wounding OF his brother, j. +. Maury,
in the arm near the elbow. The whites now
drew of and the firing ceased temporarily.
Notwithstanding their losses. however, the
posse determined to make another attack on
the cottOn.house, approaching this time from
the south side.
THIRD YOLLEY.
As they came up to the building they re-
celYed third Yolley. the negroes apparently
awaiting the order to fire, ~ they had done in
the previous instances. At the third yolley
Seth Cobb received twenty-five buckshot In
the breast and stomach, tearing the entire
front part OF his body away. JOha Dew. an
other OF the whites, was probably MORALLY
wounded by pistol-ba in the groin. The
whites again drew of for consultation, when
it was decided that another attack on the
building with their reduced force would be
useless, and they determined 10 wait for day
light and reiniorcements.
FORTIFIED TT.
While they were consulting tho ne
groes rushed from the <otton-bouses 10
MaurY's residence in body and proceeded
10 fortiiy that building aud the whites went
back to Wahsak. Yesterday morning an
other force OF fifty men was raised and pro-
ceeded TO M,ury's residence. The place was
found entirely deserted, even the bedding
and furniture having been removed. The
whites burned the buildings on tue place. to-
gether with those on the farm adjoining, and
secured the woods for the negroes, but could
fad no trace Of them. It was Impossible TO
find a negro within five miles Of the scene OF
the trouble. The white people from adloin-
ing towns poured into Wahalak sll day and
Joined i'm the search, but az none OF the ne
groes except Maury was known, they ac-
complished nothing. One negro was seen
lurking in the woods and was fired upon by
q party OF whites, but he instantly disappear
ed.
NOT NEEDED.
when the posse from Meridian, under
command OF Captain Thomas JamisOD,
reached Wahalak they were told that their
services were not required. They say the
whites throughout kemper county are very
sore. and think more trouble will occur. II
IL certain that II any Of the negroes who
fired on the whites are caught they will
be killed at once. Feeling, however, is now
against the two white men who are said 10
have organized the negroes. Not single
negro l. known to have received auy injury.
Two white men besides those already re-
ported were wounded, but as their hurts are
slight their names are not given for pfuden,
tlal reasons.
IL does not appear that the whites in at
tempting 10 make the arrest we're acting on
any legal authority, but they are sustained
by the entire white population OF Kemper
and adjoining counties, and 1t is unlikely
that any proceedings will be taken against
them.
NEW ORLEANS, December 1s.-A special
to The Pcayune from Columbus, Miss, re.
ceiyed at II O'Clock last night, says: A spe-
cial from Wahalak to the Columbus Index
was received at 10 O'Clock tonight giving
full details Of the trouble there, which differ
but slightly from the accounts sent you. A
special tram has been telegraphed for, and n
force is being made up here 10 leave for the
scene of the trouble at the earliest possible
moment.
NONE OF THE GUILTY NEGROES FOUND
BURIAL OF VICTIMS.
MEMPHIS, December Is "A special TO the
Evening scimetar from Meridian, Miss. says I:
There is no change In the situation at Wabal-
ak. The village ia cr0wded this morning with
men from the surrounding country. Parties
have been searching the swamps and every
locality where the negroes who did the
killing on Sunday night are supposed 70 be
secreted, but up to this hour 40 A. NJ not
one OF thsm has been found. 10 Is supposed
they have left the county. All parties who
left Meridian yesterday for the scene OF the
tragedy have returned, and report every
thing quiet at Wahslak. Nothing remains
OF the cabins occupied by the pegro George
Msury and his confederstes but their
smouldering ruins. All the stock owned by
him was Killed and everything burned
around his premises. The remains Of Henry
Maury and Seth Cobb, the two white meu who
were killed. were brought to the village yes
terday. and their friends and neighbors per-
formed the last sad rites OF 1nteTnient to-
dav- Iohn DEW Uho Ra. seVeFply WOunded