, 1888-12-18
TERRIBLE SLAUGHTER.
Bloody Fight Between Whites
and Negroes.
Many Killed and Wounded on
Both Sides.
Conflicting Reports as to the
Cause of the Trouble.
Bloody Work.

of a horrible tragedy enacted at the quiet
little village of Wahallak, Miss. forty
miles south of this city, on the Mobile &
Ohio railroad, last night, where four
white men were killed outright aud eight
wounded, three MORALLY, by a volley of
lead from the hands of II desperate mob
of negroes. The only particulars to be
learned are as follows: Some two months
ago a white farmer living a few miles
from the village lost his gin house toeeth-
er with eight or ten bales of cotton by
fire, which was evidently the work of an
incendiary. Suspicion was at ouce direct
ed to one or two negroes living in the
vicinity, with whom the farmer had had
trouble.
Officers in the meantime had been
searching for evidence against the negroes.
AT a late hour last night sufficient evi-
dence had been secured. A negro was
approached by an officer, 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 them
selves to capture not to mob the fugitive.
The woods in the vicinity were secured,
but without result. Not a trace of him
could be found and it was decided by the
posse to act in a body and surround his
premises. They had proceeded only a few
miles in the direction of the negro's house
when from an ambush came a deadly
volley. Fifty well armed negroes COM
posed the mob. After every white man
had fallen to the ground the negroes dis
persed.
The horror stricken people have tele-
graphed for aid. Seventy.five well armed
men left Meridian, Miss, at 10 O'Clock
this morning for the scene Of the tragedy.
West Point will furnish more help as
soon as the necessary adyices can be had.
Reports from the scene of the riot are
conflicting.
The Picawnne's, Macon, Miss. special
says: The people here are excited over
the killing of Henry Maury, Cobb and
Vaughan. three prominent white men in
kemper county, by negroes, and the
wounding of other white men. Among
the number Tom Nicholson, who was
shot In the body and had his arm broken.
No negroes were killed or wounded.
Twenty young men of this city have gone
to the scene of the trouble. The negroes
are said to be well armed and assembled
enuasse. and seemed determined 10 fight
1t out. Various rumors exist. 1t is
feared there will be bloody work to might.
Another Account.
New ORLEANS, Dec. IA special
dispatch from Columbus, Miss to the
Rcoyame says: Several gentlemen reached
this city this morning from Artesia bring
ing news of the wholesale slaughter of
a constGble's posse near Wahallak, a small
station on the Mobile & Ohio railway
near Macon, Miss. On Friday last a
negro and a white boy got into a fight.
The white boy father attempted to sep
arate them, when he was set upon By a
negro boy aud his father and terribly
beaten. Yesterday the white man swore
out a warrant for the negroes arrest and
Constable Seth Cobb went to the negroes
house to execute 1t, when he was attacked
by q number of negroes and beaten. He
then summoned a posse Of twelve men
and went yesterday evening to arrest the
negroes. The posse was fired upon from
ambush aud five were killed outright and
six wounded more or less seriously.
The news spread rapidly and the ne
groes were strongly reinforced. Wahallak
telegraphed along the line for help, and
Meridian responded with about seventy
five well armed men. They were Joined
at every station, and reaching Wanallak
marched Immediately to the scene of
bloodshed. The negroes were barricaded
and refused TO surrender or give up the
dead whites. AT noon the forces were
supposed to be about equal and what the
result is no one here knows.
This afternoon news was received that
the beligerent negroes had retreated to
the swamps and are stubborn, while the
no~n-combatant negroes are fleeing to the
woods in terror. There is considerable
excitement here, and news of develop
ments is awaited with the utmost anxiety.
Following is a list of the killed and
wounded:
Killed-Henry Maury, Seth Cobb,
Tom Nicholson, Bill Vaughan, Bill
Hare.
Wounded-Frank Maury, Tom Giles,
Bob Harper, A. L.. Harper, John Dew.
jeff Thomas.
A special from Macon, Miss. saws:
1t was reported this evening that seven of
the negroes implicated were shot this
morning. Two armed squads left here
to-day for the scene of trouble and more
bloodshed may be expected.
The negroes have not been idle. Re-
ports from the county where they are
co~ngregating state that their number is
being constantly increased by reinforce
ments and that they are fully armed and
determined to fight to the end.
MDNIGHT-Advices Just received from
the scene of the trouble state that the
negroes have become alarmed at the mum
Der of reinforcement which the whites
have received from all quarters and have
retreated to the swamps, where they arc
certifying themselves and making every
preparation to resist all attacks. They
are armed with ~shotguns, muskets and
pistols and are ~abundantly supplied with
ammunition. The whites. are mostly
armed with Winchester rifles, shoteuns
and some side arms and are determined to
put a stop to all such outbreaks.
The present scene Of the trouble is