The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-12-27
RACE WAR I SOUTH.
4 Riot In Which One Hundred and Fifty Blacks
and q Dozen Whites are Killed.

A Riot In Which One Hundred and Fifty Blacks
and . Dozen Whites are Killed.
WAHALAK, Miss, Dec. 17.-There was q
terrible riot at this place last night, and to-
day twelve white men and $50 negroes lie
dead as a result. Fora long time there has
been much i'll feeling between the whites and
blacks here. which has been aggravated
by the impertinence of the latter, and yes.
terday the two. elements became Involved in
q quarrel which ended in great loss OF life.
The facts as far as they can be ascertained,
are as follows: A negro al q white man
quarreled, and the negro was killed. This
was an excuse for an assault, and the negroes
Immediately swept down upon the whites,
who were greatly outnumbered. Knowing
that it would be o fight to death, the whites
prep ared to receive their black a~ssailants,
and when the battle was ended it was found
that twelve white men and over one hundred
and fifty blacks had been killed. The only
particulars to be had are as follows: Some
two months 8 a white farmer living q few
miles from the almost desolate village, lost
his gin house, together with eight or ten
bales OF cotton, by o fire, which was evident
" the work of an ~incendiary. Suspicion was
at once directed to one of the negroes living
in the vicinity, with whom the farmer had
had some trouble. The officers in the mean
time had been searching for evidence against
the negroes. At a late hour, sufficient evil
dence having been secured, one ofthe negroes
was approached by an officer, who demanded
that he surrender. The negro became furi-
Gus and terribly. assaulted the officer, after
which he made his escape. This attack on
an officer ofthe law aroused the indignation
of the few white citizens in the neighbor-
hood, who organized themselves to
capture, not to mob the fugitive. The woods
in the vicinity were secured, but without re-
suit. No q trace of him could be found. and
- uynr 1nos1cl lx -. - - \ =
and surround his premises. They had pro-
ceeded only a few miles in the direction of the
negroes house, when from an ambush came
a deadly volley. Fifty well armed negroes
composed the mob. After every white man
had fallen to the ground the negroes dis
persed. The horror-stricken people have
telegraphed for aid. 81
THE BATTLE
When the negroes were called upon to sur
render they refused to pay any attention to
the officer or his warrant, and defied the law
and the authorities, saying Maury should
not be arrested. Notsatisied with defying.
the law, they attacked the officer and beat
before they would allow him to go. He re-
turned to the town and summoned a posse
of twelve white men, who proceeded at once
to the point where the negroes were fortified.
to demand the surrender of Maury. The ne-
groes, however, had abandoned their house
and secreted in the woods nearby and az the
constable and his posse neared the house,
they were fired upon from the ambush.
Constable L. Cobb and four Of his
posse fell dead at the first volley and
there was only one man s among
the twelve who escaped entirely whole some
of them being very seriously wounded. The
whites, seing they were only a handful CON-
pared to the large crowd Of negroes who were
opposedsto them, n who numbered several
hundred, reiterated, leaving their dead on
the field, and followed by the jeers and
shouts of the black murderers, who were
armed to the teeth, and had used double
barreled shot guns with such deadly effect
on the officers. OF the law. Upon the return
OF the remainder of the posse to the town,
the scenes was one of the widest excitement.
The situation was telegraphed to the neigh
boring towns and preparations were at
once made to attack the negroes as soon as
reinforcements arrived. The news of the
slaughter caused intense excitement where
ever it was made known. Offers Of assist,
ance came from all quarters.