New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-04
RACE WAR IN MISSISSIPPI.
TRAGIC FEATURES OF THE KEEPING
SOLID PROCESS.
tYRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE

tYRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE IRiBuSE'
birmingham. Ala jan 3c.-"The war in Mississippi
is no over" said gentleman rom that state Vooay
referring the recent race troubles IN kempef county
Wear wahalak
..snco bostfities were supposed have ended" he
continued "eiqhteen negroes been killed and the
end is no. yet man who lives near the scene OF inc
recent troubles said to me only few days ago. we uo
not intend stop until negro I'm this part OF kempef
County dead driven away from here ana they VIA
keep their word you depend on that"
In reply To questions the gentleman from Mississippi
told the following story Of the Wahalak affair ana suose
ouent bloody events in that section
swhen three negroes were reported SAFE the anan
had attracted too much attention TO suit the whites
There we're six newspaper correspondents in the county
and three telegraph operators had been sent 10 WsA
TO send specials The whites had sworn TO nave
ample revenge for the killing of three OF their neighDors
nv tina negroes but they did TO have so many
newspaper men 'nosing around as they expressed IT,
To get rid OF them was announced thai inc matr was
ended that the ngeaders of the negroes had Deeh eaug
and were SAFE and search would be discontinued at
once. This announcement had the desired effect the
newspaper men all left and then the hunt for negroes was
resumed Since then eighteen more negroes have been
reported safe many have been driven from the
county The scene OF this warfare is now In villa
section OF tho country remote from railroads
and towns and tho outside world win know how
terrible and bloody has been the OF tho whites
No except those who have visited tho scene can realize
the condition OF affairs in that section for few days I'M
dangerous for newspaper man to be seen there then II
his mission known and those who visited the place
not allowed to write the whole truth committee
OF whites waited the telegraph operator at Wahaak aud
told him they would hold him responsible for everything
from that office Tho operator well knew tho char
OF the had deal with and for three days
and nights he sat In his ONCE editing specials Three
from Meridian sent to Wahslak by
the Western Union Company but the regular operator
read every line of nled before it sent sway
Some the correspondents compelled 70 show their
specials to the citizens before filing them
Only newspaper men vetured into the hills with the
searching parties Of whites and these compelled to
carry shotguns and do duty In the search One OF hem
on return from search lasting two days and nights
related his experience. He said the natives were sus
peious OF him and watched him closely one night about
midnight the party consisting OF about twentyhree men
besides the correspondent surrounded cabin where four
Of negroes supposed to be- An advance on the
cabin was ordered the front gate the correspondent
stopped Ae said he felt that IL OF his funeral
and he did not be killed and let his paper got
seooped The moment he stopped the mu1zie OF large
navy revolver pressed against his head and he was
ordered 70 move That was one Of tho cases where
there was chance away no moved and was
placed In front Of the front door OF the cabin with orders TO
the negro that appeared the penalty being that
he would himself be shot II he allowed one 70 escape 1t
trying position, and the newspaper man said no felt
that he was working assignment but fortunately
for him the cabin empty.
Another correspondent met with some exciting adj
ventures without reaching the Of ana left the
State without getting report Tor his paper This cor
respondent fresh young reporter sent down by
Detroit paper TO write UP the lie carried cane
parted his hair in the middle and wore SIX hat The
natives selected him "our meat as they ca
dressed IT, was furnished with horse and gun and
started with party Of ATTY for the hills to hunt negroes
young correspondent had never before been on horse
but be thought he could learn 70 ride in time He was
given dest horse 10 be found al the little village
mile away the party 10 long stretch OF very muddy
road Some discharged pistol, the young mans
horse sprang from him. and be left sitting In the
middle Of the road his eahe broken and his clothes
ruined lie said n his feet were fastened In the strTups
he thought he could 10 stay on the hofsn so his
fee we're tied In the stlrrups He hsa only gone snort
distance when again frightened by the crowd
This time he was thrown but his feet remaining In tho
stirrips he was dragged distance and badly hurt
lie then declined proceed with the searehng party ana
was compelled walk back % town Late that evening
no Vas sitting the telegraph oflee when he noticed
ar,oa men coming from ell directions and gathering IN
snail groups about the building They were gathering to
meet the south bound rain and search 10 for heeng
negroes but the dspper little correspondent thought they
after him, and no sent the relieving message MASKING
over the wires TO his paper
as is peyilous for me to remain here Let mo eomo
home
'soon an answer was received telling him no could re.
tusn and re boarded the first train bound North
''The officers Of the law poweress 70 prevent the
slaughter negroes they mai disposition to DO
which Is doubtful One OF the searching parties when
was field and which days later reported
three Of the negroes safe headed by deputy sheriff
Noxubee County The search for negroes Is st going
on. and the whites II will continue unt they are ria
Of all the Objectionable negroes In the county How many
will be killed it Is Impossible 70 say, but enough has been
done create perfect reign Of terror among the negroes
in that county An eyewitness 20 Of the murders Of
negroes in telling the story afterWard said The scene
made sick An old haired negro caught He
q brother OF one Of the who killed the whites On
his knees begged mercy and protested that he had
nothing do With tbs crime and knew nothing Of II until
afterward but all his peadngs in vain While on
his praying and begging for mercy dozor shotRns
were leyeled OF him. and he told his tlmo had come.
caDtors this old had been trying force
fesson from him and get him TO tell where the other ne
gfoes hid but he protested to the last that he had
nothing 10 confess and that he know nothing OF the
whereabouts OF those who took part In the killing OF The
whites. All his protestatons however were unavalilng,
and the next day his was scratched from the list and
he reported among those who were safe P"
In connection with the wahalak story, the gentleman
explain of the methods Of keeping Mis-
slsspD solid for the whites in counties where the negroes
macFltcs Of three 1--WE TO lie mentioned one
instance which may be OF interest as illustrating the
methods OF the whites Columbus is situated in Lowndes
County, which has large negro majority AZ tho last
election only votes for Harrison were poed In
the entire county There was no counting out ntimi.
dalton the polls negroes frightened and AFRAID
70 vote. At Columbus there i big cannon known as
"Bg jim" The night before election this cannon IS taken
Of the bluffs overlooking the river, ard Is fired
at intervals ali night The reI IT'S be heard for msny
miles-n fact almost Throughout. the entire county This
ia waning TO the negroes stay away from the polls
the next day. and they wsc heed the
ings. Thus Mississippi Is kept soid
DELAY IN BUILDING A CHURCH.