The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-13
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
SIR. d. y. Maury's Statement OF the Wa
baIak Affair.

baIals Affair.
To the Editor Of The Appeal
Dear Sir-Having seen so many false and
conflicting accounts OF the late unfortunate
affair which occurred within few miles
of Wahalak, Miss, on the night of the
lG;h OF December, all purportng to be
'actual facts" CLEANED after close and care
full investigation, and feeling 1t a duty
owe those engaged in the conflict, as well
rs to the people OF Kemper County in
common, ! have decided TO write you
correct and unbiased account OF the whole
affair, stating nothing but facts as they
occurred, although | feela very great de-
licacy in having my name appear in pub
lie print.
On Thursday, December 10 last Tom
Nicholson, a very quiet farmer, was re-
turning from Shuqualak, accompanied by
his small boy, who will be seven years old
H. February, and when within a mile or
50 OF home the father stopped at a cross
road store to pay small debt he owed the
merchant, telling his little boy TO remain
in the wagon and drive on; that he would
room oycrtakc him. The boy had gone
about 800 yards when he met, between
two bluffs in the road, the VIGOROUSLY
vile aud desperate negro, Geo. Maury
who began To rail at bin In a
vigorous manner 30 clear the road and let
him pass. The boy became frightened and
could not manage the team. George be-
came moro violent and threatened TO take
his whip staff 10 the boy II lac did not
drive around him. At this juucturc the
u luuI tul
ming up and BEGAN To demonstrate w,tl
George for being 81 abusive 10 a child; but
George would not hear 10 any reason, and,
drawing his pistol. gave Nicholson the lie
ia answer 10 some charge vi abuse OF hs
-schild and struck Nicholson several sever
blows upon the head, knocking him sensr-
less in which condition Nicholson did mol
know how long he remained, but when
consciousness returned George was stand
ing over him, abusing aud swearing ven
geance against him and all This sort,
and Walter Crook, another desperate
negro, was standing upon q bluff above
them, Laughing sneoringly at The defeat OF
white man 10y a negro Tom Nicholson,
alter this occurrence. knowing he stood
no chance with such a monster surrounded
10y desperate and clannish ncighborhood
OF negroes, went among his friends and
made the above facts known TO them. and
wrote TO his brother-in.law, Seth Cobb,
who was section master on the
Georgia Pacific Railroad. Cobb came
down on Saturday night aud in.
sisted upon arrrsting George ut once. OF
courso there were many willing hands 10
assist him after hearing the above agra.
waiting facts related. The program wis for
Cobb TO procure a writ and come by Wa.
haak and get the crowd and arrest him
Sunday night, but having heard that II
was Georges intention ~ leave the cOun.
try the next morning on the o o'clock
train. and the magistrate living ut 80 great
n distance from Mahalak, they resolved to
arrest George that night ut all hazards.
II was not, however, known by all the
parties that Cobb had not procured u writ,
ior my brother, VINO was killed, told me
on leaving him sunday night at dark that
e;lisllkcd very much 10 10 up there, but
Ice lclt IL his duty Ia 90, las Cobb had
gone after writ" The crowd arrived a,
t,corge's house about II O'Clock at night,
and demanded his surrender. which de-
/ mand was answered by a yollcy OF fire
from the guns Of dozen or more despcr
ate negroes, by whom Il was aiterward m.
cciiained George Maury had been guarded
night and day since the opening OF tn,
trouble between George and Nicholson
NJ. II. Maury and seth Cobb were in
s,antly killed. and four others severely
wounded. When the survivors saw the
situation they withdrew, leaving the dcaC
upon the ground.
Aseyidcncc now, thatthcrc was no inten
ton upon the part Of any oi ihe crowd 4
arrest or injurc any one except Gcorg'
Mnury, ] will state that two Of them wen
into Que Of the houses, and on being tolt
by the inmates that George was not IL
there, withdrew, and one Of them was In
s,antly shot from the house he had jus
LETT.
Now suppose tho public Is acquainto,
with the report published IN the Chicagi
N,us directly after the shooting, which
here take occasion 30 denOuncc ~ n tissu
oil infamous lies from beginning 10 end
Asan evidence OF the inlsity OF said "a
porters statement, II will only be ncccs
sary to mention two OF his lying passages
lie speaks OF VI. II. Maury as notorious
~ desperate man, "always spiling for
file," aud continuing says IN. u. Maur
was indirectly tic cause Of the killing 9
Tom Nicholson's brother by Hardin.
II u becomes necessary 10 prove tn
falsity OF the first statement. ! am prepare
TO furnish y certificate signed by Zine
tenths Of the leading professional men an
farmers. both white aud colored, 6
kcmpor and adjoining counties, that NJ
II. Maury was noted for his kindness
|. hospitality aud charity, both NJ home an
L. In business dealings with his fellow mar
y In order 20 form an idea Of the estimation
? In which he was held by his neighbcl
and those who had known him from child
hood, Il would only be necessary TO hay
witnessed the feeling displayed by thos
who here assembled around his grave
pay their last tribute OF respect. In regar
20 the last statement, will only say Thu
NJ. II. Maury knew nothing Of the troub
between Nicholson and Hardin until III
news reached him that Hardin had kille
Nicholson, a. he lived eight miles irol
where the trouble occurred. I wis not
oil unInniah1I IhnI Nnrihnrn fnnnrn nhnul