The Springdale news., 1889-05-24
DEPlORABLE AFFAIR.

The Annual School Election at Forrest
 City Precipitates Breach of the Peace,
 Resulting in the Killing of City Marshal
 Folbre, Sherif Wilson, Thomas Parham
 and Tom Neely-The Community in n
 State of Ferment--Governor Eagle at
 the Scene.
 LITTLE RoCK, Ark, May 19.-At Forrest City yesterday an election row resulted in the killing of two men, the fatal wound- ing of another and slight injury to fourth
 The annual school elections occurred yesterday all over the State. Usually there is but little contest over these offices and no party feeling. For two or three years past, however, there has been conflict at Forrest City, in St. Francis County, a county with large negro population, which was Successfully manipulated by the Republicans through the agency of the Wheel at the not so much political as person. al, being directed against James w. Stewart, the principal of the Forrest City schools. At every election board has been chosen which has retained Stewart, who is an efficient officer, and has given satisfaction to the great ma
  CTS of the place. The fight against him was made principally by negroes who were unable to accomplish his defeat.
 At this election, however, with the as- sistance of such of the Wheel men as have thoroughly identified themselves with the Republicans, they have hoped to be successful, and the prospect of their success has only served to make more bitter and uncompromising the feeling which has already existed.
 The candidates on tho Stewart ticket for school directors were Jas. D. Russell and John Wildewag. Against these were running two candidates. Against Stewart, the leader of the negroes Ill the contest was Tom Nicely, an active negro politician in the State, who was a delegate in the last National Republican convention, and who has been booked for the register of public lands at Little Rock. All accounts agree ill ascribing to him the origin of the difficulty.
 About three o'clock yesterday afternoon he approached Mr. Russell, opposition candidate for the school board, and began to talk to him in a insulting and abusive way predicting his defeat and the tri- umph of the negro element ill the elec- ton. Russell, who is not naturally an excitable man, struck Neely with walk ing-sti he was carrying ill his hand. Nicely ran behind John Parham, prOmi- nent Wheeler, for protection. The com motion thus created attracted the atten- ton of City Marshal Frank Folbre, who ran across the square to preserve the peace.
 | Witnesses differ on the point as to whether or not Folbre had a pistol in his hand. Whether lie had or not Tom Par ham, a son of John Parham, who was coming down the steps of the building in which the election was being held, pulled his pistol and running toward Folbre fired several shots at him. one of which took effect in the body near the heart. Folbre turned while falling and fired twice at ' Parham, both bullets hitting him. killing l him instantly. Immediately there were q score of pistols drawn and number of shots fired. The sheriff of the county, John Wilson, who was elected on the Wheel ticket last fall, was shot by some one and instantly killed.
 | Before the shooting became general q number of the whites in and around the | polls succeeded in restoring peace. | Immediately after the shooting Colonel | VI B. Izard, of the Governors staff, who | lives at Forrest City, wired Governor Ea- gle. stating that he had called for com pany of militia and asking further orders. | Governor Eagle was at his farm i'll LOnoke i County, and in his absence hls private sec tary, JnO. C. England, was about to obey the statute and order the coroner of tho county, ~. w. Ingram, to assume the dn- l ties of sheriff, and authorizing him to call for the militia if necessary, when 1t was remembered that Ingram IS negro. and it was at once realized that his ap- | pointment in the state of feeling at For rest City would precipitate a riot Governor Eagle was finally reached by telegram and courier, and took the train ' for Little Rock, arriving here about twelve o'clock. He at once empowered Colonel Izard to act in the capacity of \ sheriff.
 It is claimed that Neely shot Sheriff Wilson, but he denies the shooting. Will sons murderer is unknown, so far as positive evidence goes.