Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-08-01
A FALSE PROPHET.
The Mischief Created BY . Vicious White
Man Among Georgia Negroes.

The Mischief Created BY . Vicious White
Man Among Georgia Negroes.
SAVANNAH, Ga. July 12--Georgia's cpl
demic or false Christs threatens to result
in a revolution and Wholesale bloodshed
among the negroes. At present the i'm.
pending danger is in Liberty County,
few miles mort Invest of this city. The
craze is spreading to different parts OF the
State, however, and there is no telling
what the end will be. The first pretender
to attract widespread attention was Du-
pont Bell, the white man from Ohio, who
bobbed up in Liberty County a few weeks
ago and soon had hundreds of negroes
following him through the county. Plant
ers, turpentine men and saw-mill own.
ers were utterly unable to obtain the nec-
essary hands to carry on their business.
Bell had promised to lead the negroes to
Heaven, and they left every thing behind
to follow him in his wanderings. The
mob at his back numbered 500, and they
were SO fanatical that it was dangerous
to attempt to arrest him. He announced
that he would receive a carload of angels
wings from Heaven August IS; that the
end of the world would come on that day,
and that all his followers could then fly
with him straight to the Eternal City. In
facial expression, hair, beard and form
Bell closely resembled the pictures of
in imposing on the credulity of the ne
groes.
The first attempt to convict Bell of
lunacy was defeated on a technicality,
and he was set free to resume his cam.
paign. When he was taken into custody
his followers wanted to tear the law Off
GERS to pieces, but he forbade violence,
saying that his divinity would protect
him from harm. Saturday, however, he
was finally disposed of by being sent to the
State insane asylum. 1t was thought that
this would end the agitation Several
dispatches received from Liberty County
prove this hope to be delusive. When
taken away Bell told his followers that he
would return in spirit, if not in person,
within day or two. They firmly believed
him and refused to return to their avoca-
tions.
Edward James, a colored justice Of the
peace, who has long been a man of infiu-
ence among the blacks, went into a trance
and when he came out of it proclaimed
that the spirit of the imprisoned Christ
had passed into him. The negroes imme-
diately accepted his claim as true and fell
down and worshiped him. The old ex-
element is therefore revived with in
creased intensity. James is trying to i'm
itate Bell's mannerisms, but is also in
dulging in some new departures on his
own account He is preaching revolution
and immortality with a holiness that is
startling the whites. He boasts of score
of concubines. and says every man is en-
titled to a harenl. His followers are also
obeylng his order to throw their money
into box which he keeps with him. He
has collected several hundred dollars in
this way and prevents any of his super
stitious followers from touching it by tell
ing them that they will be struck dead if
they do so.
A brother of the pretender and man
named Carter attempted to dissuade the
new false Christ from continuing his cru
SADIE. The latter struck Ca. ter in the face.
A rough and tumble fight followed, when
the fanatical mob turned on Carter and
beat him into insensibility with clubs.