The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-08-02
A FALSE PROPHET.
The Mischief Created BY . Vicious White
Man yunnO GanrUia NAUrOeG.

-
Man Among Georgia Negroes.
SAVANNAH, Ga. July 12-Georgia's cpl
demc OF false Christs threatens to result
in revolution and wholesale bloodshed
among the negroes. At present the i'm.
pending danger is in Liberty County, q
few miles northwest 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
bodied up in Liberty County 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 nee
essary hands to carry on their business
Boil 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 16; 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
Christ, fact which added to his power
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 be
would return in spirit, if not in person,
within a 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 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 inn
itate Bells mannerisms, but is also in
dug ing in some new departures on his
own account He is preaching revolution
and immortality with a boldness that is
startling the whites. He boasts of score
of concubines. and saws every man is en-
titled to a harem. HIS followers are also
obeying his order to throw their money
into a 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 10 dissuade the
new false Chris: from continuing his cru
SADIE The latter struck Carter in the face.
A roug tumble fight followed, when
the fanatcal mob turned on Carter and
beat him into iusensibilty with clubs.