Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1894-05-19

u hC AVAAO WAAt5 e~CNOaAAS VII 6AHO o. /
idea of the situation of affairs In the
South
BRISTOL, TENN, May 15.-{Special>-I
"At Gate City, Va, last night band of
eleven masked men, terming themselves /
REGULATORS" started out ostensibly for /
the purpose of Kidding the town OF the |
inmates of q house of ill-repute. The
women had been warned and were anti |
cipating trouble. For this reason they |
were not in the house where the raiders |
expected to find them. They proceeded |
IN search of the women, having entered |
two or three houses in the suburbs. |
Coming to the house of Samuel Wood, |
an inoffensive colored man, they were re-
fused admittance. The leader ordered
the band to fire on the house. The mon
were armed with Winchester rifles and
revolvers, and about thirty shots were
fred through the door of the cottage.
killing Wood instantly. His wife and
children remained in bed and escaped
death. Three of the men are under ar
rest. TLey are Jack Dovney, r. II.
Potter and George Car. Downey and
Potter have heretofore been regarded as
peaceable citizens. The remainder of
the band are hiding in the neighboring
mountains"
What think the white men of the
country of this-- What have color
ed men to say about IL?
Think you that any one of that
band of murderers will be punished
We shall see. The only fault with
poor SAMUEL WooD was that he was
: too peaceable. Alone with his fami
ly In bis cabin during the silent hours
of the night he hears a hammering
upon the door reinforced by the
sound Of angry voices. A demand is
, made for him to throw wide the por-
!, tails OF bis humble mansion, and per-
NIT rough, uncouth men to invade
the sanctity of his bed chamber.
l. His wife with her little ones, hor-
II ror-s stricken ,crouched In the bed while
Q the husband and father maintained
q a watch at the entrance TO his home.
o All, that scene was one that should
cause the Walls of sympathy to be
opened and invite tears to flow.
y This man had done no wrong. His
enemies announce that he was not
only innocent of any wrong-doing
but was known as a peaceable man
Today all that was mortal of him
has been consigned to Mother Earth
u and his spirit has returned TO God
u who gave it.
IL The cries of orphans, and the la
70 mentations OF the widow have stir
red the neiehborhpod, and black
and white persons are indignant ov-
er the outrage. But what of the
!. murderers What has the sheriff
- done Is the commonwealth at
" torney interesting himself In the
matter ?
This occurs at Gate City,-upon
: the soil of old Virginia. The out
= rage rivals any which mars the pag-
es of Texas history. What will bt
= y done about it Our position IL
these matters is perfectly plain. Col
ored men living In lonely communi-
ties should be as careful In purchas-
ing Winchester rifles and revolver
as are prudent men In taking out In
surance policies in large cities.
These weapons should be used fol
y hunting game and the Ike ldurinf
days of peace and upon cowardly
murderous marauders during night
~ of trouble. Oh, that WOODS ha'
a. been prepared The lesson woul'
y have been healthy, as well as beneh-
T. cial and other innocent colored me-
might have been saved similar fate
el 1t is well enough to say that he was
OF good man ,peaeeable and mo ffensivt
40 1t would have been far better to sa
ur that he was q brave man and died
ur defense of his home.
ng We should have shot down thos
outiaws with as little compunctio
of conscience as we would fabbi'
"a and we believe that the liberal mind
Tn ed citizens regardless of color wOul
NV have sustained us In it.
OIL We know that the law iustifi'
ay such action. We do not believe
retaliation but insist upon sci
defense. When colored men do thi
'ne realizing that they can die but ono
o" Iynch-law will go and the lynche
with 1t.