The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-12-29
SEVEN NEGROES ARE DEAD
aucasiaus sworn To Vengeance for the
Colo BiOOded Murder OF Prom
ihsnt Citizen.

400 and 500 in all, every one of whom is
heavily armed, and each body about the
same in numerical strength to each other,
separated by mile of country and liable
to clash at any minute-that is the spec
tacle presented here in Brooks county to-
night.
One body is made up of stern, deter
mined white men bent on revenge for the
brutal murder of one of the best citizens
of this county. The other is made up of
negroes, terror-striclen and fearful lest
they or their families be made the objects
of the same fate as has already befallen
seven of their number, and are ready to
defend themselves from such fate as well
as they may be able. What the next "A
hours will bring forth no one can predict.
That there will be an open clash seems
more than probable at this writing. The
authorities are powerless, and practically
no efforts have yet been made to bring
about peace, save by the relatives OF the
man, whose murder is the cause of It all.
Beginning of the Feud.
On Thursday Joseph Isom, one of Brooks
county's most prosperous farmers and
best citizens, was murdered by party of
negroes, and it leaked out that the killing
of Isom was part of plot to kill all the
whites who were in the posse which a few
weeks ago arrested Jesse Jeffreth for
the killing of Mr.. Moulden. Isom was the
most popular man in the county. He
the county where the negroes outnum-
bered the whites, and the killing created
great excitement. w hen it developed
that the same gang of negroes had sworn
to kill other white men, the whites gath
cred together as if by one accord, and the
work of death and destruction began. OF
the seven who are dead, only the names
of four could be obtained this afternoon.
A reporter visited the scene late this ev-
enlng. Every crosSroad was found pick
eted with sentinels, and every man in the
county is armed to the teeth. When one
of these race eXcitements occur, king
Terror" reigns in the homes of blacks
and whites and this is the case.
Battle Imminent.
About mile and half from the home
of the Isoms were about 200 whites all we'll
armed, and breathing all sorts of ven
geance. A mile further was a crowd of
negroes about the same size, armed with
Winchester rifles, pistols, axes, clubs, and
every available weapon, waiting for the
whites to attack them. They are en-
trenched in and around a lot of negro
cabins in the midst of a thin grove and
the latest information is that the whites
are advancing on them from two sides.
Sam Taylor, ELI Fraser, Sam Pike and
Henry Sherard are four of the negroes
known to have been killed. it is under
stood that Waverly Pike, Jim Mccall and
negro named Herring were the proba-
BILE other ones. The county is compare
lively sparsely settled and the facilities
for securing information are very meagre.
Pike is the negro who killed Isom He has
been in hiding near where the trouble oc-
CURED, and the authorities here do not
consider it probable that he has been
caught.
as the reporter left the scene there
seemed every likelihood of pitched bat
tie tonight. Captain e. Tillman, brother
in-law of Isom was, however, doing every
thing in RI 10
He has sent hurried messengers all over
the country summoning to his aid con-
sentative men in the hope that they would
prevent further bloodshed. It will be
impossible to know tonight how well they
succeed.
Details of the killing.
The details of the killing of the seven
negroes are very meagre. Taylor, Fraser,
Pike and Sherard were together about
sunset last night. They were regarded
as four of the ringleaders of the conspir-
acy to Pin and burn and were being espec-
tally sought for. Half dozen whites,
one of whom is said to have been Isom's
brother-in-law, came upon the negroes
and ordered them to submit to arrest. One
of the negroes answered with a shot that
struck one of the whites and four blacks
We're shot down in their tracks. The
other three were caught, one at a time.
Many of Isom's neighbors, who are in
the crowd, VIII not listen to any peaceful
talk. They declare that for the salxes
of their wives and children and for their
own safety, they must stamp out the
gang that has sworn to murder and
tonight that spirit seems to be the pre-
dominant one.
Isom's Murder.
The killing of Isom occurred in the pub
lie road not far from his home and the
circumstances attending it seem to throw
doubt upon the conspiracy theory. Isom
was here Thursday and while in town had
some words with ,Waverly Pike, a negro
living in this vicinity. Apparently every
thing was smoothed over when he left for
home.
After arriving there, he started with
Henry Timmon, his brother-in-law, for
Captain Timmon's home, about half mile
from Isom's. They met four negroes,
two on morse back and two in wagons.
Pike and West Mccall were on horse
back and the two Herring boys in the
wagon. They came near riding over
Isom, who demonstrated Look out,
don't run over me-" he said stepping out
of the way. Just then Pike drew a pistol
and without a word fired, the bullet pierre
ing Isom's heart. Pike and Mccall fired
three shots each at the PROSTATE body
of Isom.
Pike made his escape but Mccall and the
Herrings were arrested and are in jail.
In this present state of excitement, there
is grave danger of these three men be-
ing lynched.