Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-24
FOR RENT-HOTELS.
Tragic Result of the Murder of
Joseph IsOm.

With seven negroes dead and armed mobs
Of whites and blacks in near proximity to
each other, the outlook for race war near
Quitman, Ga, is startling. The excitement
is the result of the murder of Mr.. Joseph
Isom, a farmer of Brooks county. Seven
negro lives were taken Saturday night to
pay the penalty, and this seems to be only
the beginning of the end.
A correspondent visited the scene last
evening. Every cross-road 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 Ter
ror rules in the homes of whites as well
as blacks, and this is such a case. There
were probably 500 men under arms cover
ing area of about five square miles.
About mile and a half from the nome
of Isom were about 200 whites, all well
armed, breathing all sorts of vengeance.
A mile further was a crowd OF negroes Oh
about the same size, arIped with Wlnches-
ter rifles, pistols, axes, clubs and every
available weapon, waiting for the whites TO
attack them They are entrenched and
around a lot of negro cabins in the midst
of a thin grove. Sam Taylor, Eli Frazer,
Pike and Henry Sheard are four negroes
known to have been killed. 1t Is under
stood that Waverly Pike, Jim Mccall ana
a negro named Herring We're probably the
others.
The county Is comparatively sparsely set
tied and the facilities for securing informa-
ton are very meager. Pike Is the negro
who killed lsom. He has been IN hldihg
near where the trouble has occurred, anu
the authorities do not consider it probable
that he mad been caught
When the reporter left the scene there
seemed every likelihood OF a pitched Dat
tie. Capt. Tillman, father-in-law OF isom'
however, was doing everything in his power
to restrain the whites. He had sent hur-
ried messengers all over the county sum-
ironing to his aid conservative men IN the
hope that they would prevent further
bloodShed
Details of the killing Of the seven ne
groes are very meager. Taylor, Frazer
Pike and Sheard were together about sun
set Saturday night. They were regarded
as four of the ringleaders of the conspiracy
to Kill and burn, and were being especially
sought for. A half dozen whites. one OF
which is said to have been 1somS brother-
in-law, came upon them suddenly and Or
dered them to submit to arrest. One of the
negroes answered with 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
lsom's neighbors who are in the crowd viii
not listen to any peaceful talk. They de-
clare that for the sakes of their wives and
children and for their own safety they
must stamp out the gang that had sworn
to murder, and this spirit seems to De the
predominant one. II the fight comes, 1t
will be a desperate one.
The killing of 1Som occurred in the pub
lie road not far from his home, and the
circumstances attending it seem to throw
doubt on the conspiracy theory. lsom was
a. Quitman, and while i'll town had some
words with Waverly Pike, a negro living
in his neighborhood. Apparently every
thing was smoothed over when he left for
home. After arriving there he started.
with Henry Tillman his brother-in-law, fer
Capt. Tillman's home, about half mile
from Isoms. They met four negroes, two
on horseback and two on wagons. Pike
and West Mccall We're on horseback. The
two Herring boys were in the wagon. They
came near riding over lsom, who remon-
strated.
He said: Look out; don't run over me-"
and had stepped out of the way. Just then
Pike drew pistol and, without a word
fired, the bullet piercing Isom's heart. Pike
and Mccall fired three shots each at the
PROSTATE body of Isom, and they broke for
their horses. Pike made his escape, but
Mccall and the Herrings were arrested and
are in Jail.
Ran the Gauntlet Safely.
Jabez Virgins. colored. who shot several
people at Graniteville, S. c., was found in
a cabin at Augusta, Ga, yesterday. Five
officers surrounded the cabin. Virgins,
with a revolver in each hand, dashed oat
firing as he ran.
Detective Murray fell. with possibly
fatal wound in his face. Officer Springer
shot in the right eye.
The other three officers opened fire. Wig
gins emptied his weapons and reloaded as
he ran. Five hundred people joined in the
chase. Virgins began firing again, and
killed John Davis, citizen.
AT this the crowd fell back and Virgins
hid in some bushes. Officers followed and
drew his fire until his cartridges were gone.
Then he was lodged in Jail.
At pm. a mob of 800 started to the
Jail shouting Lynch him. Lynch him.
The speaker of the house, the judge of the
county court and the chief of police got the
crowds attention before the Jail was reach
ed and, after much persuasion, got the
angry people to dispense
Sheriff O'CoEnor wired Gov. Atkinson and
received orders to call out the militia if