The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-12-27
WHITES VS.. BLACKS,
A RACE WAR IMMINENT IN
GEORGIA.
Seven Negroes Have Been Killed to
Avenge the Murder OF One White
Man-Both Sides Armed and a
Battle is Expected

Battle is Expected.
Quitman, Ga, Dec. 23.-The lives Of
seven negroes have been taken in the
last n hours in revenge for that of one
white man, and unless all signs fail.
many more lives are in jeOpordy. Two
bodies of determined men. 400 or 500 in
all. every man being heavily armed and
each body about equal in numerical
strength. not separated by more than
mile OF country and liable TO clash at any
minute-that is the spectacle presented
here in Brooks county tonight. One
body is composed Of determined white
men bent on revenge for the brutal muir
der of one of the best citizens OF this
county, and the other is made up Of ne
sroeS-terror stricken and fearful. lest
they or their families be given the same
fate as has already befallen seven Of
their number and ready 10 defend them
selves from such fate as Well as they
may be able. What the next p hours
will bring forth, the good Lord only
knows. That there will be an open clash
seems much more than probable at this
writing. The authorities are powerleSS
and practically no efforts have vet been
made To bring about peace.
On Thursday Mr.. Joseph ISom. one Of
Brooks cOunty'S most prominent farmers
and best citizens. was murdered by q
party of negroes, and it leaked out that the
killing of IsOm was part OF a plot To kill
all the whites who were in the posse
which q few weeks ago arrested Jesse
Gefreth for the killing Of Mr.. Moulin.
ISom lived 10 miles north OF here in a part
Of the county where the negroes outnum-
Der the whites, and the killing created q
great deal of excitement. When il devel-
oped that the gang had sworn to kill other
whites, the whites gathered together and
then the work Of destruction began. OF
the seven dead, only four names could be
learned.
A reporter visited the scene late this
evening. Every croSs-road is found pick
eted with SeutinelS and every man il the
county i armed 10 the teeth. When one
of these race eXcitementS occurs. terror
reiGns among the whites as well Is the
blacks. About q mile and & half from the
home Of the lSomS were about 200 whites.
all armed and breathing all sorts Of ven
Eeance. \ mile further was crowd Of
negroes Of about the same size. armed
with Winchester rifles, pistols axes.
clubs, and every available weapon. wait
ing for the whites 10 attack them. They
were entrenched in and around q lot Of
negro cabins in the midst OF a thin grove
and the latest information is than the
whites are advancing on them from TWO
sides.
Sol Taylor. Eli Frazier. Sam Pick and
Henry Sheer are four negroes known 20
have been killed. L is understood thar
Waverly Pike. Jim Mccall and q negro
named Herring were probably the others.
The county i now SparSely settled and
the facilities Tor securing information ara
very meaEre. Pike i the negro who
killed lSom. He has been in hiding near
where the trouble occurred and the au-
rhoTitieS do not consider il probable that
he has been caught. When the reporter
left the scene there seemed every Nkeh-
hood 81 pitched battle tonight. Capt.
+. Tillman, fatheT-in-law Il l>om, was
however. doing everything in his power
- restrain the whites He had Sent mes
SaceS all over the county Summ1uiuE -
him conservative men in the hope thai
they would prevent further tlorGslei.
Il Will he impossible toni Eht 10 know how
well they succeed.
Many Of lsomS neiChborS who are in
the crowd will not listen 70 any peaceful
talk. They declare that for the SakcS u
their wives and children ana Tor their
own safety that they must stamp ont the
gang that had sworn % murder them,
and this spirit seems 10 be the 0redomi-
rant one. II the fight comes Of il Wi.
be a desperate one.
lie road not far from his home and the
circumstances attending seem 70 throw
doubt on the conspiracy theory.
Mr. Isom was here Thursday and while
in town hsd some words with WsveTly
Pike, negro living in his neishhorhood
ApI,ar Rtlv everything WAS Smoothed over
when he left for home. After arriving
there he started with H nrv Tillman.
his hrother-in-lsw. for Captain Tillman
home, shout half 4 mile f'ou j. ms.
They met four negroes, two on horse
hack snd two in UlCtnS. Pike and
West Mccall were on horseback and tie
two HerrlacS were in wagon. They
came near riding over lSou. who reUon-
Strated. He said: Look out. don't run
over NE" and he stepped ont II the
WAY. Just then Pike dr,' pistol sri
without vorl fred. he tu.lel laCrc;rG
l>om'S heart Pike and MyCau fined
three shots each ~ the VroS;rare body
n lSom. and then rrokc tor their houses
! P.s, msG, l. : ascanc bat Mccall 'n5 lie
| HvrTll - W re arrested and are ,u Jail
In the present excitement there i grave
danger II these three being ly2chcd.