The record-union., 1894-12-24
RACE War In The SOUTH.
Whites Avenge the Taking of Life
of a COuntryman.
SEVEN NEGROES ALREADY PUT TO
DEATH IN GEORGIA.
tory, Raided by Gang OF Outlaws
ment-Flat Fire at ErooSlyn, n, Y.
Special to the REconp-Ux x1ox.

| l.
| Special to the RECoRD-U NIoS.
QUITMAN (Ga.), Dec 23.-The lives of
seven negroes have been taken in the
last twenty-four hours in revenge for that
OF one white man, and, unless all signs
fail utterly, many more lives are in
jeopardy. Two bodies of determined
men, between 400 and 500 in all, every
man being heavily armed, and each body
about equal in numerical strength, sep
| arated by less than mile of country, are
/ liable to clash at any time. This is the
! spectacle presented here in Brooks
| County tonight. One body is made up
of stern, determined white men, bent on
the revenge of the brutal murder of one
of the best citizens of this county. The
other is made up Of negroes, terror
stricken and fearful lest they or their
families be made the objects of the same
fate as has already betallen seven of their
number, and ready to defend themselves
from such fate as well as they may be
able.
! What the next twenty-four hours will
BRING forth no one can predict. That
tuolo VII DS dH open CIdSn SSoIlS very
| much more than probable at this writing.
The authorities are powerless, and prac-
! tlcally no efforts have yet been made to
| bring about peace, save by the relatives
| OF the man whose murder is the cause of
! 1t all.
| On Thursday Joseph Isom, one of
| Brooks County's most prosperous farm
erS and best citizens, was murdered by q
party of negroes and it leake out that
| the killing of lsom was part Of plot to
| XIII all the whites who were in the posse
which a few weeks ago arrested Jesse
Jetfreth for the killing of 4. Nj Moulton.
lsom was the most popular man in the
county. He lived ten miles north of
! here, in part of the county where the
! negroes greatly outnumb bered the
Whites and the killing created great ex-
| element When it developed that the
| same gang of negroes had sworn to kill
| other white men the whites gathered to-
gether as II by one accord and the work
OF death and destruction began.
or the seven who are dead the names of
| only four could be obtained this after
noon. a reporter visited the scene late
! this evening. Every crossroad was found
| picketed with sentinels and every man
| in the county is armed TO the teeth
! When one OF the race excitements occur
king terror rules in the homes OF the
whites, well as blacks, and this is
| such case. There are probably 500 men
| under arms, covering all area of about
nve square miles.
About mile and half from the home
! of the lsOmS were about 200 whites. all
well armed, and breathing all sorts of
| vengeance. a mile further was q crowd
| of negroes of about the same size, armed
| with Winchester rifles. pistols, axes
| clubs ana every available weapon, wait
| ing for the white TO attack them. Iney
are lntrenched in and around a lot of
negro cabins. in the midst of thin grove.
and the latest Information is that the
white are advancing on them from two
sides. Sam Taylor, Eli Frazer, Sam Pike
| and Henry Sherark are four negroes
known to have been killed. 1t is under
stood that Waverly Pike, jim Mccall and
negro named Herrin were probably the
| others.
The county is comparatively sparsely
| settled, and the facilities for securing in
! formation are very meager. Pike is the
| negro who killed ISom. He has been in
| hiding near where the trouble has oc-
Cured. AS the reporter left the scene
there seemed every likelihood of a pitched
battle Tonight. Captain e. Tillman,
Orother-ln-Iaw of IsOm, was here doing
everything in his power to restrain the
whites. lie has sent hurried messengers
all over the county summoning to his aid
conservative men, in the hope that they
would prevent further bloodShed. 1t will
Oe Impossible 10 know Tonight how We'll
they succeed.
Details OF the death of the seven ne
groes are very meager. Taylor. Frazer,
Pike and Sherard were together about
sunset last night. They are regarded as
four of the riugleaders of the conspiracy
to Kill and burn and were being espe-
clally sought for. y half-dozen whites,
one OF whom Is said TO have been Isom's
brother-ln-law,c 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 were shot down in their tracks.
The other three were caught one at
time.
Many of Isom's neighbors who are in
the crowd will not listen to any peaceful
talk. They declare that for the sakes 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 the predominant one
If the fight comes it will be a desperate
one.
The killing of Isom occurred in the
public road not far from his home. and
the circumstances attending it seem to
throw doubt upon the conspiracy theory
Mr.. Isom was here Thursday, and while
in town had some words with Wayerly
Pike, a negro living in his vicinity. Ap-
parently everything was smoothed over
when he left for his home. After arriv-
ing there he started with Henry Tim
mon, his brother-in-law, for Captain
limmon's home about half mile from
lsom's. They met four negroes, two on
horseback and two in wagons. Pike and
West Mccall were on horseback. The
two Herring boys were in the wagon.
They came near riding over Isom who
demonstrated. He said: Look out.
don't run over me-" and stepped out of
the way. Just then Pike drew pistol
and without word fired, the bullet
piercing Isom'S heart. Pike and Mccall
fired three shots each at the PROSTATE
body of Isom and then broke for their
horses. Pike made his escape, but Nc
Call and the Herrings were arrested and
are in Jail.