The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-04-21
A FIERCE RACE WAR
Serious Trouble Brewing in a
Louisiana Town.
TROOPS ORDERED ON THE SCENE.
The Trouble Precipitated by an Effort on
the Part of White Democrats to Prevent
the Registration of Negroes Death
Reported.

the Part of White Democrats TO Prevent
the Registration of Negroes One Death
Reported.
OPELUsAs, La, April 21.-At this writ
ing 500 armed men of both parties are on
the move and desperate conflict is ex-
pected at any time. Ovor $50 regulars
armed with Winchesters have surrounded
the town and their ostensible object is the
capture of the court. They realize that II
a full vote is polled the combine will win.
The report came to Opelusas that the
regulars were assembling at Belleview
bridge, thee miles south of town. Ar
rivals from the country reported that 200
men on horseback and armed with Win.
chesters shotguns and pistols, were gath
cred there, and were planning an invasion
of the town. Upon the receipt of this
news the combine people, or anti-regulars,
began to assemble around the court house
square, armed to the teeth and prepared
to resist the invasion. The sheriff was in
town when the news first arrived, but he
did not attempt to go and disband the
body of armed men. District Judge w.
@. Perrault rode out to the camp of the
regulars and endeavored to get them to
disperse, but this amounted to nothing.
Yesterday afternoon Dionese Durio, a
leading planter; G. NJ. Clark, clerk of the
district court, and five or six friends were
in front of Durios house.
II was under tree with my children
near me-" said Mr.. Durio. Suddenly
thirty regulators, led by oneiReed, passed
my house. They stopped behind clump
of trees, and went out into the field to see
what they were doing. When near them
they fired six shots at me. My friends
came to my assistance and we returned
twelve shots. We then laid down and
the regulators fired fully fifty shots at us.
do not know whether we hit any of them
or not. We sent word to town for rein
forcements, but when the boys came the
regulators were ont of sight"
1t is now stated positively that one regu-
lator--Aliee Reed-was killed and another
mortally wounded in the skirmish at
| Durio's
Armed squads are on duty at every road
entering the town and the court house is
an arsenal. The Washington Louisiana
boys, thirty strong, who came down tC
fight with the citizens against the regula
tors, have hurried home. A courier brings
the news that Washington is being sur
rounded and that the regulators are Great
ing Consuerndulon dluong une lhnaplohhVs
of Bellaire Cave
! 1t is believed now that the regulators
will not come into town today. There are
$50 armed men waiting for them. The dis
trict attorney has sent in word that his
regulators will enter town today, and that
he has twenty Winchesters at his back tC
say mo negro shall vote"
The trouble in Opelusas grew out o.
the effort on the part of the white Demo
Gratis to prevent registration of the ne
groes. A military company was sent
there and the negro men registered. They
are in the majority and the movements Of
the regulars or white supremacy crowt
now is intended to prevent the negroes
1 from voting today,