The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-25
FEARFUL TIMES AT FOREST.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT OVER THE
CLASH BETWEEN THE RAUES.

cov. McLaurin Finally Persuades
the whites TO Turn the Negro
prisoners over to the SheriR-Open
Threats Made to storm the Jail
Inst Night and the Negroes Were
Taken to Meridian for Safe Keep
ing.
Forest, Miss, Oct. 24-Eleven dead
negroes, one dead white man. and one
negro and three white men seriously
wounded, is the result al this writing of
the bloody war being waged between the
white and black races in the Harperville
neighborhood Of this, Scott, county.
Several of the rioters have been cap
tured and lodged in jail at Forest to-day,
hut the others escaped into the swamps
Large crowds of white men are in close
pursuit however, and more names are
hourly expected to be added TO the death
list
w. H. Sibley, white, was killed.
James Hamilton, NJ. johnson, and James
Armstrong. all white, were wounded.
Negroes Kined-Fish Burke, j. E. Gate
wood. Henry Anderson, John Gatewood,
Hugh Anderson, Sim Harralson. Ben Har-
a.son.
Ned Pace, a negro, was wounded.
1t is impossible to obtain a full list of
the killed for the reason that some of the
negroes were shot down in the woods and
hurriedly buried by the whites where they
fell A member of one posse said that he
helped bury three negroes in trenches,
bun neither himself or any one in his
crowd Knew their names and did not care
enough about them to inquire.
Gov McLaurin went to Harperville last
night and appealed to the white not to
molest the prisoners in the custody of the
sheriff. The Governors talk had good
effect on the majority of those in the
crowd. but some of the hot-headed mem
Iers did not relish the Governors inter-
ference and told him so in language more
plain than polite.
For instance at point in the Govern
Or's speech where he was emphasizing the
duty of every citizen to aid in the enforce
ment of the law, one impudent individual
in the audience yelled: Governor, during
the recent yellow fever epidemic, when
your services were wanted at Jackson,
you could not be found. Where were you
then? Now when your services are not
needed you come and stick your nose into
our business. Go back to Brandon"
The Governor paid no attention to the
remark, but continued his argument, and
finally persuaded the crowd to permit the
Sheriff to take the prisoners to jail. The
Governor returned to Brandon this morn
ing. Sheriff Stephenson has placed a
guard at the Forest jail to prevent the
lynchng of the rioters, now in custody,
on account of open threats being made
here to storm the prison tonight. Two
negroes are under arrest and have made
full confessions.
The funeral of the murdered officer, Sib-
ley, occurred at Harpersvllle to-day and
was attended by hundreds of people
II IS reported here that two of the mur-
dered mans brothers are on their way
from their home in Yazoo county. at the
head of a large crowd, bound for the
scene of the race war. ii is feared that
when they arrive determined and sue
cessful assault will be made on the For
est jail and all of the rioters confined
therein lynched.
Later-Sherif Stephenson considered
me situation so serious tonight that he
decided to take the prisoners to Meridian
ior safe keeping. A large posse was or
ganized and the negroes will be placed on
the O'clock train.