The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-12
FIRM MEN RULE WILMINGTON.
MAYOR WADDELL VETOED THE
LYNCHING OF NEGROES.

Ex-Chief of Police Melton, n. II.
hunting and c. H. Gilbert Escorted
10 the Depot and Sent From the
City-Six Negro Prisoners Also Ex-
He'd EX-Deputy Sheriff French
saved From Violence by Cool
Headed Men-A General Movement
TO Rid the City of Negro Leaders.
Wilmington, N. c., Nov. 11.-This dis
urbed and long perturbed community
seems at last to be entering upon an era
of peace and order.
The complete change in the municipal
government effected last night with some
audiences, but with great unanimity, has
placed men in control of local affairs rsp-
resenting the best elements of the city.
The firm hand of the law is being laid
upon the town and is holding in restraint
all classes which might threaten disorder.
The first act of the new government was
to swear in $50 special policemen. Cool
headed men were selected for these posts
and were instructed to prevent any at
tempts TO terrorize the negroes as well
as to frustrate acts of lawlessness by the
latter
Good government was put to a test i'm
mediately, and the new officials were call
ed upon almost before they had taken the
oath to make good the promise to preserve
order.
A big lynching party was planned for
the night, and it required all that the
Mayor and his associates could do to pre-
vent 1t.
There was six negroes in jail, who had
been arrested during the excitement of the
day, and whom some of the people of the
town thought should be summary dis
patched. One was a prominent leader,
Thomas Miller, who was charged with de-
clarng that he would wash his hands in
white mans blood before night. An
other was A. R. Bryant, charged with be-
ing dangerous character; the others were
less prominent, but who had been under
the ban of the whites for conduct cal
culated to incite trouble.
Mayor Waddell and his associates put a
veto upon the proposed lynching. They
said that good government was to prevail
in Wilmington from this time, and would
commence Immediately The would-be
lynchers were so insistent that the Mayor
called out a. guard TO keep the jail sur
rounded all night. This morning the six
negroes we're taken out and escorted to
the north-bound train by a detachment of
militia, to be banished from the city. The
citizens cheered as they saw them going,
for they considered their departure con-
ducive to peace in the future. The men
were started for Richmond.
This is but the beginning of a general
movement to rid the town of the turbulent
negro leaders Ii is not proposed to use
violence, but to send them away, with in
structions not to return.
Squads of men are out to-day searching
for the most notorious characters, and
they will be deported as they are found
Last night the white Republican deputy
sheriff, G. T. French, left the city. He
was followed to the train, and narrowly es-
capped violence. A party of men went into
the car determined to take him out. The
arrival of Fred Stedman, who is one of
the most conservative and cool-headed men
in town. while being al the same time a
leader In the movement for white suprem-
acy, frustrated the attack. He was Joined
by two citizens, and the three persuaded
the crowd TO let French go. French was
prominent in Republican politics, and has
been charged with urging the negroes
Several white men of the community,
who have become obnoxious from their
leadership of and associa tion with negro
politics. are also to be deported. Notice
was served upon three of them this morn
ng to leave within twelve hours. They
are ex-Chief of Police Melton, Charles
Gilbert and r. II. Bunting. The three
men have signalized their willingness to
go.