The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-24

Memphis, Tenn, Oct. 2S.-A special
to the Commercial Appeal from Forest,
Miss, says: AS the result of an at
tempt to arrest a, negro near Harpers-
vile, Scott county, in the eastern part
of the state, one white deputy is killed,
three wounded and, according to the
latest report, nine negroes have been
killed by the citizens of the HarperS-
vile neighborhood and the sheriff 5
posse combined. The pursuit OF about
80 negroes which had Joined the orig
inal offender with the avowed deter
lnination to prevent his arrest and
capture, and which ambushed the party
attempting the arrest, continues, and
by morning the number of fatalities
will undoubtedly have assumed larger.
proportions. The whole country is ter
Tibly aroused and the sheriff's posse
has been reinforced with men from all
the neighboring towns. Governor Nc
Laurin has gone TO the scene, which is
about ten miles north of Forest, the
nearest railroad point. The trouble
originated last Friday, when negro
named Burke had an alteration with
his employer, Charles Freeman, white
man, in which the negro got the best
OF the difficulty. The next night
crowd of white men. headed by Wal
lace Sibley, who was deputized TO ar
rest the man, went to Burke's house,
which is about a mile from Harpers-
vile.
GREETED BY A FUSILADE.
When they arrived upon the scene
and called for Burke they were greeted
by a fusilade from the negroes con-
cealed in ambush in the shrubbery sur
rounding the house, and in the house
T,lr - ell
dead at the first volley, and three more
white members of the crowd, James
Johnson, James Hamilton and James
Wells, were wounded. The whites re-
turned the fire, but were unable to do
any execution, as their assailants were.
all concealed. There were not more
than eight men in the white crowd,
and, finding it impossible to resist eff
fectively, they dispersed toward Har-
perSville It was not known at that
time that Sibley was injured but upon
a return to the scene this morning he
was found dead in the yard. The
wounded deputies were able to get
back to town with the assistance of
their comrades. This occurrence took
place early in the night. When the
crowd returned to Harpersville the
news spread like wildfire. During the
night large crowd gathered from the
neighborhOod. They Immediately went
" DuIht nOuSe anu SOL MS
mother the names of all parties in the
crowd which had ambushed the men
the night before. In all there were
about 40 negroes, who had gathered to
prevent the arrest of Burke, and a list
was made up at her dictation. All of
them had fed. Then the pursuit and
search for each of the prescribed
darkies began. According to the state
ment of reliable citizens, six negroes
were found and killed by the crowd of
armed and determined citizens before
the sheriff arrived.
SHERIFF GATHERS POSSE.
This morning, Sheriff ]. NJ. Steven
son was wired of the threatening con-
dition of affairs, and he was asked to
get together a posse and come at once
to HarpersviiIe. Gathering together a
posse Of 20 or 80 men, the sheriff start
ed at once When he arrived in the
afternoon he was Joined by crowds of
citizens until a posse of over 800 men
was secured. Immediately after leav-
ing the house where the first tragedy
was committed, the negroes scattered
through the surrounding country. The
sherim's pursuit has resolved itself into
a chase Of the negroes implicated and
not of a mob which is keeping together
as was first reported A reliable tele-
phone message received at a late hour
tonight states that three more negroes
have been found and killed, making a
total of nine to date, with about 20
more to be heard from. Sheriff Stew |
enson, realizing the danger apprehend- |
ed, Immediately wired Governor Nc |
Lauring at Brandon for aid in quell- |
ing a probable widespread disturbance |
Upon receipt of his telegram, the gov
ernor wired Adjutant General Henry
w. Jackson TO get together a company |
of the national guard and proceed to |
the scene upon the first train. General |
jackson Immediately responded that /
obtainable, but that he would get to- |
gether a company of armed men and |
render all necessary assistance In the |
meantime the governor procured a /
special train at Brandon and accom- |
pa MED by a posse of 80 men, armed |
with Shotguns, proceeded to Forest. |
Arriving here early in the evening and !
finding that there was small danger of
the riot assuming proportions beyond |
the ability of the posse on hand to (
keep in bounds. he wired Cereal Hen
~ that it would be unnecCS Ssary for |
him TO bring his volunteers from Jack /
son.
CONCEALED IN THE SWAMPS.
The posse is operating in the swamps
about a mile from Harpersville, where |
most of the fugitiVeS are supposed to !
be concealed. There is a message here
to the effect that the citizens are ap-
prehensive of armed negroes entering
the town tonight. and guards Will he
set to prevent a surprise. The gov
ernor and Mr.. Henry are naturally
moderation, but in the ex-
cited state Of the public mind a general
fear is expressed that the posse wiz
not regard the suggestion favorably.
Their presence, however will m
doubtedly have good effect in re-
straining the number of fatalities at
ter enough negroes have been killed TO
satisfy the outraged feeling of the
whites in that section.
DTOr1 TN CIJ rsr Ero0~,