Evening star., 1898-12-26
AN ECHO OF WILMINGTON RIOTS.
Explanation of the Part Played by
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BeIIamy.


Some time after the race troubles occur
red in Wilmington, n. c., The Star re-
printed an editorial from the Philadelphia
Press concerning the part played in those
events by Representative-elect John D. Bel
lamy, chosen in November by the demo-
Gratis from the Wilmington district. The
Press noting that Mr.. Belamy was lone
of the leaders of the mob which burned
the newspaper office and then foully mur-
dered a number of colored men and took
possession of the city government de-
clared that he should be unseated by the
next House for these actions. A few days
after this publication Mr. Edward A. Old
ham of this city, formerly of Wilmington,
who had noted the Press comment as it
appeared in The Star, and had taken steps
TO have it refuted from Wilmington, re-
ceived the following letter from a mutual
friend of himself and Mr. Bellamy:
Mr.. John Bellamy handed me your letter
with the clipping from the Philadelphia
Press, published in The Washington Star,
and it does Mr.. Bellamy great injustice 1t
Is my pleasure to write and ask you to call
the papers attention to the true state of
affairs. Many newspaper accounts were
written from a sensational standpoint, and
the writer of the article must have formed
his conclusions from SUCH for the state
nlents made therein are not true. The Star
should be informed that this affair did not
occur on election day, but two days later;
that the matter was utterly foreign to the
election of a congressman of this district
which is composed of eight large counties
whose territory extends from the Atlantic
coast to point far west Of Charlotte N
G.; nor had it any connection with the
election of the officers of New Hanover
county. This election also was over and
the democrats had carried everything in
the state, and though the people of New
hanover county had, with that forbearance
Which Is characteristic of them, endured
more than has ever yet been told. thew
knew 1t needed not a riot to enforce sue
cessful political campaign. For two years
they had borne the misrule of a city gov
ernment whose officers had been placed
over them by the governors appointment
after an election had been held. The coun-
ty was governed by lawless and defiant
set OF officials, who encouraged crime
among the negroes who crowded into our
city as usual on the eve Of an election
Ihese officials had, in disregard of the law
and the late decision of the supreme court
continued to hold their forfeited Offices.
Among them was a sheriff who, in viola
tion or the law, farned out his office to an
other, who surrounded himself with brutal
and ignorant deputies. This sheriff refused
10 serve warrants and writs of the court
When they did not serve his purpose
Inc object of the republicans was to
control the election machinery and carry
the election by fraud, as they carried 1t be-
lore. Notwithstanding all this the people
patiently worked out their own salvation
feeling a confidence and assurance of sue
cess IN spite OF the fact that they had two
iuslonists and one democrat on the elective
board in each precinct. We carried the
election by the largest vote ever cast in
North Carolina
was over and, as stated, two DAYS after IT,
election was won. Then it was stated .ha !,
these tong-suffering and patient per,n}a noat
In public assembly and resolved 70 "a them
xr,hf f,L
their community and give. .,;oansa Va ~,
couragement to the pas~,ons of tho naero
popuiation, who kne~ thar the neero inria as
when indiota5 ~ conviction in the courts
nassad raSi', for crimes. The people
e - @<ordtionS and warned the traducer
baS "a. 'irtue of the women of the land who
ben upheld by insolent negro preach
:'T, in their churches and cards in the pub
, nc print, to leave the town and gave him
ample opportunity. In that meeting Mr.
Bellamy, for the first time since the cam
paign opened, appeared before the people
OF new Hanover county, he having done
most of his work in the upper portion of
the district He approved of their resou-
tons and expressed the common sentiment
of the community-that the author of a
dastardly article upon the virtue of the
women should be forced TO leave the city.
But he admonished the people to act with
that moderation which they were wont to
observe This is the only part Mr. BeIlamy
took in the matter. The next day, when the
NihiiS'oC u i"tity live CHOSEN 10 take
charge of the resolutions and receive the
reply and empowered by the meeting to en-
| 1orce them. went with other good citizens
| to the printing office. Mr. Bellamy. as the
rest OF us, approved their action, but he had
not the honor of either leading the so-called
rioters or being present with them
| Ihe shooting of the negroes occurred
over two hours after this, fully a mile away
| from the printing office, and was caused bv
their hrst firing upon the whites on the
| street. Hundreds of negroes can testify
| that the citizens warned them to go to
| thelr homes and remain there during the
disturbance, promising to protect them and
| only those who resorted to arms were fired
UPON 1t Is a matter of fact that the ne
| Sroes were treated with more consideration
| by our people, who knew them, than would
| have been shown to people of our own ra &C
| under like circumstances
| Very truly yours. w B. McKOY"
The Star did not, nor did the Press state
| that the troubles in Wilmington occurred
| beforesthe election.
| GEN. LEONARD WOOD