The record-union., 1898-11-11
Whites Make Good Their Threats to
Rule Wilmington.
Wreck the Newspaper Office Of a Negro
Who SIandered Women.
Results in a Collision Between
Whites and Blacks-Eight Ne
groes Killed and Three White
Men Wounded-Co1ored Officials
Of the City Resign and New
Municipal Government Estah-
lished.

Municipal Government Estab-
ished.
WILMINGTON IN. CO., Nov. TO-
After a day of bloodshed and turbu-
lence, Wilmington has subsided to-
night into comparative peacefulness
Eight negroes were killed and three
white men wounded during the day
one of them, William Mayo, seriously
Tonight the city is in the hands OF
a new municipal government, and law
and order is being established. This
afternoon the Board of Aldermen re-
signed one by one. AS each Alderman
vacated the remaining elected sue
cessor named by the Citizens Com
mittee, until the entire board was
changed legally. They resigned in re-
sponse to public sentiment The new
board is composed Of conservative
Democratic citizens.
The Mayor and Chief of Police then
resigned, and the new board elected
their successors, according to law. Ex-
Representative Waddell was elected
Mayor, and E. G. Parmalee Chief OF
Police
The first act Of the new government
was to swear in 250 special policemen
chosen from the ranks of reputable
white citizens. They are vested with
all the authority Of the law, and will
take charge Of the city. The Citizens
Committee will remain on guard
throughout the town to prevent at
tempts at incendiarism. The new gov
ernment will devote it's attention to
restraining recklessness among the
whites, as well as keeping down law
lessnesS among the negroes. Further
trouble Of a general or serious nature
is not expected.
Soon after the meeting George
Roundtree received a telegram from
Governor Russell saying that he would
use all his efforts to influence the May
or and City Council to resign, if that
would restore peace.
Mr.. Roundtree sent the following re-
ply: Mayor and Aldermen resigned
Two hundred and fifty special police
men sworn in. Law will be maintained
and peace restored"
Mr.. Roundtree is a prominent attor-
ney here, and member of the Dem
ocratic Congressional Committee.
commenced at $50 this morning, un-
der an armed body of citizens, num-
bering about 400 and led by Elk Repre-
sentative Waddell, Chairman of Com
mittee of twenty-five appointed for the
purpose, who proceeded to the publish
ing-house Of a negro newspaper the
Record" towreck it. The editor of this
paper had published an article de-
famatory of white women, and a mass
meeting of citizens yesterday demand
ed his expulsion from the city within
twenty -four hours and the removal OF
his press.
Fifteen leading negroes were called
on by the committee of twenty-five
last night, and directed to notify the
Chairman by 1870 this morning wheth-
er they would agree to the removal OF
the press. They were told that if no
answer was returned the press would
be demolished. 40 answer was re-
ceived by the Chairman this morning
and after waiting an hour the citizens
proceeded in a body and demolished
the fixtures of the printing Office. The
building was also fired and gutted. The
leaders say that this action was the
work of irresponsible persons, and as
soon as the fire was discovered the
fire department was called to extin-
guish il.
The burning of the printing office
caused a great commotion among the
negroes of the town. The rumor spread
that the whites were going to burn
and murder the negro quarter. This
rumor reached the negro employees OF
a cotton compress numbering 800 OF
400, who quit work and hung about
the streets in manifest terror Other
parties congregated in the negro Sec
ton, and it was in one of these that
the first tragedy was enacted
The men were standing on a corner
and were ordered to disperse. They
declined, and, it is claimed, fired into
the whites. A fusillade was immedi-
ately opened upon them by the whites
and three negroes were killed Two
whites were wounded slightly. One
negro ran down the street, and. pass
ing residence, fired a rifle at William
Mayo (white), standing on the veranda
shooting him through the left lung
This negro was recognized, pursued
and captured while hiding under a bed
1t is said he confessed to the shooting
tors and killed.
In the meantime the town was in a
state Of great excitement The whites
rushed to the street from every di-
rection, the local militia company was
ordered out, and battalion of Unit ed
States Naval Reserves proceeded to the
vicinity of the trouble with a rapid-fre
gun.
About / o'clock some negroes in a
house fired upon a passing party OF
white men. The house was surrounded
and four negroes were captured and
taken to the Jail. One negro broke
away and ran, but was shot down
and killed before he had proceeded
half block.
During the afternoon there were 9TH
er affairs of this kind, and eight ne
groes were killed during various times
in the disturbed sections Their names
at this time are unknown
AS the news of the riot spread
through the neighboring cities, they
offered to send help, but all such Of
fers were declined, except in the case
of Fayetteville, from which town came
about 15O men. As night fell the town
was completely patroled and guarded
Very few negroes were on the streets
and they were not allowed to congre-