The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-11-17

A special from Wilmington, \. c.,
of November 10, says: After day of
bloodshed and turbulence, Wilmington
has subsidized to-night into parative
peacfulness. Eight negroes were kill
ed and three white men wounded dur
ing the day, one of them William
Mayo, seriously. The city is in the
hands of new municipal government,
and law and order are being establish
ed. The board of aldermen resigned
one by one, as each aldermen vacated,
the remainder elected his successor,
named by the citizens committee, un-
til the entire board was changed legal
ly. They resigned in response to pub
lie sentiment. The new board is COM
posed of conservative citizens.
The mayor and chief of police then
resigned, and the new board elected
their successors, according to law. E1-
Representative Waddell was elected
mayor. and E. G. Parmelee chief of
police. The first act of the new govern
ment was to swear in 250 special police
men, chosen from the ranks of rep
utable white citizen. They are vested
with all the authority OF The law aud
will take charge of the city.
Soon after the meeting, Mr.. George
Rountree 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.. Rountre e
sent the following reply:
1.-The mayor and aldermen have re-
signed Two hundred and fifty special
policemen have been sworn in. Law
and order will be maintained and peace
restored.
Nr. kountree is a prominent lawyer
here, and member of the Democratic
campaign committee.
The trouble in Wilmington COM
menced at $50 in the morning, when
an armed body of citizens, numbering G
about 400, and led by ex-Representa-
tive Waddell, chairman of committee
of 81 appointed for the purpose, pro.
ceeded to the publishing house of the
negro newspaper, The Record, to
wreck it. The editor of this paper had
published an article defamatory to
white women, and mass-meeting OF
citizens ordered his expulsion from the
city within 24 hours and the removal
of his press. Fifteen leading negroes
we're called in by the commit
tee of 25 and directed to notify
the chairman in twelve hours,
whether they would agree to the re-
moval of the press. They were inform
ed that if no answer were returned, the
press would be demolished. No an
swer was received by the chairman and
after waiting an hour, the citizens pro-
ceeded in body and demolished the
fixtures of the printing Office. The
building was also fred 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 extinguish it.
The burning of the printing office
created great commotion among the
negroes of the town. The rumor spread
that the whites were going to burn and
murder in the negro quarters. This
rumor reached the negro employees OF
q cotton compress, numbering 300 or
400, who quit work and hung about the
streets in manifest terror. Other par
ties congregated in the negro section,
and it was in one of these that the first
tragedy was enacted. The men were
standing on corner and were ordered
to disperse. They declined, and, it is
claimed, fred into the whites.
A fusilade was Immediately opened
upon them by the whites, and three
negroes were killed. Two whites were
wounded slightly One negro ran
down the street, end passing Q resi-
dence, fred rifle at William Mayo,
white, standing on the verands, shoot
ing him through the left lung. This
negro was recognized, pursued and
caatured while hiding under bed. 1t
is said he confessed to the shooting.
He was riddled with shot by his cap
tors and killed. In the meantime the
town was in state of excitement. The
whites rushed to the scene from every
direction, the local militia company
was ordered out, and battalion o.
Naval Reserves proceeded to the vicin-
itv OF the trouble with rapid-tire gun.
About l o'clock some negroes IN a
house fred upon passing party of
white men. The house was surrounded
and four negroes captured and taken
to the jail. One negro broke away and
ran, but was shot down and killed be-
fore he had proceeded half block.
During the afternoon there were other
affrays, and s negroes were killed at
various points in the disturbed section.
AS the news of the rioting spread
tbrouphout the State ghboring cities
offered to send help. All such offers
were declined, except in the case OF
FAYETTEVILLE. As night fell, the town
was completely pstrolled and guarded.
Very few negroes were on the streets,
and they were not allowed to congre-
.oto oDuubora