The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-28
1umberton Robesonian.)

ginger tonic. He amused the white
people generally. and Bass in particu-
lar. threatening to cut his throat and
making him get in a wagon. Several
OF the young white men of the town
told Walters that he should not abuse
Bass. This angered the negro, who
got into his wagon and left, saying
he would come again and see them.
In about an hour thereafter he re-
turned armed with a gun and marched
i~nsolently and threateningly through
the streets. About sunset he left for
home in company with three other ne
groes. hat time and mid
night the negro was visited at his
home and w~hipped-the negroes claim
by white men. Between the hours of
midnight and 8 o'clock the store of IL.
CT. Stubs, at Ashpole. was burned.
About IL o'clock Friday morning
Pickett Walters "a brother OF Arthur
n his mother went to Ashpole and
began talking to the negroes of the
occurrence of the night before. They
claimed TO know who the parties were
that did the whipping, said Hall Stubs
was the eader and he was the man
they were after. In the afternoon Ed.
Walters, a younger brother, reached
NAA1 to"h siiAA SUI oIl a SldSS " Tain.
He told the negroes in tones plainly
heard by the whites all about the
whipping Of his brother and said that
IF he knew who it was he would send
them to hill before night He then
said he knew who the crowd was.
naming Hall G.. Stubs as leader and
mentioning several other young men
as of the party. There were, he said,
eleven white men and two negroes in
the crowd.
The negroes talked of the affair on
the streets during the afternoon MAX
ing threats against the young white
men. They put Charley, youngest of
the Walters boys, on a mule and sent
, him all over the community to tell of
the whipping and TO say to the negroes
that if they wanted to see some fun
| to come down to Ashpole that night
and see it. Between $50 and 200 ne
groes assembled in the town that night.
gathering in squads of ten to fifteen,
and making threats. They went into
all the stores trying to buy cartridges.
The yOun white men had previously
armed themselves and went out to
brighten the negroes off. There was
considerable firing of guns by both par
ties until about IL o'clock, when the
disturbance ended.
About 10 o'clock Saturday Andrew
Campbell was arrested for selling in
llIoolo anu liz NdSc DIS
compromised by the negro giving up
what liquor he had and promising not
to sell any more. After the trial was
over Arthur and Commodore Walters
came into town armed with guns. Den
mis- Graham also came in and seemed
incensed because Campbell, his son-in-
law, was stopped from selling whiskey.
He aid if they could not sell it they
could give it away. Graham ook Wal
ters aside and got him to call over
those who were charged with whip
ping him, the names being written
down by Charley Baldwin. He Their
took the two Walters boys, who still
carried their guns, to a magistrate and
demanded that he issue warrants for
the young men. This was refused for
van of evidence.
After this an agreement was made
hat the Walters brothers should go
and get their friends with guns and
that Dennis Graham wOuld get his rel
atives and friends with guns and the
would come to Ashpole that night and
burn up the id town with bullets"
That evening the negroes began to
assemble at about the time of the ar
rival of the train. A jug of whiskey
belonging to Graham was taken from
the express office, part of it was hand
ed around and they went to Harley
Baldwin's house., where Graham was
~ IN MN IA w IBlC lIl'll Il ttb
themselves in anticipation of trouble,
electing E.. S. Wishart captain. They
went up near where the negroes were,
and J. T. Inman between
the two crowds aid begged the ne
groes. who had pistols and guns. to
diSperSe. They agreed to do so provid-
ed that the white men would One of
the negroes remarked that mo white
man could make him go away. He
would stay as long as he pleased and
would leave when he got ready" Har-
ley Baldwin remarked kill just as
many white men as you can. Don't go
home to get you rights. Kill the id
white men and then run away"
Mr.. Inman reported to the white
men what had been said and they pre-
pared To fire upon the negroes. DR..
Brown begged them not TO shoot, and
M. Inman again went to the negroes
and implored them to leave They
agreed and a few went through the
grove in front of the white men and
going about 200 yards down the road.
fired their guns The fire was answer
ed by Dennis Graham n his crowd,
who were across the swamp on their
way to town. One Of the negroes said
that the id democrats had to be
killed, the quicker the better; hat the
negroes were going to rule this coun-
try"
After dispensing the crowd at Bald
wins. the white men went TO meet
Dennis Graham and his crowd who
were getting drunken and s" caring
they would burn the id town with
balls" Wishart told Graham that he
could not enter the town and thar his
crowd must cave. Graham replied that
he had to get a package from the ex-
press office. but was told that his only
: package was a jug Of whiskey. which
: had already been taken out. Wish1rt
told him he could not go to tDwn that
night or the next night and must
. leave. Another Of the party, Jud Stew
ems. claimed to have business with a
party in town. but was told shat he
! could not see him. The egroe Their
turned their horses around and start
ed back. Dennis Graham Jagged be
hind and was given two n In
which to leave.
Having dispersed Graham's crowd
the white men heard hat a party of
negroes had assembled at a house in
another part of town where guns and
: ammunition had been deposited during
! tire 1Gr SCuai went there and