The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-10-26
AINE MEN KILLED IN A RAGE WAR.
SLAIN In AMBUSH.
A Negro Assaults His Employer and is Chased
by White Citizens Blacks Fire Volley
Into the Pursuing Party.

Ten lives were sacrificed in race
war at Harpersville, Miss. a few days
ago. and the feeling between the
Whites and blacks is so aroused that
military aid has been invoked. The
trouble was the result of an attempt
to arrest negro. one white deputy
was killed. three wounded. and accord
ing to the latest report nine negroes
have been killed by the citizens of
Harpersvlle and neighborhood and the
sheriffs posse combined. The pursuit
of about so negroes, who had Joined
the original offender with the avowed
determination to prevent his arrest
and capture, and ambushed the party
attempting the arrest. continues, and
the number of fatalities will undoubt-
edly assume larger proportions.
The trouble originated last Friday,
when negro named Bill Burke had
an alteration with his employer,
Charles Freeman, a white man, in
which the negro got the best of the
difficulty. The next night a crowd of
white men. headed by Wallace Sibley,
who was deputized to arrest the man,
went to Burke's house which is about
mile from Harpersville. When they
arrived upon the scene and called for
Burke. they were greeted by a fusillade
from the negroes concealed in ambush
in the bushes surrounding the house
and in the house itself. Wallace Sib-
ley. the leader, fell dead at the first
volleyr and three more white members
of the crowd, James johnson, James
Hamilton and James Wells, We're
wounded. The whites returned the
fire, but were unable to do any exc
cution, as their assailants were all con-
cealed.
There were not more than eight men
In the white crowd, and finding 1t i'm
possible to resist effectively they dis
ptrsed towards Harpersville. 1t was
not known at that time that Sibey was
injured, but upon return to the scene
sunday morning, he was found dead
In the yard. The wounded deputies
were able to get back to town with the
assistance of their comrades.
When the crowd returned to Har-
persville the news spread like wildfire.
During the night large crowd gather
ed from the neighborhood. They inn
mediately went to Burke's house and
got from his mother the names of all
parties in the crowd which had am
bushed the men the night before. In
all there were about 40 negroes. who
had gathered to prevent the arrest of
Burke, and n list was made up at their
dictation. All of them had fed. Then
the pursuit and search for each of the
prescribed darkies began. According
to the statement of reliable citizens,
six negroes were found and killed by
the crowd of armed and determined
citizens before the sheriff arrived.
The sheriff lives at Morton. 10 miles
from the scene. Gathering together
posse of 20 or 30 men the sheriff started
at once for the place. When he arrived
in the afternoon he was Joined by
crowds of citizens, until conservative
estimate placed the number in the
posse as over 800 men.
Negroes We're accused of attempting
to burn store at Ashpole, n. c., the
other day and guard was placed
about the building. The negroes
threatened to burn the town. Saturday
they began shooting upon the guards
and three of the men were slightly in
1ured. Boodhounds were then sent in
pursuit Of the blacks and three of them
were caught. Their lives are feared
for as the whites are assembling in
great numbers.
In defending the arrest of a comrade.
sergt. Allen. colot d, shot and killed
Charles Beagles, awhile man at Chat
tanooga, Tenn, last Sunday.
John Anderson. coloTed, charged
with the murder of Charles Holmes,
at Lafayette, Ala, was lynched last
Sunday