The record-union., 1898-10-24
RACE WAR IN TENNESSEE,
NEGROES AMBUSH AND KILL A
DEPUTY SHERIFF..
Enraged Citizens Pursue the MUIR
dorous Crowd and Kill Nine
Of Them.

MEMPHIS (Tenn), Oct. 23.-A spec
ial to the Commercial Appeal from
Forest, Miss, says: AS the result of
an attempt to arrest negro near Har-
persville, Scott County, in the eastern
part of the State, one white deputy is
killed, three wounded, and according
to the latest report, nine negroes have
been killed by the citizens of Harpers-
vile neighborhood and the Sheriff's
posse combined The pursuit of about
fifty negroes who had joined the orig
inal offender with the avowed determi-
nation to prevent his arrest and cap
ture and which ambushed the party at
tempting the arrest continues, and by
morning the number of fatalities will
undoubtedly have assumed larger pro-
portions. The whole country is ter
ribly aroused and the Sheriff's posse
has been reinforced with men from all
the neighboring towns. Governor Nc
Laurin has gone to the scene, which is
about ten miles north of Forest, the
nearest railroad point.
The trouble originated last Friday
when a negro named Burke had an al
tercation with his employer Charles
Freeman, a white man, in which the
negro got the best of the difficulty. The
next night crowd Of white men head
ed by Wallace Sibley, who was a dep
uty, went to Burke's house. When
they arrived upon the scene and called
for Burke they were greeted by a fus-
illade from the negroes concealed in
ambush in the bushes surrounding the
house and in the house itself. Wal
lace Sibley, the leader, fell dead at the
first volley and three more white mem
bers of the crowd, James Johnson,
James Hilton and James Wells, were
wounded. The whites returned the
fire, but were unable to do any execu-
ton, as their assailants were all con-
cealed. There was not more than
eight men in the white crowd, and find
ing it impossible to resist effectively,
they dispersed toward Harpersville It
was not known at that time that Sib-
ley was injured, but upon a return to
the scene this morning he was found
dead in the yard.
The wounded deputies were able to
get back to town. This occurrence
took place early in the night. When
the crowd returned to Harpersville the
news spread like wildfire. During the
night a large crowd gathered. They
Immediately went to Burke's house and
got from his mother the names of all
the parties in the crowd who had am
pushed the whites the night before. In
all there were about forty negroes who
had gathered to prevent the arrest of
Burke and list was made up at her
dictation. All of them had fed. Then
the pursuit and search for each of the
negroes began. According to the
statement of reliable citizens six ne
groes were found and killed by the
crowd Of armed and determined citizens
before the Sheriff arrived.
This morning Sheriff Stevenson was
wired the statement Of the facts, and
he was asked to get together posse
and come to Harpersvine. Gathering
posse of twenty men he started. He
was joined by crowds Of citizens until
a posse of over 800 men was made up.
Immediately after leaving che house
where the first tragedy was committed
the negroes scattered through the sur
rounding country. The Sheriff's posse
has resolved itself into a chase Of the
negroes implicated, and not of mob
which is keeping together as was first
reported. A reliable telephone mes
sage received at late hour tonight
found and killed, making a total of nine
killed to-day, with about forty more to
be heard from. Sheriff Stevenson. re-
alizing the danger, Immediately wired
Governor McLaurin at Brandon for aid
in quelling a probable widespread dis
turbance. Upon receipt Of his telegram
the Governor wired Adjutant General
Henry at Jackson to get together a
company Of the National Guard and
proceed to the scene upon the first train
General Henry Immediately responded
that there was no National Guard OBJ
tainable, but he would get together a
company Of armed men and render all
necessary assistance. In the mean
time the Governor secured a special
train at Brandon and accompanied
with posse of thirty men, proceeded
to Forest. Arriving here early in the
evening and finding that there was
small danger Of the riot assuming pro-
portions beyond the ability Of the posse
on hand to keep in bounds he wired
General Henry that it was unnecessary
for him to bring his volunteers from
Jackson.
The posse is operating in the swamps
about a mile from Harpersville where
most of the fugitives are supposed to be
concealed. There Is message here to
the effect that the citizens are appre-
hensive of armed negroes entering the
town tonight and guards will be set to
prevent a surprise. The Governor and
General Henry are naturally counsel
ing moderation, but in the excited state
of the public mind, general fear is
expressed that the public will not re-
gard the suggestion favorably.
Their presence will have good effect
in restraining the number Of fatalities
after enough negroes have been killed
to satisfy the outraged feelings in that
section.
r1Y