The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-31
Thought to be Author of SLAM
derous Magazine Article.
COL. DUNHAM MAY BE DISPLACED
Rumored That w. B. Denham Will Sue
ceed Him as General Superiuten-
dent of Plant System Gov
ernor Johnston Returns

Age-Herald Bureau Hotel MADISON, Mont
gomery, October 3O.-(Special.)-A very
slanderous article against THE south, which
appears in a New York magazine of recent
date, came near causing lynching in
Montgomery yesterday. The article in
question was in reply to an editorial in
the magazine defending uhe south for form
ing occasional lynoLhing PARTIES to dispose
of perpetra tors of the unmentlonable crime
which frequently occurs in itnis section.
The article bears "a Montgomery date, and
was signed by ]. S. Bechwith The follow
ing lis a full text of lit, taken from the col
umns of tine Broadway magazine:
Montgomery, Ala.
Editor Broadway MagaZine
Dear Sir--In your last issue | notice
the editorial you have in reference to
the altogether dastardly outrages of the
whites against the blacks in ule south.
Generally l agree wiIl you, and thor
ouSLlay enjoy your magazine, but IL
these are your sentiments, Yes, Lynch!
1 must say that you take view that
places you on a levef with the white
brutes of the SOUTH Never for a mo-
ment would an intelligent person be-
lieve the fabItcations alat tire southern
women were molested as reported. Nine
out of ten cases are thes Many times
the women prefer black man, and If
caught, Jlen Size Immediately raises the
cry that She has been outraged
II have travelled extensively in the
south and knew. The reponts given out
are to suit the fancy of the white
southron, and exists simply in imagina-
ton. l would gladly contribute to help
arm the blacks to kill their persecu-
tors. 1T is a disgrace Ito our country
that the south so blots civilization. Such
state should lose their statehood. Fed
eral rights should not be granted to
them. L would be less bitter did [ not
know positively that I'm most cases they
are lies.
''But kindly refrain from alauding to
subjects entirely out of the sphere of
your bright magazine.
j. S. BECKWITH."
There is but a single man bearing the
name of Beckwith in Montgomery. p. S.
Beekwith is a negro waiter in Fleming 5
restaurant. Saturday night reporter went
to the negros house to ascertain if he was
the author of the article. The negro ap-
parently did not understand the mission of
the reporter, and gave such replies to
queries as to make it appear that he might
be the guilty man.
When a paper appeared on the streets
yesterday containing the article, together
with the interview with the negro, great
excitement was created, and a band of
young men proceeded to the restaurant and
demanded Beckwith. Mr. Fleming did not
believe the negro guilty, and with the as
sistance of some of the most prominent Cit
liens of the city, persuaded the crowd to
disperse.
Percy Beckwith was seen by represent
ative of The Age-Herald this morning, and
denied any knowledge whatever of the arti-
Gle. His good name a quiet, polite negro
is probably all that saved his life. 1t is be-
lieved that some travelling man wrote the
article while stopping in Montgomery. His
life would not be worth much were he to
return here