The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-24


and there one was TO be seen with a shot
gun. while from pockets OF others pistol
butts projected. il was not pleasant to
think 10 what use those arms might have
been put had it not been for the fear Of
the troops. rumors of whose coming had
been rife among the negroes Of the place
throughout the day.
As the train rolled up in the station a
bell was heard changing no great distance
away. It rang ia the quick hasty stroke
of alarm, and inquiry developed that it
was the signal TO which the negroes had
been accustomed to assemble for the last
few hours when there was any particular
matter TO come before the mob for con-
sideration. 1t was said that 800 were
warned by the bell of the coming of the
train, and it looked as if there could have
been none left in Darien or its vicinity as
they gathered near the depot. Strange TO
say they seemed TO entertain a grudge
against the soldiers probably because they
were the representatives. of law and order
and had force superior to- their own. 1t
was for the protection of one of their
own race that the soldiers had come. and
why they should have appeared hostile
was more than could be understood.
AS the train stopped, the Irish Jasper
Greens and the Cadets proceeded at once,
under command of Capt. Gleason, to the
Jail. The march was through the mob of
negroes, scowling and threatening. AT the
jail a hundred yards away, the companies
were lined up.
Capt. Gleason met Sheriff T. =. Blount TO
whom he was instructed to report by The
Governors order. After some minutes the
sheriff brought out the prisoner,
DelegaI. In the meantime. an effort had
been made by peaceable means to clear
away the mob that stin hung about.
Gathered close in by the troops, the re
groes had an ugly look. Judge Paul e.
Seabrook of the Atlantic circuit climbed
to a conspicuous place and addressed them,
telling them that the troops had come TO
take the man away, and that the bast
thing they could do was to disperse. They
and reluctantly gave back a bit,
the soldiers itching in in the meantime, If
they only could have done so, TO give them
a taste of the bayonet to accelerate their
The negro appeared at the doorway of
the jail being handcuffed to the sheriff.
There he is" said one of those who
stood near within the jail enclosure. In
the group were the Mayor and several
leading citizens of Daren and several Of
hcers of the military. Dellegal is of the
big black type, with slouchlng gait and
an altogether disreputable appearance,
which, however, may have been enhanced
by his stay in jail and the probable fear
he had felt for his life. There was nothing
about his great show of politeness, as
he raised his hat with his free hand and
spoke his salutations, to indicate depth
or genuineness-rather the contrary-but
there was fervor in the tone in which
he welcomed the officers. He was evident
ly glad to see the troops. I'm go with
YOU" he said. Il am innocent of what
they have got me charged with. But I
trust in the Lord; the Lord gives and the
Lord takes away" The move to the de-
pot followed his attempt at the passage.
Kept Under IA Strong Guard.
Dellegars march from the jail was With
three stalwart sergeants on either side.
He could not have been seized. There was
no sign of intimidation about the negroes.
They followed in close order surging
close up to the ranks of the troops and,
apparently. not the least alarmed by their
presence among them. Those who had
shown some faint heartedness or timidity
by running away at the arrival of the
troops had regained courage, for the
crowd was large and made up of both
men and women. The latter, as is the
case in rioting mobs Of the lowest classes,
were worse than the men. their language
being of that nfuriating tenor that is
calculated to drive the male brute on to
the preparation of the evil deed they may
advise, whether or not it tends to his own
destruction
Such would have been the case had the
exhortations of the negro women been
of avail on that occasion, for the troops
would have stood no pressing from the
mob. They were forbearing, they thought
to submit to the insolent looks and surly
talk heard on all sides, and an excuse
for hosilities would doubtless have been
welcomed by not a few
The negroes carried their firearms with
no effort at concealment. Shotguns were
fourished about. evidently in the wish to
attract attention TO their possession, and
their bearers gave vent to boasts of the
use to which they could put their pieces.
So it had been all day long. white citi-
zens said. The feeling had been intense,
and it was feared at any time that there
might be a clash. The negroes were up
in arms, and the town had been in their
hands. There was no adequate force TO
put down the disorderly gangs that pa
raded the streets. the constabulary being
insufficient and the local military com
pany. beside being few in number, having
equipment and arms Of no very formula
bic character The company was game.
however, and waited at its armory for
any report of serious trouble