The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-29

Atlanta, Ca, August 26.-One OF the
first messages received by Governor
Gambler today regarding the uprising
of negroes in Mcintosh county was
from Captain j. II. Devoe, OF Savan-
nah, commanding the colored militia,
who offered his company to the gov
ernor to assist in quelling the riot at
Darien. The governor had previously
put the command of all military forces
under Colonel Lawton and referred the
matter to him. The first regiment, had,
however, been called out and the negro
company was not needed. Governor
Gambler was in his Office several hours
before he began to receive any infor-
nation from the seat of the trouble
Colonel Lawton reported by wire to the
governor that it would be impossible
to restore peace and order unless the
Delagel's Were arrested. The governor
answered that Colonel Lawton was in
| command and should do as wisdom
and discretion.
Savannah and many other places came
! rapidly into the executive Office and
| some of them brought alarming re-
| ports.
THE situation in Mcintosh county is
extremely critical and grave" said the
! governor. ''The entire first regiment,
| composed of seven companies, is on
! the scene and have ordered companies
l and F, Of the Fourth regiment to re-
| port to their armories and hold them
selves in readiness for a call from Col
! onel Lawton."
''The law does not provide that mill
| tia can make arrests" continued the
| governor, "but the troops will back UP
the sheriff who is surrounded by a
large posse, and will see that he has all
the assistance needed"
The governor received a message
; from Colonel Lawton asking that tents
be shipped the soldiers who are now
in the western part Of Mcintosh county
ct is expensive to make the ship
ments by express" said the governor,
"but the occasion demands all possible
haste and We are doing everything in
our power to get the arms, ammunition,
and tents and equipments on the scene
as speedily as possible"
From Savannah the tents will be
sent and the soldiers will be made as
comfortable as possible. This is the
first time that it has been necessary
for the soldiers to go into the country
to queH rioting, as the crimes which
they have been asked to prevent in the
past, have been in towns where there
, were accommodations.
One report was received during the
day that not less than 1000 negroes
were under arms in the swamps and
that they We're in a position to sustain
themselves for some time.
Another message was that several
hundred citizens, acting upon their own
responsibility, left Brunswick this
morning and were en- route to the scene
of the crime.
That section of Georgia comprising
Mcintosh and Liberty counties where
the outbreak has occurred is the "black
belt" OF the state. The negroes there
number five to one for every white in
habitant- 1t is recognized as one Of the
most thickly negro inhabited sections
in the south and there are many towns
and villages composed solely of negro
families in which no white families
live.
The land which is owned largely
by white people is tenanted by ne
groes. Some Of the best farms are
owned by the negroes themselves. II
is known among the negroes that should
a prolonged difficulty with the whites
occur the blacks would have sufficient
food to sustain them, supplied from
the farms either by owners or tenants
who would appropriate the landlords s
crop without conjunction. The Okse-
feenokee swamp, in that portion OF
which the negroes hid, is probably the
largest in the United States, being In
many parts absolutely impenetrable
and unexplored. 1t is a low marshy
land fed by the sea water and covered
with a heavy growth OF vines, tough
grasses and other semi-tropical plants.
Colonel A. R. Lawton, who is in con-
troll of the militia commanded the first
regiment United States volunteers dur
ing the Spanish-American war. He
has the full confidence of the executive
department and the authority given
him in the present trouble attests to
this effect.
Up to noon today there was no pros
pecI of imminent danger of a conflict
with the negroes.
After a night of intense anxiety with
the militia on the streets and all white
citizens under arms at their various
homes and at the Jail, the day began
with no particular incident. The court
house had been turned into a barracks
for the soldiers and those who We're not
constantly kept on duty were allowed
TO rest here. Many OF them tonight art
completely exhausted, having been On