The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-30
Whites and Blacks at
Birmingham.
THREE NEGROES KILLED
The Row started by the Nexroes-rhe
Ring Leader OF the Dimeaisy KILLED.
A Rife Bullet Did the work-severaI
Negroes Wounded-They Tried 10
Protect q Rapist-norc Trouble 10
Feared-soIdiers Asked for Go Pre-.
serve Order.

Birmingham, Ala, June 27.-Thres
negroes are dead and one - not ex-
pected to live until morning as a re-
suit OF 6 riot between the white and
negro miners at h ore mines near
Cardin, in Jefferson county The dead
are Ed. Ellis, Jim Dill. Adams SAM
uels. The wounded are Rudolph VIII
liams and George Thomas. Thomas is
mortally wounded
The two races came to n clash IN
h late afternoon in Glasgow hollow,
where h negroes had co~ngregated.
m with Winchester rifles. \ white
man passing along the road was held
up and besides being abused. was
roughly handled. This news soon
spread and an armed body OF white
miners moved toward the hollow. II In
supposed that they went around by q
circuitous route in the Mountains and
came upon the negroes unexpectedly.
Ed Ellis. the ring leader. armed with
a rifle and Colts revolver. fell at the
first volley. A rifle bullet did the work.
There was another volley and four OF
AiAC III HSkIpts eli. Jun LII ana
Adam Samuels died in a few minutes,
the latter being removed to a negro's
house. George Thomas was shot
through the abdomen with a Winches-
ter bullet. He is not expected to re-
cover. Rudolph Williams will live.
The trouble started yesterday when
ii was though that John Sheperd, who
on last Wednesday afternoon assaulted
Mrs. Monroe Jones near Corona, was
in that community. The negroes armed
themselves to prevent his capture.
Both sides were aroused and only the
timely arrival OF a sheriff's posse pre-
vented an outbreak. This morning the
negro miners held a mass meeting and
refused to go to work. They all belong
TO a secret organization knokn az the
knights OF Africa" or the Mystic
rious Ten" They keep rifles and am
munition on hand at all times. 1t was
in the afternoon that they gathered in
Glasgow Hollow, although with what
intention is not now known.
Influential citizens say that the ring
leaders are now out Of the way and
they hope to manage the other negroes.
Ed Ellis, the head OF the band and
holding the chief office in the secret
organization, made a speech to the ne
groes just before his death telling them
not to believe what the white officers
had told them and swearing that he
for one, would get wen with Sheriff
O'Brien, who yesterday at the point OF
a shot gun, ordered him to dispense mis-
gang. Shortly after the riot Sheriff
O'Brien left here with a hundred arm
ed men. He now has the situation in
hand for tn etime being although late
reports say the situation is extremely
critical and that the negroes are talk
ing of %avenging the death OF their
leaders.
SOLDIERS AND REINFORCEMENTS
Sheriff O'Brien, who is now at Bloss-
burg, has received a Message from Ad-
amsville, three miles from that place,
asking for protection. An armed body
of negroes is gathered in the noun
tains threatening to make a descent
upon the mining camp in the valley.
He has dispatched all the deputies he
could spare across the country. A tele-
gram has just been received here
birmingham asking for. reinforce
ments Of soldiers.
Birmingham, June 27.-John Sheperd,
the negro rapist, was hot TO death by
the citizens Of Adamsville.
1t is reported that three others have
been killed at Adamsville.