The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-31
AN ARREST ATTEMPTED
A Negro Struck an Officer and the
Conflict Began.
ONE NEGRO PIERCED BY 20 BULLETS
Three Women ard One Child We're Killed
Many Wounded. Negroes Fled to the
swamps. Quiet Reigus AZ.
tr the Storm.

~ utO 0tGisu.
New Orleans, Oct pa special 10
the Picayune from BaIltowr, La, says
that the race war between the blacks
and whites which started at a negro
camp meeting at Duncan's Chapel Sun
day forms a story of blood >unequalled
in the history of the Pearl River Valley.
one white man is dead, another is dying
with a bullet hole through his stomach
and third white man is badly injured.
Nine negroes were killed in the bloody
affray-five men, three women and one
small child. A dozen or perhaps more
negroes escaped to the woods and
swamps with wounds that are believed
to be certain death in the brush away
from medical care.
The dead-white:
JOSEPH SEAL, son of Willis Seal,
aged 80, residence at Verando, La.
Wounded-white:
CLARENCE THOMAS ELLIOTT,
aged 26, fatally wounded, now dying,
residence erando, La.
EDWARD THOMPSON, As, shot
through thigh and fleshy portion of leg,
residence Verando.
Dead-colored:
REV. ALEXANDER CONNOLLY,
aged so, pastor Duncan Chapel
MARY DAVIS, aged 30, his daughter.
CREAR LOTT. aged Us.
JULIA PETERS, Lofts daughter.
aged 81.
MELLON PETERS, her child, aged
four.
AMY TONY, aged 10. mother in law
of Crear Lott.
LEWIS DUNCAN, aged Is. son of
Helen Dunn, living in PoplarvilIe.
THOMAS PARKER. aged "a.
KID vEvERLEY, aged is, turpen-
tine worker from Georgia.
No one is able to estimate the number
of negroes wounded who escaped behind
the church. They scattered in all direc-
tons Some are known to have been
shot, but they have not been found.
The conflict ragged for half an hour.
Those at a distance say the firing sound
ed like battle between troops.
The camp meeting negroes had come
from twenty miles all up and down the
valley. Elder Stephen Duncan, of New.
Orleans, for whom the chapel was NAM
ed, was present.
On last Thursday, the meeting opened
with several hundred negroes encomped
around the church, in tents and in rudely
constructed shanties
One day previous to the camp meeting,
when the negro, Bill Morris, had been
burned at the stake near Balltown for
an assault on Mrs. J. j. Ball, public feel
ing was at high pitch.
Under those conditions the negroes
gathered at Live Oak. There was trouble
over a license and Grear Lofts tent be-
came the center of contention. Some
trouble occurred Saturday evening, but
there was no bloodshed. 1t came up
again Sunday afternoon when Constable
Boon and posse rode up to Lofts tent
with a warrant.
Lott came out and is reported to have
shouted with an OATH
"One niger has been burned, but
white man will be next"
Wade Walker. one of the constable's
posse. was struck over the head with
Winchester. and then the slaughter be-
gan. The blacks fed from the frail wood
en- church. for it was no shelter from the
rain of bullets. Lott retired into his
tent, shooting and fighting. Joe Seal re-
ceived his death wound.
IIedCH6T .OOUuOlly WdS oHOJ WuiiO
standing in his yard. His daughter fell
just inside the house. The other ne
groes around Lofts place kept up
steady rain of bullets.
Lofts old mother n-law, his two
daughters, and the little boy fell in
heap inside the shelter. Sophie Lott
saved ner life by concealing herself be-
hind the stove. Then she escaped and
the men did not harm her. They wsrc
after Grear Lott. He was barricadel
and the next move was to fire the place,
which they did.
When the fire forced him from under
cover he appeared in the doorway and
twenty rifle balls went crashing through
him. He fell in heap, head foremost.
on the ground. Parker and Beverly, 10th
blacks, fell with him.
For twenty -four hours it looked as K
a general uprising would wipe out the
black race in Washington Parish. Over
/ 900 armed men yesterday were at the
scene of the battle.
Yesterday afternoon the nine negroes
who were left in heap where they had
died, We're piled into their unmarked
graves, dug near the charred remains OF
Lofts tent house. There was no cere-
mony. The minister and his daughter
filled one hole, the woman and the child
another. the men another. At the same
time prominent citizens held a confer
ence, which was attended by Sheriff Sim
mons and message was sent to the ne
groes.
do you want any more?" was the
query.
mo" came the reply.
This had quoting effect and the nc
groes left the country 1t is believed
there will be no further trouble.