Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-11-02
MUCH BLOOD IS SHED.
Race Riot in Louisiana in Which One
White Man and Ten Negroes
Are Killed.

New Orleans, Oct. 30.-A special to
the Picayune from Balltown, La,
says: The race war between blacks
and whites which started at negro
camp meeting at Duncan's chapel
Sunday afternoon at o'clock
left carnival of blood up
the Pearl river valley unequaled
in the history of the country.
One white man is dead. another
is now dying with a bullet hole
through his stomach and a third
white man is badly wounded. Nine
negroes were killed in the bloody af-
fray-fve 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. Many
are perforated with lead.
Joseph Seal, son OF Willis Seal,
aged 80 years, residence at Varando,
La, was killed. The wounded are:
Charles Thomas Elliott, aged 26, IA
tally wounded, now dying, residence,
Varando, La; Edward Thompson,
aged As, shot through thigh and
feshy portion of leg, residence, Va
rando.
Among the colored participants the
following were killed:
Rev. Alexander Connolly, aged So pastor
Duncan chapel; Mary Davis, aged 80, his
daughter; Crear Lott, aged 46; Julia Peters,
his daughter, aged "a; Mellon Peters, her
child, aged four years; Amy Tony, aged rs
years, mother-in-law of Crear Lott; Lewis
Duncan, aged IS years, son of Helen
Dunn, living in Poplarville; Thomas Par
ker aged "a; Kid Beverly, aged IS years,
turpentine worker from Georgia.
The fierce conflict ragged for half
an hour. Those at a distance say
the firing sounded like pitched bat
tie between troops. To the camp
meeting negroes had come from 200
miles all up and down the valley.
On last Thursday the meeting
opened with several hundred negroes
ercamped around the church in tents
and in rudely constructed shanties.
1t was to continue one week. There
they ate and slept and held services
in the chapel. One day previous to
tllC camp IhC CSl' Lii
Morris had been burned at the stake
near Balltown for an assault on Mrs.
J. j. Ball. Public feeling was at a
high pitch. Under those conditions
the negroes gathered at Live Oak.
There was trouble over a license,
and Crear Lofts tent became the CEN
ter of contention. Some trouble oc-
CURED Saturday evening, but no
bloodshed. 1t came up again Sunday
afternoon when Constable Boon and
posse rode up to Lofts tent with
warrant. Lott came out and is re-
ported to have shouted, with an
oath: "One niger has been burned,
but - white man will be next
Jade Walker, one of the con-
stables posse, was struck over the
head with Winchester, and then the
slaughter began. The blacks fled from
the frail wooden church, for it was
no shelter from the rain of bullets.
Lott retired into his tent, shooting
and fighting. Joe Seal received his
death wound. A torrent of lead was
sent whizzing through the tent and
through the church while the ne
groes fed.
Preacher Connolly was shot while
standing in his yard. His daughter
fell just inside the house. The other
negroes around Lofts place kept up
a steady rain of bullets. 1t was death
and blood and the shrieks of the
wounded and dying were heard on
every side. Lofts old mother-in-law,
his two daughters and the little boy
fell in heap inside the shelter. So
phie Lott saved her life by conceal
ing herself behind the stove. Then
she escaped and the men did not
harm her. They were after Crear
Lott. He was barricaded 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 20 rifle balls went
crashing through him. He fell in a
heap, head foremost on the ground.
Parker and Beverly, both blacks, fell
with him.