Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-22
AOB'S f|END|SH AC1
Unknown Men Attack the Resi-.
dence of White Family in
Mississippi.
The Inmates Riddled With Bull.
lets and the House Set
on Fire.
Four Children Cremated in the
Burning Building..Neigh.
borhood Terrorized.

| Meridian, Miss, Jan. 22.-One man and
woman missing and probably MUIR
dered; another woman, the mother of
two children. badly shot; four children
desperately wounded by bullets and
then left to perish in the flames of their
dwelling, is the net result of the work OF
a fendsh mob in Kemper county.
Deputy Sheriff A. F. May returned
from Calvert on the north boundary line
yesterday, bringing details of an out
rage that has sent a thrill Of horror
thru the entire community.
In the vicinity of Tolespo. in Kemper
county resided a family of whites con-
sisting of the man, his wife and two
small children. Thursday night kins-
woman came to see them, and with her
were two children about the same age
as the White children. Some time dur
ing the night Mr.. White was called to
his door and as he stepped out on the
small gallery that is built in the shape
of a porch to his house he saw the forms
of a dozen or more men in the front
yard.
Anticipating that the men could not
be there with their guns and pistols in
evidence at that hour on peaceable
mission, Mr.. White retreated into his
house and braced the door. The mob
outside began to call for him to come
out and talk to them about some bust
ness. but Mr.. White worked away get
ting his windows and doors In good
shane to resist a rush that he feared
might be made at any moment. After
parleying few minutes, the mob fired
a volley at the house, and then began
one OF the most terrific fusilades ever
seen in any of the most lawiess sections
of Mississippi during the days of the
Klu-klux and white caps The doors
were perforated with bullets, and the
windows We're shot and battered until
they left gaping holes thru which the
loads, of buckshot and rifle balls found
targets in all parts of the house.
Human flesh began to stop some OF
these missiles.
The children had been driven into a
corner of the room, where 1t was hoped
they would be protected from the hail
of lead, but soon the cries that went up
showed to the frightened parents that
the balls were going straight home into
their little ones.
Mr.. White had taken his shotgun and
was firing volley after yolley in re-
turn but he could not see from the
smoke that hung about the doors and
windows whether he was reaching MS
assailants or not. After half an hour of
heroic resistance the beseged man
found that his ammunition was eX-
hausted, and he attempted to climb out
of a back window to the ground, hoping
to make his escape that way. he had
already been shot In several places by
the bullets and he refused to yield his
life without one desperate struggle.
When Mrs White and her visitor saw
the only man in the house dragging his
bleeding form thru the window, they
Jumped into a bed and pulled heavy
cotton mattress over them. 1t was ful-
ly half an nour after that before the
shooting stopped, and the quiet outside
indicated that the war was over.
When the frightened and wounded
women ventured to look out they saw
that the roof Of the house was in
blaze, and they hurriedly made their
escape to the yard. Mrs. White was shot
in the leg, and one bullet had made a
flesh wound in the body.
Her guest was badly wounded, and
she hsd to be carried and half dragged
to the outside. In another moment the
roof came down with crash. and the
four children, If any were still living
from the attack of the mob. We're burn
ed to death Their remains have since
been taken from the ruins of the house
and given burial
Mrs. White took her visitor to the
Bankstone school house, a short dis
lance away. They were followed by four
men. who stayed a short distance away
watching all their movements.
At the school building Mrs, White left
the wounded woman and started to a
neighbours for help. She has not been
seen since, nor has her husband, whom
she last saw struggling to get away
from the hail of lead that had wrecked
and destroyed his home.
Mr. May says the neighborhood is al |
most paralyzed over the occurrence, but {
a dread of the unknown men prevents !
them taking any action. The men are
afraid to talk about the affair except
among themselves.
c:a,,y N:4X MAJ DohLaI