The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-25
Governor Vardaman Orders Two
Companies Of Militia TO
Scene Of RiOting
TWO WHITES ALREADY DEAD
NEGROES IN BIG MAJORITY
Trouble Started BY Negro Fight On
Train, In Which Conductor Cooper,
Badly Cut, Kills one-An-
other Shoots Sheriff

Meridian, Miss, December a.--(Spe-
cial)-Reports received here tonight IN
dicate a race riot in and around Wa
halack, small station forty miles above
Meridian, growing out of a double killing
that occurred from drunken row on the
Mobile and Ohio passenger train yester-
day morning. At that time party OF
drunken negroes raised a row on the
train between Wahalak and Seooba re-
su1ting in the conductors being danger
ousl.y wounded several times by negro
said to be named Spencer. Cooper, the
conductor, shot in self-defence, seriously
wounding his assailant and killing an
other negro, said not to have been inn
plicated in The row.
Cooper made a desperate fight among
the negroes, being badly used up ane
smashing his lantern in the general
melee.
Kills Officer
At Wahalak, Spencer, the negro got OFF
and attempted to escape. Constable
o Brien of that place stepped up TO ar
rest him when he literally blew the top
of the officers head off, killing him m
stantly. The negro then escaped.
The white people of the community or
ganized a posse to track the negro but
he TIldQe VI 10 lut NOOuS. l>dlo tii42
ernoon az eording to reports received
Mere tonight, negroes for miles around
piled into the little town said to con-
tain less than twenty-five white people all
tclI, and .bsean 20 dririTe and ,perafft Sfe
:, streets threatening all kin@s Of trouble
and vengeance. @#
a hurry plea for protection sent
to the governor and he ordered out Bat
terry | and Company d, Captains Sullivan
and Bell respectively, from this city. The
battery, by instructions, carried Cat
ling gun, and all men heavily armed and
prepared for lengthy siege.
Troops on Special Traln
The troops left the city at 10 o'clock on
a special train. At $50 O'Clock mes
sage from Scooba the first station this
side of the scene of the trouble, states
that clash has occurred between the
members OF the races with the result that
two white men were killed. This report
has not been verified, however although
1T is current throughout the city
The railroad people admit they received
a message detailing some additional trou-
BILE. The troops are expected to reach
Wahalak at midnight
Scene of Past Riots.
Wahalais, the little station on the Mo-
bile and Ohio railroad, the scene of the
? race disturbances for the past twenty
four hours is above Meridian and five
miles from ScOODds lne uedIeSl LeltSidpii
station. The town is practically isolated,
being populated by some fifteen or twenty
white families and as many negroes, While
the entire surrounding country is given
over TO the negro farmers. 1t is near the
upper edge of Kemper county, and has
been the scene of repeated race riots since
the war.
While the territory around about the
settlement is reported as having been of
considerable trouble TO the officials of
the county, the greatest race riot before
the present one occurred in the town itself
some fifteen years ago. according to the
best obtainable information now. j. b.
Watts of this city, who has relatives in
the vicinity states the previous trouble
was as follows:
Pitched Battle.
A white farmer named Nicholson and
negro named George Murry had some
trouble in endeavor TO pass their
wagons on the county road The negro
aroused the white man. who reported it
In the settlement. The whites Immediately
organized themselves, some of the most
prominent men in the vicinity being in
volved and went to the negro's house. He
evidently expected trouble and had
number of negroes barricaded with him.
A pitched battle ensued.
A number of white men were killed in
the fight, including Henry Murray, one of
the most prominent white men in the vi
foreman for the railroad
Number Killed.
The number of negroes killed in the
rioting has never been reported but the
whites in small parties hunted them for
several days, and dead negroes were
found in every direction from the settle
nent Peace and quiet was finally re-
established, and the races appeared to get
along better than they had previously.
The little town is said to be primarily
q distributing point for the small planters
in that vicinity, as stated, principally
negroes. The element is said TO be of the
Ignorant class. although some of the ne
groes have excellent farms in the vicin-
ity.
Situation Serious.
Jackson Miss, December 4-According
to reports received here, the situation at
Wahalak in Kemper county is very seri-
Gus and while only two companies of
state militiamen have been as yet ordered
to the scene additional troops may be
necessary to quell the disturbance. Re-
ports from Wahalak was that two white
men have been killed. but because the
scene of the rioting is far inland, de-
tails are difficult to secure
The troops ordered out are under COM
mand of Colonel McCants and Captain
Bell of Meridian.
Posse Leaves for Scene.