The San Francisco call., 1906-12-26
FIERCE RACE WAR
COSTS MANY
LIVES
Ten Persons Reported to
Have Been Killed in a
Struggle for Supremacy
TENNESSEE SCENE
OF DISTURBANCE
Several Colored Men Are
Lynched and Both Whites
and Blacks Suffer Losses

MEMPHIS, Dee. 25-A Ion<-distance
telephone message from Sc00ba, Miss,
says that seven persons have been
killed I'm race war. Another white
man is believed to be fatally wounded.
shortly after midnight, however, 1t was
stated that other dead reached four,
making total of ten.
MERIDIAN, Miss, Dec. 25.-The two
companies of State militia sent to
Wahalak last night returned to Merid-
ian today, their presence there appar-
emily being unnecessary. After their
arrival at Wahalak no disturbance oc-
CURED. 1t is believed that three ne
groes, including George Simpson, one
of the principals in the disturbance
aboard the Mobile and Ohio train last
Sunday, had been lynched just before
the arrival of the troops. The citizens
of Wahalak will admit the fact that
the men were captured by a posse, but
say they were lost in the swamp while
on their way to town" Two sons of
Simpson were shot to death yesterday
afternoon.
AS near as can be ascertained at this
time the casualties resultant from the
trouble are as follows:
RESULT OF FIGHTING
Unknown negro, shot by Conductor
Cooper on the train.
Constable O'Brien, killed by precipi-
tator of the trouble, George Simpson,
when an attempt at arrest was made.
George simpson, lynched.
Tom Simpson, son of George Simp-
son, shot to death by white citizens
near Wahalak.
Joe Simpson, another son, shot to
death.
Two unknown negroes lynched
Conductor Cooper, seriously injured
by being cut and stabbed seven times
by George Simpson on the passenger
train, not fatal.
Leland Sparkman, soldier, wounded
by accidental discharge Of his own pis-
toll
officers of the company state that on
their arrival at Wahalak no county of
ficials were on hand to whom they
could report, and that during their
stay there none of the county officials
appeared among the troops. Colonel
McCants, who was in charge of the
troops, stated to the citizens that while
the soldiers were always ready to re-
ply to call for assistance, real need
should be apparent before they should
have been called on.
The trouble was intensified when
early today it was reported that a body
of negroes had fortified themselves two
miles from Wahalak and announced
they would resist any effort to dislodge
them. They threatened to burn the lit
tie town and the white people were
alarmed. The whites all around the
country armed themselves and one
party of fifty persons arrived from
Columbus. Miss.
At $3.50 this morning firing was heard
in the center of the town, but after
few scattering shots quiet was re-
stored.
SCENE OF TROUBLE
Wahalak is twenty-five miles south
of Meridian on the Mobile and Ohio
Railroad and was the scene on Sunday
Of desperate fight on a train, which
resulted in the death Of two men and
the serious injury of another.
Conductor Robert Harrison of the
Mobile and Ohio Railroad who was
ambushed and seriously wounded by a
negro last night, died today at Waha-
lax. The origin of the racial trouble
at that point was caused primarily by
the meeting in narrow roadway Of
wagons driven by white farmer and
negro respectively. The negro abused
the white man. who reported the oc-
currence to the white villagers at Wa
halak. Whites Immediately organized
themselves, and in fight with the ne
groes of the community a number OF
white men were killed including one
Of the most prominent men of the VI