The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-12-27
.SC0OBA NOW SCENE
OF THE RACE WAR
MILITIA HURRIED TO THE SCENE
FROM MERIDIAN, MISS.
TEN DEATHS ARE REPORTED.
Negroes Said to Be Fortified and De
faint Near Wahalsk, Though
Quiet Has Been Restored
in the Village.

Jacksonville, Dec. 26.-The best re
ports optainaole this morning say
that eight and possibly ten men ar,
dead as the result of the racial wal
still in progress at Scooba. Governor
yardaman has ordered troops to the
scene.
1t is believed that three negroes
including George Simpson, one OF the
principals in the disturbance aboard
the Mobile & Ohio train last Sunday
was lynched at Wahalak. The citi
zens of Wahalak will not admit that
the men were captured by posse
but say that they were lost in the
swamp" while on their way to town
AS near as can De ascertained, the
casualties are as follows:
UNIDENTIFIED NEGRO, shot by
Conductor Cooper on train.
CONSTABLE O'BRlEN, killed by
George Simpson.
CONDUCTOR ROBERT HARRISON
of the train, shot during disturbance.
GEORGE SIMPSON, negro, lynched.
TOM SIMPSON, son of George
Simpson, shot near Wahalak.
JIM SIMPSON, another son of
George Simpson, shot.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED NEGROES,
lynched
Particulars Hard to Get.
Meridian, Miss, Dec. 26,-Railroad
men who arrived from Scooba late
Tuesday night re.ort fresh clash be
tween the races. Several are reported
killed This report, however, has not
been confirmed.
Scooba is seven miles from. Waha-
lax.
Acting on the instructions of Gov.
Vardaman, 20 members of the local
military company boarded an engine
and left at ten o'clock for Scooba
Additional troops left aboard a special
train.
Orders to Col. McCants from Gov.
Vardaman said:
Have telegram from Sheriff Trout
of Kemper county asking for troops at
Scooba. Make ready to move at once
by special train"
Negroes Are Fortified.
Early Tuesday it was reported that
a body of negroes had fortified them
selves two miles from Wahalak and
announced they would resist any effort
to dislodge them. They threatened to
burn the little town and the white peo-
pie are alarmed. The whites all
around the country have armed them
selves and one party of so armed per-
sons arrived there from Columbus,
Miss. Two negroes, Tom and Jim
Simpson, are reported to have been
killed by white people Monday after
noon before the arrival of the troops
under command of Col. Samuel Nc
Giants.
At $3.50 Tuesday morning firing was
heard in the center of the town, but
after few scattering shots quiet was
restored and no explanation has been
forthcoming.
A special dispatch to the Morning
Dispatch at an early hour Tuesday
said:
"One company of infantry and \
battery Of artillery are in charge. Two
negroes have been killed by citizens.
Troops are now guarding the town. A
body of negroes said to be armed are
fortified about two miles from the
town"
All Quiet at Wahalak.
Wahalak, Miss, Dec. 26.-All is
quiet again in and around this village.
recently the scene of several race
riots. The militia have returned to
Meridian, their commander having ex-
pressed the belief that there will be
no more use for them.
Conductor Robert Harrison, of the
Mobile & Ohio railroad. who was am
pushed and wounded by negro Mon
day night, died Tuesday. The origin
of the racial troubles here was primar-
lily the meeting In a narrow roadway
of wagons driven by a white farmer
and negro respectively. The negro
abused the white man, who reported
the occurrence to the white villagers
at Wahalak. Whites Immediately or
ganized themselves and in a fight with
the negroes OF the community num-
Der of white men were killed, includ-
ing one Of the most prominent of the
vicinity. The number Of negroes killed
in the rioting has never been approx
mated, but dead negroes have been
found in many parts of the settlement