The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1905-1908, 1907-12-19
PICKENS COUNTY
RIOT HAS ENDED
NEGROES SUBJUGATED AND AXE
PLEADING FOR MERCY-MANY
APPEAL TO SHERIFF BUR-
GIN FOR PROTECTION.
The Fact Developed That the Trouble
EInanated From Negro Society,
and Lodge Rooms Throughout
the County Were Burned.


subsided. and the smoke of battle has
cleared away, leaving a negro, who
was killed by his own brother, lying
cold in death TO remind members of
the race that any effort to gain social
and political equality will always
prove futile Before the riot had
been in progress very long, the fact
developed that the trouble was due
to a negro society, the Gallilean
Fishermen. which had a strong or
gananization and maintained lodge
rooms in various sections of the
county. Trcse lodge rooms were be-
ing used as arsenals, and in one of
them which party OF white men Wis
tied last Tuesday night there were
found thirteen Winchester rifles,
seven shot guns and 500 loaded cart
ridges There was a fight at this
lodge which resulted in the routing
of the negroes and the arms and
ammunition were confiscated by the
white men, who set fire to the
building ard who later burned other
negro lodge rooms throughout the
county.
This order of Gallilean Fishermen
seems to have had tendency to gen
crate trouble between the races
wherever lodges have been organ
lied. There was once a lodge in
Columbus, but its members became
obstreperous and the lodge was
broken up by white citizens, and its
leader, a negro named Hodge, was
forced to leave the city.
The main object of the raid Tues
day night was to capture Bob Lowe,
the negro who shot Deputy Sheriff
''Whig" Lowe. but that worthy made
good his escape and went to some
railroad point, where he boarded
train for Birmingham. There were
seven of these negroes, all brothers,
and they seem to have been the lead
ers of the recalcitrant blacks Bill
Lowe, one of the brothers, was killed
and another brother, named Ben left
the county Tt was rumored he had
gone to Greene county to secure re
cruits and a party Of white men
started post haste on his trail. They
We're unable TO overtake him, how
ever, and as nothing has since been
heard from him it is supposed he lost
his nerve and was afraid to return to
the scene of battle
With one of their leaders dead
and two more absent, the negroes
soon began to lose heart, and fear
and trepidauon soon succeeded the
vicious anger and brutal courage
that had previously characterized
their actions. They became contrite
and penitent, and when Sheriff Bur
gin visited Reform Wednesday he
was besieged by countless blacks. !
who begged for protection and who
assured him that no further deeds /
of violence would be committed by
members of the race.
Reports sent from Piekens county
during the progress of the riot stated
that at least seven negroes had been f
killed but it is now known that these
reports We're greatly exaggerated. +
According to authentic information .
received late yesterday, only one .
death resulted from the riot, and the
negro who lost his life was shot by
his brother, who, firing at the officer
who had his kinsman in custody, 4
missed, and the bullet went through
the brain Of the negro prisoner.
Twenty-one negroes were arrested +
and had a preliminary hearing before
Justice Of the Peace A. ". Latham
at Carrollton Friday District At
torney oliver. of Tuscaloosa. repre-
sented the State. and Mr. M b. Cur
ry appeared for the negroes. As a
result Of the investigation, ten of
the negroes were held under bonds
of $500 to await the action of the
grand jury and the others We're re
leased from custody
Affairs OF this kind are always ex-
aggerated, and it seems that the num-
Der of fatalities resulting from the
riot in PicIens county was greatly
magnified Tt was given out at one
time that seven negroes had been
killed. but authentic reports reduce
the number to one, and this negro
was killed by q member of his own
race brother. in fact-who shot
at an officer. and hit his brother.