Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-06-15


Two reports have been sent out.
one from Memphis, Tennessee and
the other from Yazoo City. NIissis-
sippi stating that a white plantation
owner. named T. d. Kirk gave or
ders TO some Of his colored tenants
relative TO some field work. 1t was
evidently an order that infringed on
the rights Of the tenants and Abe
Johnson refused to comply with the
same. In the war of words taat
followed Johnson is said TO have
used words in keeping with those
applied 10 MIN aud the white plan
tation owner knocked him down
and went to his house 70 get his
gun.
What follows varies Anyway,
the colored man Abe Johnson sdot
II. ID. Kirk. one report says killing
him and another alleges that he was
only wounded. The colored men
retreated to the cabin Of Abe John
son and when attacked opened fire
with the result that three more
white men were killed. one of tne
reports say that they We're wounded.
4 Both reports agree that three col
ored men are dead. two others Sc
veTely whipped and that armed men
are securing the neighborhood. The
other report states that four white
men are dead. three of them being
the Kirk brothers and one named
Cheatham. while FIVE or more coll
ored men have been shot 20 death.
two lynched and numbers OF others
wounded by the mob OF white men.
This horrible AFFAIR took place on
a plantation near Anding. Mississippi
June S, 1907 and I'm speaking OF Abe
Johnson, the intrepid colored man,
who is now stin and stark in death.
one OF the reports says that he was
leader OF the colored people dur
ing reconstruction times. but since
the colored people have been put
out OF politics he and his family
have been rated among the peaceful
p and lawabiding members Of their
3 race.
This IS the wreath Of praise laid
on the grave Of this leader OF tne
b colored people Of this section. He
was not a Negro loafer. He was an
Industrious, wealth-producing South
erner. who respected and obeyed the
laws and who died nobly fighting in
defense of his lonely cabin home.
Here is a state where the rights OF
the citizen of color so far as taey
relate 20 politics have been eliminat-
. ed and a system OF peonage exists
which sayors strongly of the nature
OF the slave-holding regime OF other
days and yet the rod Of oppression IS
being welded in such way as tc
5 cause revolts Of the character just
; described.
is there q man or woman VINO viii
? impartially review the situation who
Z believes that Abe Johnson, the lead.
er among his people would nave
wantonly sacrificed his own life and
those of his family and friends un.
p less he had been goaded TO the point
beyond human endurance? TAe ties
timony of his white neighbors attest:
the fact that there are many white
B. people in that sunny land, who sym.
o pathized with him ana who no doubt
j. have shed a tear since his untimely
r taking on
d But in the midst of these out
e breaks. they appear 10 be powerIess
Is and succeed in paying a tribute t,
j. the memory of some worthy Negr,
d as these white men have done. /
y must indeed have been grim bust
e ness in that fight which one of tn,
D reports so graphically described. !
is said that three of the colored mel
J. in Johnson's cabin got away an,
e made stand in cabin of anotne
e colOred man where they were join
d ed by from fifteen TO fifty colore,
IS men.
IS These reinforcements evidentl
- NoAAS aS a PlObtCtAOu 70 NAFllStiNCs
Il Certainly not for warfare. The
D knew that to be caught isolated wa
TO be lynched. The scene no douh
beggars description and the tru
facts perhaps will never be known.
But what is the better class of No
IL groes to do? Is there any other re
Is course than that appealed to by Alb
j. Johnson? A white man in Georgi
r who had suffered grievous wrong
20 at the hands OF a hoodlum Negr
10 asked Mr.. Ray Stannard Baker, 1
N plaintive tones, What would 20
IL do?" Here in a similar strain, W
Is repeat the question to every justice
Re loving white man, what would yo
IT do, If you had been In Abe Johnson
s. placer"