The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-08-30
WHITE MAN COMMITS
UNNAMEABlE CRIME
Jackson have not arrived but are ex-
pected within an hour.
, There does not seem to be any need
of them, as most Of the crowd had

pected within an hour.
There does not seem to be any need
of them, as most Of the crowd had
disappeared, and everything is quiet.
The deed was committed early in
the evening and it is feared as soon
as the news spreads through the rural
districts that there will be trouble
tomorrow or tomorrow night and the
authorities wish to be prepared for it.
Three years ago Woodall came to
Pearlhaven from Wesson with his
wife and has enjoyed an excellent
reputation, most of the time in which
he has been employed by the mill.
Today Quincy O'Neil left his family
and made a trip over to Bogalusa,
and during his absence Woodall pul'
chased watermelon and brought it
out to the lumber yard of the Pearl
haven mill, and Myrtle Neil accom-
panied him. This was in the early
afternoon.
Nearly all the mill hands were at
their homes in BrOokhaven, a little
over a mile away, and Woodall took
advantage of the opportunity to as
sault the child. In a terrible condition
she finally managed to break away
from Woodall and was discovered by
some of the mill hands. A general
alarm was sounded and hundred men
started after Woodall, surrounded and
captured him. There was talk of
prompt justice being handed out to
the brute, but an officer from Brook
haven arrived and as the crowd aas
without a leader the officer managed
to bring his prisoner to the county
Jail.
Pearlhaven is located little over a
mile due west of Brookhaven and the
town is peopled exclusively by mill
hands. The Neal family have been
living at Pearlhaven for a number of
years and are highly respected by
their friends. Tlese friends were in
for a quick handing out of justice
without the formalities of a trial and
as the night advanced the story of
the horrible crime became generally
known and hundreds of men began
congregating in the streets. The local
company of militia, under Captain
Sears was ordered by the governor to
report to the sheriff at once. Captain
Sears, who was ordered by the gov
ernor to Meadville, Miss, a few days
ago during the trouble over the shoot
ing of DR.. Newman, gathered his mel
in remarkably short time. The pres
ence of the military company had the
effect of holding the crowd back and
another message was sent to Governor
Noel for troops. He ordered the Jack
son and Hazlehurst companies to re-
enforce the Brookhaven command at
+ once and these troops were expected
at the Jail by l o'clock this morning.
| 1t has only been a few years since the
| pest people OF BIoOhudNeH Hduueu OuV
quick justice to a negro in the after
noon right in the street sof the town,
capturing the prisoner from the troops
who were bringing him back for trial
| from Jackson. The governor realizes
now that the people of the locality
mean business when an aggravated
crime of this nature is committed, and
! for this reason he ordered three COM
panies to the Scene at once. The
| chances are that the prisoner will be
safe tonight, but the presence or the
expected presence Of a large force is
I the only reason why the citizens are
not following their inclinations.
Mrs. Woodall, wife of the brute, is
prostrated by the terrible news while
the reports which come from Pearl
haven tell a sad story of the condi-
! ton of the little victim. The physi-
clans say her condition is most seri-
Gus, with tie final outcome extreme
ly doubtful.