The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1909-12-31

The negroes west OF the river
could not be prevented from COM
ing to Aberdeen. since they had an
open country and there was no way
of keeping them from entering the
town from the west. They tried,
however. to keep back the negroes
from the east side. To accomplish
this, pickets were stationed along
the Tombigbee River. north and
south Of Aberdeen for several miles,
with orders to shoot any negro
who attempted to cross during the
night. In spite of all precs ution,
few did cross by going farther
north where there was ford. The
| bridge man was ordered to turn the
bridge after night and to let it re-
main so until after the election, un-
less it was TO let some Alabamians,
who were expected, pass. The
affair at Sulphur Springs made the
democrats very cautious to prevent
riot.
Capt. Sykes assumed personal
command of the soldiers who were
armed with Enfield rifles furnished
at their own expense. At sun up
on election day. Capt. Sykes arose to
reconnoiter A number of horse
men from Alabama had arrived
during the night in order to help
the people in any way possible. and
had placed themselves under Cap
tain Sykes command who had de-
cided to send them under command
of Houston to Muldon early on
election day. Capt. Sykes looked
| toward the courthouse on the morn
ing of election day and saw at that
early hour the courthouse yard rap
idly filling with colored men, He
Judged we'll that trouble was brew
ing and that troops could not be
spared from the present scene of
action. Accordingly, The had
started toward town to call out his
foot soldiers and to have them arm
themselves with the rifles and can
non which were then stored away
in Shells drug store, when he met
Capt. Houston, who was leading
out the cavalry (Alabama) on the
road toward Muldon. He hastily
stated the condition of affairs and
told them to go Immediately to the
court house and take up an advan-
tageous position, while he himself
would bring up his other soldiers.
The cavalry took up its position,
and the infantry following soon
| planted a cannon said to have
been loaded with chains and slugs
and pillow shares at the northwest
corner of the courtyard, where it
was pointed directly toward the
mass of negroes. In the mean
while, Capt j. W. Lee. having
had some wordy alterations
with Capt. I. B. Sykes about the
election, earlier in the morning,
found it necessary to take refuge in
the jail, where a number of mill
tary rifles, supposed to have been
furnished by Gov. Ames for the
negroes, were stored. The soldiers
were expressly commanded to keep
the negroes from the courthouse
and from the polls. By this time
many more negroes had arrived
and every body was waiting to see
what was to take place. Presently
Capt. T.. Q. Sykes walked toward
the polls with a big Ku Klux pistol
in his hand, and shouted to a spe-
cial friend of his-A. E. Dalrym-
pie Everything is ready Archie. +"
| No sooner said than Archie"
swung his big cane oyer his head
and expended its momentous force
on the woody head of nearby me-
gro. Others following his example,
began to use pistols and whatever
was in reach in like manner. The
negroes gave way to the aggressive
white men and took to their heels.
and in very few minutes some
thing like so or l 900 negroes had
fled and were nowhere to be seen.
1t is said some negroes never stop
ped running until they got home.
but feel quite sure some fasteners
did, because on coming to the
bridge which was still turned. they
took to the water and swan across.
They lost their last chance to vote, |
and the democrats carried the box
very quietly. The news OF success
spread and gave the democrats at
ather boxes renewed energy. The |
whole ticket was carried.
Gamers History of Reconstruct
ton of Mississippi, 1874.
Testimony of G.. J. Leftwich.
The republican candidate for
senator, F. III. Little, had received