The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-08-04
MANY ARE SLAIN IN
TEXAS RAGE WAR
49,
Twenty Whites and Sixty Me-
groes Killed in Battle.
MILITIA FIGHT WITH BLACKS
Soldiers and Posse Surround En-.
trenched coIored Men In Woods
and Open Fire-Rloting Lasts
Three Days.


Palestine, Tex, Aug. Following
pitched battle between the negro
farmers of this section In which at
least 500 blacks took part and three
companies of state militia from Hous-
ton and Galveston and detachment
of state rangers fought for hours and,
II is said, that sixty negroes have been
killed and the bodies or twenty white
men are lying in an improvised
morgue in the little town awaiting
the arrival of undertakers from Hous-
ton to prepare them for burial.
Rioting Lasts Three Days.
Beginning Friday afternoon the race
riot between the negroes and whites
waged continuously until last night.
Saturday night the soldiers and rang
ers augmented by posses of citizens
i.and farmers from Palestine, Jackson
4 vile and other smaller places in this
section surrounded the negroes in a
dense copes of wood about seven
miles from Palestine Throughout
the night the negroes and posses ex-
changed shots and at dawn the sol
diers prepared to rush the negro
stronghold The posses, soldiers and
rangers were divided into four detach-
ments and deployed so as to complete
ly surround the woods where the
blacks were entrenched.
Negroes Are Entrenehed.
Cautiously the soldiers and citizens
felt their way through the woods and
had advanced almost a mile before
shot was fired. Suddenly coming up
on a group of entrenched negroes the
soldiers we're fired on and three hit.
This was a signal for general as
sault. On four sides the shots rang
out. The negroes fired desperately.
knowing the quarter would be denied
! any caught. Two hours of fighting
from behind trees, stumps and any
available breastworks was hot work
under the broiling Texas sun and the
soldiers and posses withdrew to await
the cooler hours Of the day At four
o'clock in the afternoon the attack
was renewed with the same forma-
ton and until shutdown the firing was
practically incessant Gradually the
troops closed in on the blacks, who,
seeing that death or capture was in
evitable, began to seek safety in flight,
each man looking out for himself The
result was the majority of those killed
by the posses and troops were shot
as they were endeavoring to break
through the Gordon thrown about the
woods.
Blacks Surrender.
The sight of the falling negroes
proved too much for the others hid.
den in various parts of the woods and
they threw their guns away and ad-
vanced to the soldiers and members
of the posses with their hands ex-
tended above their heads, signifying
they were unarmed.N A pen In the
shape Of hollow square was formed
and the negroes were driven into the
square as quickly as caught. The sur
render of the blacks ended the bat
ting. The captured negroes were
brought in to this town and a camp
formed for them on the outskirts OF
the village. Guards are patrolling the
village and it is assured that none
win escape. The feeling here is very
high and for time it was feared that
attempts would be made to lynch ne
groes that were brought to this place.
However, the presence OF the soldiers
and sheriff's deputies is believed suf.
ficient guarantee that the bloody
events are at an end.
Starts Near SIocum.
The rioting began near the village
of Slocum. Several reasons are as
signed as the cause of the racial feel
ing First, the refusal of a negro to
pay an obligation for which a white
farmer stood sponsor This was some
days ago, Later white man received
notice that he should perform road
work under the supervision Of a ne.
gro. The white man refused.
Later came reports Of secret meet.
ings among the negroes and an al
legged confession Of negro that the
murder OF the man in question, James
Spurger, and his family was planned
The situation reached a climax, how
ever, when negro was discovered
advancing on Spnrger from the rear
armed with q shotgun. He was trailed
for some distance and shot by posse
when he refused TO surrender. With
the shooting Of the negro the riotine
began.
TWO Negroes Lynehed.
Boniface, Fla. Aug AFTER hay
ing confessed TO the murder Of Bessie
Morrison. a twelve-year-oid daughter
Of Mrs. Mary Morrison. near Dady. ii
the northwestern part Of Holmes
county, two negroes we're taken from
the officers and lynched by mob o
infuriated citizens.
Sets New High Fly Record.
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