Evening star., 1916-01-02
Search for the SIayers of
Georgia Plantation Over
seer Continues.
SUSPECTED ASSASSINS
a MADE GOOD ESCAPE
Supposed to Have Crossed Into Ala
bama or Florida. Where They
Are Looked For.

BLAKELY Ga, January 1.-The
search for negroes connected with the
assassination of Henry ]. Villipigue. a
white overseer on an Early county
plantation, has extended into Alabama
on the west and Florida on the south.
Blakely and Early county are quiet
after three days of clashes between
whites and negroes. in which, accord
ing to Sheriff T. J. Howell of Early
county, five negroes are known to have
been killed and one probably fatally
wounded. Early county borders on Ala
bama and lies about thirty miles north
of the Florida line.
Murderers Get Away.
According to reports here late last
night. Mike and Ulysses Goolsby. two
young negroes, accused of killing Wilt
pigue, had gone either into Alabama,
making their way toward Montgomery,
or had fled south toward Greenwood
Fla. posse of whites was said to have
started toward Greenwood last night,
while others crossed into Alabama.
Threats today which caused the ar
rest of Gus Stringer, negro. were said
to have been made against him because
he warned two white men not to search
land back of his house for a missing
mule. He was kept in Jail tonight for
his own safety.
Last nights outbreak resulted in the
death of Ed Law and his adopted son,
Precious Law. both of whom. 1t was
claimed, had aided the Goolsbys to es-
cape Several negro lodge buildings
were burned. two within the city limits
of Blakely, while another lodge within
the limits of Blakely was torn down by
negroes to prevent the flames spread
ing to negro houses, should it be fired
According to reports reaching here
today not negro lodge has been left
IN in "a
knew five had been destroyed.
Whipping Back of Murder.
Reports that negro organizations had
plotted Villipigue's death because he
whipped son of Grandson Goolsby,
one of the negroes accused later of hav-
ing hand in the killing of villipigue.
caused all lodge buildings. except one.
to be burned. it is said. The one that
escaped fire was torn down by negroes
to prevent nearby negro homes from
beng burned should it be set on fire.
Sheriff Howell today ordered into
custody Charles Holmes, a negro re-
ported by his father, Jacob Holmes, TO
have become mentally deranged as the
result of his cabin being burned when
Grandson Goolsby took refuge in it.
Many Alabama citizens from just
across the state line, who rushed to
the rescue of II. II. Grimsley, last night.
when an erroneous report was spread
that his life was threatened by ne
groes, returned to their homes today.
Some. however, Joined the searchers in
The swamps-
Two automobiles carrying men who
sought the Goolsby negroes at or near
Greenwood. Fla, returned tonight The
negroes had not been found.
Report of Conspiracy.
A report that papers found on the body
of Early Hightower and Grandson Gools-
by, two negroes killed Thursday, showed
that a conspiracy existed among negroes
of the various negro lodges to kill Wilt
pigue, was said to have caused the angry
whites to destroy the lodge buildings when
the Goolsby boy escaped
Negroes were staying close to home to-
day. few being seen on the streets or
Blakely, town of some $500 inhabitants.
where, OH Saturdays, there are usually
hundreds OF idle negroes. The police here
today told stories of negroes going to the
homes OF whites whom they knew, and
asking the privilege of sleeping on their
porches. as they feared to 50 to their
cabins.
Reports reaching here last night that
the home of II. II. Grimsley had been sur
rounded by negroes who threatened to
harm Grimsley and his family, proved
groundless when Investigated today. The
report, however, caused crowd of from
75 to 100 to leave here for the Grimsley
home. fourteen miles away, last night.
other Negroes Perhaps Slain.
Various reports are reaching here today
of more negroes being killed than the five
the officers know of None of these re-
ports could be positively confirmed today
Officers declared they had heard that
posses of whites were hunting negroes
Wednesday night. Thursday and again
Friday. but the hunt took place in iso-
lated portions of the county. If other
negroes were killed their bodies had
not been found by the authorities Up
to today nor had any made a deii-
81 mite statement about their deaths
= Only two white persons re known 20
have been hurt in the series of clashes
Samuel Pittman was shot in the side
and his arm was broken by a load of
buckshot. c. B. Hudspeth was shot in
the head. Both are residents of Early
county. They are expected to recover
Sheriff Howell and other officers were
dubious today as to expressing an
opinion about what might result with
IN the next few days Blakely citi-
zens who took part IN efforts Thurs
day. to capture Goolsby and his sons
made no denial today of the parts
they said they took in killing Grandi-
son Goolsby and Early Hightower No
arrests have been made in connection
with the affair.
Aid From Alabama.
MONTGOMERY. Ala. January l.
Two hundred heavily armed residents
of Houston county left Dothan today
for Early county. Georgia. where they