Negro Menace at Eutaw, Ala

Title

Source Type

Newspaper

Publisher

Montgomery Advertiser

Publication Place

Montgomery, AL

Publication Date

9/12/1874

Transcript

We hear a report on the streets brought to this city by private leaders. From Eutaw, that 700 Negroes, armed with musket and Springfield rifles, marched upon Eutaw last Saturday, under the lead of a white stripling, twenty-one year old named Cockrell, a son of the late radical representative to the legislature from Greene County. This indiscreet young man has four some weeks back, been irritating and exciting the Negroes to deeds of violence. The presence among them of such numbers of improved rifles and muskets shows that the conspiracy to arm the blacks has been long laid and well executed. The untenable reason assigned by the Negroes for marching, armed upon a peaceful village, was that threats had been made that they should not hold a public meeting in Eutaw. No such threats have been made. When the news of their approach reached Eutaw, the citizens speedily assembled to the number of 200, with such pistols and shotguns as country citizens usually keep for the protection of their homes against violence. Judge a period WA Dillard, Chancellor of Republicans of the state, and who bought recently was re-nominated by the Republican Party for reelection to the office. He now holds so capably, and so honestly, place himself at the head of the whites and writing forward, put himself in the communication with the leaders of the Negro forces. After a parley of some time, and the failure of Cockrell to advance, any evidence that threats have been made to break up the meeting, the Negroes consented to stack their arms in Cockrell’s house, and instead of the whites, then firing upon them, cutting their throats and pulling their tongues out, as the average northern radical would lead the world to expect, as the average southern radical would actually swear it took place, quietly disbanded, and returned to the places of business. The Negroes held their meeting at the courthouse and listened to an hour of idiotic dribble from Cockrell. There were no further speeches. The Negroes took their guns in marched back to the cabins of their landlords

Sources for

063-18740909-001