A STATEMENT OF FACTS 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 BLOODY RIOT IN WILMINGTON^ N.C 
 
THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 THE COLLECTION OF 
 NORTH CAROLINIANA 
 
 VCp971.65 
 W7hk 
 
 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 
 
7 * k 
 
 A STATEMENT OF FACTS 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 BLOODY RIOT IN WILMINGTON, N. C. 
 
 Of Interest to Every Citizen of the United States. 
 BY REV. J. ALLEN KIRK, D. D., 
 
 Pastor of the Central Baptist Church of "Wilmington, N. C. 
 
 Bloody Riot Perpetrated upon the Helpless and Inoffensive 
 
 Negro. 
 
 Wilmington, JST. C., Thursday, November 10, 1898. 
 
 It was clamored among' the political campaigners that 
 m the eastern portion of North Carolina, the white people 
 were under i^egro rule. They took advantage of this 
 scarecrow, and held it up before the white friends of the 
 Xtgroin all their political speeches, using also the Manly 
 article to create anger among the loyal and conservative 
 white citizen- It is not my motive to give the nature 
 of the Manly article or the number of Xegro officeholders, 
 but to state the, facte touching the riot above, named. It 
 is my feeling to impartially state to white and colored 
 the facts as I best know them pertaining to the bloody riot. 
 
 Ministers Called to Explain. 
 
 After the publication of the Manly article, and the 
 threats heaped upuu him on the account of its publication, 
 and the withdrawal of its advertisements by its white con- 
 tributors, and the appeal to the Interdenominational Min- 
 isterial Union to help the enterprise, as it would be com- 
 
pelled to die unless the colored people would subscribe 
 ard pay their subscriptions more readily than they had in 
 the past. Being the only daily paper in the South and 
 enterprise of its kind, the Ministerial Union promised to 
 ask their people to subscribe to the paper and support it 
 as an enterprise of our race, without any thoughts of en- 
 dorsing the much talked of article, and with this view, 
 they published the re-solution asking the colored people 
 to support the Record. The ministers being asked to 
 plain their resolution, drew up a resolution of explain* 
 and presented it to the Messenger, a white paper, in 
 swer to their request, but it seemed not to be satisfac 
 and they were therefore publicly assailed by the jour 
 of "Wilmington to their sad regret and misfortune; 
 we believe that all these steps were taken in order to fur- 
 ther political ends. There was a meeting called on Wed- 
 nesday night, Xovember 9th, and the Ministers and lead- 
 ing colored citizens were requested to attend and they 
 attended; this meeting was white. They were asked to 
 see to it that Manly leave the City, the colored ministers 
 stated that they were not concerned in Manly's article, and 
 h<id never been. The following extract is taken from the 
 "Wilmington Messenger, white, referring to 
 
 The Ministerial Union, Colored, 
 
 "Don't forget its members. The Record will be dis- 
 posed of and its editor relegated to non-residence. So let 
 it be with the smart elect preachers, who composed the 
 Union, and endorsed the Record. Let them consider the 
 propriety of finding more congenial fields upon which to 
 pasture. They must quit. It might as well be under- 
 sto. . : now as hereafter. Resignations and non-residence 
 wil! be enforced." 
 
 There was a request made on the part of the editor of 
 lie "Wilmington daily Messenger to all of the white min- 
 isters of the various denominations of Wilmington, to 
 preach from a certain text on a certain Sabbath before 
 the election and the dire bloody riot, which seemed to 
 agitate and move the people to reek out their sentiments 
 
3 
 
 coming from the bosom of the editor and not the text in 
 its jistical connection with the scriptures, and with the 
 will of God. The texts were as follows: Isaiah, 17th 
 chapter, 14th verse — -"And behold at evening tide trou- 
 ble; before the morning he is not. This is the portion of 
 them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us." It 
 seems that this text is applicable to the Xegroes in pro- 
 fession, and the common people, and whereas the Xegoes 
 were "not robbing them of their material goods, the text 
 points rather to their political interest. The text pertain- 
 ing to the ministers ami their flocks: — Jeremiah, 25th 
 chapter, 35th verse: — "And the bhepherds shall have no 
 way to flee, nor the pi i of the flock to escape." The 
 
 white ministers of W x ~. C. carried their guns 
 
 in the blood y 
 
 Election Day. 
 
 Tuesday, Xovember 8ih, 1898. Perfect peace seemed 
 to pervade but when the sleeping lion should awake and 
 bound upon his prey. All the peaceful Xegroes and white 
 people made glad by the following circular: 
 
 To the Voters of New Hanover County. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Peyton H. Hoge, in a letter to the Governor, 
 of Saturday, Xovember 5th, uses the following language: 
 
 "I have seen several prominent members of the cam- 
 paign committee and have the positive assurances from 
 them that not only is no intimidation contemplated, but 
 that it will be discountenanced by every means in their 
 power." 
 
 "If Xegroes do as Henderson advised them: go to the 
 polls and cast their ballots quietly and go home; I have 
 no idea that there will be any disturbance." 
 
 "I think all the members of our committee feel that 
 
 their honor is involved in seeing that the agreement is 
 
 carried out in good, faith; and we will certainly use all 
 
 .i efforts to secure that result, and we have the same promise 
 
 from prominent members of the campaign committee." 
 
 Dr. Hoe;e was one of the committee who conferred with 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 <n 
 
 N 
 
 ^. 
 
the Governor and agreed upon the compromise which was 
 cordially and almost unanimously approved and ratified 
 by the merchants and lmsiness men of the city, and by 
 the Democratic campaign committee. 
 
 The Governor has other assurances of similar import 
 from all of the committee that conferred with him. As 
 men of honor they could not do otherwise. 
 
 A. E. HOLTOX, 
 Chairman Republican State Ex. Com. 
 CYRUS THOMPSON, 
 Chairman People's Party State Ex. Com. 
 
 The following circular was issued in consequence of an 
 agreement effected by Governor Russell and the leading 
 Democratic politicians of Wilmington, leading citizens 
 and business men: (The agreement) to put in no county 
 Ticket in the field; no Xegro nominees, but to have only 
 the State, Congressional and Senatorial tickets. 
 
 "Senator Pritehard, Senator Butler, Governor Russell, 
 Chairman Holton and Chairman Thompson and Oliver H. 
 Doekery appeal to the Republicans and Populists of Xew 
 Hanover County to turn out and vote the State, Con- 
 gressional and Senatorial tickets. 
 
 Conditions are such in your county that we join in giv- 
 ing you this advice. Listen to us! Do not encourage any 
 attempt to depart from the agreement made with the mer- 
 chants and business men. They have taken down their 
 Legislative Ticket for the House, and have put up their 
 two Representatives. Let us make no objections to them 
 6v to their County Ticket, These merchants and business 
 men have gift-en their word that there shall be a free and 
 fair and peaceful election. Xow it is most important to 
 yon that you turn out and vote the Eusion Ticket for 
 Judges and Solicitor, for Congressman and for State Sen- 
 ator. Do not listen to men who seek to divide you be- 
 cause they themselves have personal grievances or disap- 
 pointments. Let every Republican, every Populist, every 
 Independent, every man who is opposed to the Democratic 
 Machine and its methods, turn out and put in his vote. 
 If you fail to do it, the consequence may be disastrous. 
 
Vote for the Fusion Ticket, for Oliver H. Dockerjr for 
 Congress, and R. B. Davis for Senate. 
 
 Do not hang around the polls on Election Day, vote 
 and a'o to your homes. 
 
 * J. C. PRITCHARD, 
 MABION BUTLER, 
 D. L. RUSSELL. 
 
 A. E. HOLTOX, 
 Chairman Republican State Committee. 
 CYRUS THOMPSON, 
 Chairman Populist State Committee. 
 OLIVER II. DOCKER Y, 
 
 Candidate for Congress. 
 
 The Negroes were absolutely obedient to the above re- 
 quest: seeing the mighty power that hung over their homes, 
 and earned this order out to the letter, consequently all 
 was peace on the Tuesday of the election. Why should 
 it not be; when they were completely le xf the nomi- 
 
 nation and the county ticket relegated Ln the midst of 
 all this, preparations among our supposed white friends 
 were being made to strike the fearful blow upon the 
 Xegroes and on that night, if anything would be started, 
 I did not see it, but heard it from an eye witness, that 
 there was an anny of white citizens mobilized in the old 
 field back of Tenth street, on Tuesday night, waiting for 
 signals from the sentinels. (Appointed by the citizens.) 
 They walked their beats through the City all night, but 
 nothing happened on Tuesday night, only a little trouble 
 in the precincts as to ballot boxes. Pistols held in the 
 faces of XegTO poll holders who had to leave to save their 
 lives, for the light was extinguished and they knew not 
 what moment they would be killed. This is from the 
 Deputy Sheriff of the County to me, he said the poll 
 re r,,ld him. 
 
 CitUens' Mass Meeting, Wednesday, November 9, 1598. 
 
 Evening Dispatch of Wilmington, Xorth Carolina, 
 . Xegro editor Manly must leave the State. 
 Citizen's Mass Meeting give him twenty-four hours to 
 
6 
 
 get out of the limits — Mayor Wright and Chief Melton 
 nmst resign. 
 
 The mass meeting of citizens and taxpayers called for 11 
 o'clock met promptly at that hour. There were nearly 
 2,000 of Wilmington's leading citizens and most promi- 
 nent business men present and from the determined look 
 on the face of ever)- man no one could doubt the import 
 of the assemblage. On motion, Col. A. M. Waddell was 
 called to the Chair and after mounting the rostrum called 
 the meeting to order. The court room was packed to 
 suffocation, but as the chairman arose to address the lneet- 
 ing, the drop of a pin could have been beard. 
 
 Col. Waddell stated that the first business of the meet- 
 ing was the consideration of a resolution which he had to 
 read to them. 
 
 Col. Waddell then read ion which space pre^ 
 
 vent our publishing in fn preamble declared that 
 
 this community would B er ^ ruled by men of 
 
 African origin; that our eyes are open to the fact that 
 ve must act now or leave our children to a gloomy fate; 
 that we propose in the future to give employment as far 
 as possible only to white men. 
 
 Then followed the paragraph relating to the Manly 
 article which ve give in full, as follows: 
 
 "That- we have been, in our desire for harmony and 
 peace, blinded both to our best interests and rights. A 
 climax was reached when the IsTegro paper of this city 
 published an article so vile and slanderous that it would in 
 most communities have resulted in the lynching of the 
 editor. We deprecate lynching and yet there is no pun- 
 ishment provided by the courts adequate for the offense. 
 We therefore owe it to, the people of this community and 
 this city, as a protection against such license in the future, 
 ih at the paper known as the Record cease to be published 
 and that its editor be banished from this community. 
 
 "We demand that he leave this city within twenty-four 
 hours after the issuance of this proclamation. Second, 
 that the printing press from which the 'Record' has been 
 issued be packed and shipped .from the city without delay, 
 that we be notified within twelve hours of the acceptance 
 or rejection of this demand. 
 
"If the demand is agreed to, within twelve hours, we 
 counsel forbearance on the part of all white men. If the 
 demand is refused or if no answer is given within the time 
 mentioned then the editor, Manly, will be expelled bv 
 force." 
 
 Several amendments were offered and rejected as being 
 against law and order. On motion, a committee of five, 
 consisting of Colonel Walker Taylor and Messrs. George 
 Eoundtree, S. H. Eishblate, Iredell Meares and Hugh 
 McRae,-was appointed to consider the resolution and re- 
 port to the meeting. During the absence of the commit- 
 tee loud calls were made for Colonel Waddell, and he re- 
 sponded, briefly, heartily endorsing the resolution. As he 
 concluded cheers were made for our new Congressman, 
 Hon. John D. Bellamy, and he too, responded with a rous- 
 ing speech.. Others that spoke were Frank McNeil, Esq., 
 Judge Borneman, Junius Davis, Esq., and P. B. Manning, 
 Esq. 
 
 At this juncture the committee returned and reported 
 that it endorsed the resolutions heartily and they were 
 then adopted by the meeting and every man present 
 affixed his signature. 
 
 The committee also reported the following resolution, 
 which was unanimously adopted with rousing cheers: 
 
 "Resolved, We, the undersigned citizens in mass meet- 
 ing assembled do agree that Mayor S. P. Wright and Chief 
 of Pr.lice John R. Melton have shown their inability to 
 give This city a decent government and their adniiuistra- 
 t lias not provided protection for our citizens, but has 
 proven a menace to this community and they ought 
 sign. 
 On motion, the chair appointed a committee of twenty- 
 five citizens to carry out the action of the meeting and 
 -<:> carry into operation such other plans as may come 
 up, such as selecting a new Board of Aldermen, etc. 
 After adopting resolutions of minor importance, thanking 
 the city and foreign press and various committees, the first 
 meeting of its kind ever h ' J in North Carolina, adjourned. 
 
 "Manly must leave h .n 'row, noon, and Wright and 
 Melton must resign.'* 
 
8 
 
 A member of this meeting arose and asked the question 
 of the Chairman: "What shall we do with the ministers?" 
 We know not what the answer was, but we know the 
 action, for we are exiled and scattered over the country 
 from our pulpits and our people, without having time to. 
 get our property or our money or any other means of 
 protection for our families, but left them in the woods 
 and country places to flee for our lives, hoping that we 
 might be able to gather them home at some future time 
 and in a place of safety. Special reference to the Boston 
 Negro was published in the Evening Dispatch. It was 
 supposed to have been directed to J. Allen Kirk, pastor 
 of the Central Baptist Church, of Wilmington, North 
 Carolina. The reference reads as follows: "The Negro 
 syho came from Boston here to lead the Negroes in their 
 '. predations had better take his departure and shake the 
 
 -t of the city from his feet." 
 
 But this divine lias never taken any part in politics and 
 } i lead continually that his people follow peace and order 
 and even Avas a member of the committee (the Chairman) 
 that drew up a resolution of prayer and fasting on the 
 part of his people to> go into effect Monday, November 
 7th, prior to the election, and the much regretted riot. 
 Notwithstanding that, he had oft times invoked the blessings 
 of God upon the City of Wilmington, upon white and 
 colored and all enterprises carried on by them. It seems 
 that the inevitable came. O! The poor helpless Negro. 
 God help him, and may all that read the following and 
 impartial story, white and black, pray that God may stay 
 the strong arm of our white brethren and all our colored 
 brethren from shedding blood. My heart is burdened 
 with the cares of our race; and with anxiety I appeal and 
 ev. treat our white brethren to help us to quell the many 
 disturbances that are now happening in our country. With 
 impartiality, love and respect toward white and colored 
 I give the following statements of the Wilmington Biot 
 as best known to me. Not with the intention of moving 
 the passions of white or colored men, but that I may pre- 
 vent exaggerated stories from being heaped upon the com- 
 munity or upon the country. 
 
nesdav there was a great Jubilee march by the 
 Democrats through the City, probably five hundred in 
 ber, and report after report could be heard from their 
 The cheers and loud hurrahs and shrieks in 
 streets were enough to intimidate and demoralize all geao©- 
 ful citizens and to send fear and terror *to the hearts of 
 the Negroes inhabiting the City of "Wilmington. But it 
 cleared away and we thought all was over and Dr. Kirk 
 bong at Major "Walkers, whose wife receiving a telephone 
 that the whites were gathering around Gas ireet in 
 
 great numbers with guns and arms of various kinds and 
 advised her not to sleep that night, but to keep her eyes 
 open. The Rev. started home to see about his family and 
 as he got to Tanning Street the firing began ; not knowing 
 the nature of it he sends for his family and he and his 
 family lodged in the suburbs of the City that night. Re- 
 turning home the next morning he arose from the break- 
 fast table and went to see what the signs of the times were. 
 He saw a young man rushing by on his wheel whom he 
 called to and asked what the trouble was, he said they 
 were, all gathering at the Armory on Market Street, pre- 
 paring to burn the Record. Rev. Kirk started for a car- 
 riage to remove his family but they were then coming and 
 he took his family to the suburbs of the City, hiding in 
 the Colored Cemetery until the disturbances of the day 
 were quite over; having messengers to go back and forth 
 to bring him the news of all that was done. This he kept 
 up until the chief fighting was over. They marched down 
 to the Love and Charity Hall, went in, threw out the press 
 into the street and The building burned down. Then they 
 marched to Rev. I. Allen Kirk's house, pastor of the Cen- 
 tial Baptist Church, and the Regulators lined up in front 
 of the parsonage, while two came to the door and knocked 
 for entrant . but tiny were told that he and his family 
 had gone. They went from there across the railroad into 
 what is known a- J 'arktown and Brooklyn; they had sent 
 a committee to remove all the white women and their child- 
 ren down town, whore they had prepared a guard to keep 
 them secure. They marched through the streets protected 
 by these military and citizen regulators, perfectly safe. 
 
10 
 
 it was a great sight to see them marching from death, and 
 the colored women, colored men, colored children, colored 
 enterprises and colored people all exposed to death. Fir- 
 ing began, and it seemed ]ike a mighty battle in war time. 
 The shrieks and screams of children, of mothers, of wives 
 were heard, sncli as caused the blood of the most inhuman 
 person to creep. Thousands of women, children and men 
 rushed to the swamps and there lay upon the earth in the 
 cold to freeze and starve. The woods were filled with 
 colored people. . The streets were dotted with their dead 
 bodies. A white gentleman said that he saw ten bodies 
 lying in the undertakers office at one time. Some of their 
 bodies were left lying in the streets until up in the next 
 day following the riot. Some were found by the stench 
 and miasma, that came forth from their decaying bodies 
 under their houses. Every colored man who passed 
 through the streets had either to be guarded by one of 
 the crowd i i have a paper (pass) giving him the right to 
 pass ..lured men at the cotton press and oil mills 
 
 were ordered not to leave their labor but stop there, while 
 i wives and children were shrieking and crying in the 
 midst of the flying balls and in sight of the cannons and 
 Gatling gun. All the white people had gone out of that 
 part of the City, this army of men marched through the 
 streets, swor ; ckled to their sides, giving the command 
 to fire. ; 3 1 - iod at their labor wringing their hands and 
 
 weeping they dare not move to the protection of their 
 
 homes. : i then when they passed through the streets 
 
 had : ' Id up their hands and be searched. The little 
 white boys of the city searched them and took from them 
 every mean defence, and if they resisted, they were 
 
 shot. down. From an eye-witness and a reliable colored 
 lady, fr em York, it was stated that they went into 
 
 a colored man's house, he sitting at the fire, they thought 
 he fired a shot; he ran, they shot him down, then took up 
 a stick of wood and bursted his brains out ; then they went 
 on firing, it seems, at every living Negro, killing a great 
 many of them; searching everyone they could get hold 
 of; this went on all day and night, more or less. The city 
 was under militarv rule; no Xegro was allowed to come 
 
11 
 
 into the city without being examined or withouj 
 through with his boss, for whom he labored. ( olorad 
 women were examined and their hats taken ofT u •, search 
 was made even under tlieir clothing. They went from 
 house to house looking for Negroes that they considered 
 offensive; took arms they had hidden and killed them for 
 the least expression of manhood. They gathered around 
 colored homes, firing like great sportsmen firing at rabbits 
 in an open field and when one would jump his man, from 
 sixty to one hundred shots would be turned loose upon him. 
 His escape was impossible. One fellow was walking along 
 a railroad, ami they shot hii my provoca- 
 
 ti u. l\ is said lay upon 
 
 tin street dead and dying, while uafi eirs of their race 
 by helpless and unable to do them any good or 
 their families. Negro stores were closed and the owners 
 thereof driven out of the city and even shipped away at 
 the point of the gun. ' 
 
 Some of the churches were search e< i for ammunition, and 
 cannons turned toward the door in the attitude of blowing 
 up the church if the pastor ■ did not open them 
 
 that they might go thron lay, November 13th, 
 
 while the funeral of a. lieen: ainister was going on in 
 Central Baptist Church, of winch Dr. J. Allen Kirk is 
 p;.stor, they, thinking the pastor was preaching, sur- 
 rounded the church it is supposed in order to capture him 
 when he came out. Saturday, previous to this, they went 
 around to the colored ministers and asked them what they 
 intended to preach on Sunday. 
 
 This riot not only touched the Negro, but it touched 
 the Republican party, for it compelled the Republican 
 Mayor, Chief of Police, their Aldermen, their policemen, 
 and all to resign their offices and be sent away from the 
 city; that is to say, the Mayor and other prominent white 
 leaders. It is supposed that John C. Dancy is in danger 
 ilmington, N. C. 
 
 White ministers earned their guns to kill Negro Chris- 
 ad sinners. The mob took the leading colored -min- 
 and compelled them to go around the city with them 
 ask the colored people to be obedient to the white 
 
12 
 
 people and go in their homes and keep qniet. This was 
 a great humiliation for us and a shame upon our denomi- 
 nations; and after all this some of them were compelled 
 to leave the city. 
 
 Dr. J. Allen Kirk's Escape. 
 
 When he left the city with his wife and little Mabel 
 Stitt following him in tears, there was a fusillade of balls 
 flying abroad in the city; he caught up a delivery wagon, 
 put his family in it and insisted that he drive them to the 
 ccuntry, which he did, and they went in hiding in the 
 swamps below the Colored Cemetery. 
 
 Mrs. J. Allen Kirk a Heroine. 
 
 As Mrs. Kirk stood in the Colored graveyard of Wil- 
 mington, ]NT. C, with her little niece Mabel, daughter of 
 the deceased pastor of Zion Wesley Church of Philadel- 
 phia, Penna., by her side, and her husband before her, 
 the guns roaring around her, like in a mighty battle, she 
 saw that, her husband would not leave her, and said to 
 him, "Mr. Kirk, escape for your life, you cannot carry 
 me with you, perhaps they won't kill me, if they do I 
 will die; you go! Go! Mr. Kirk." She is a great and 
 loving wife. 
 
 Dr. J. Allen Kirk was determined not to get out of 
 reach of the riot, until he could get the whole story, con- 
 sequently he had friends who went back and forth and 
 brought him the news of the disturbances in the city. 
 Learning that they had compelled Manly to leave the 
 city, he got on a boat, and in the midst of the tears of 
 hi? wife and niece and farewell kisses, he sailed down the 
 creek and got off and waded the swamp and went through 
 the wood and by-paths, nine miles from the city. And 
 still he had the news brought to him, even until he took 
 his leave, Sunday 'evening, November 13th, from Castle 
 Haynes, nine miles from Wilmington. Before leaving 
 home, he called the family with whom he and his wife 
 and little niece were stopping, around the family altar and 
 placed them and himself in the hands of God for pro- 
 
13 
 
 teetion. He bought his ticket for "WeldoB, N~- C, with 
 
 the intention of going much farther. When he boarded 
 the train lie entered the smoker, and there found that 
 Regulators were on board the train and spotted him at 
 once. They began to curse with refernce to him and to 
 make great threats. He determined to try them to see 
 if they would do him bodily harm. When the train 
 stopped, at a couple of stations ahead, he got up, appa- 
 rently to go out; as soon as he arose they followed to be 
 sure that he did not get out of their sight; he passed into 
 the first class ear and they watched him through the glass 
 door. About this time the train was ready to stop at 
 another station, and Lawyer Moore, colored, of Wilming- 
 ton, X. C.j stepped on board the train; seeing Dr. Kirk, 
 and he seeing him, could tell by each other's expression 
 that serious danger and trouble were aboard the train, we. 
 therefore, refrained speaking to each other, or acknowl- 
 edging that we knew each other. When he boarded the 
 train, they spotted him, and considered that they had two 
 that they would manage to suit their own ideas that night. 
 Lawyer Moore was to get off at Wilson, X. C, and in 
 fact he did get off but was compelled to return to the car. 
 This completely unstrung the most pitiful colored lawyer, 
 for he had heard their threats, their determination to re- 
 move him from the earth, or to prevent him from bother- 
 ing them again. In some way or other, when he came 
 back into the car, T)r. Kirk said he knew why he had 
 come back, to appear ignorant of the cause, and to draw 
 out the Regulators, that sat gazing upon both of us like 
 a lion watching his prey. He asked Lawyer Moopre if he 
 was not to stop at Wilson. He said, "yes;" then he asked 
 him where he was going now. He said that he did not 
 know and that he had no money to go anywhere, but he 
 n: ought he would go as far as Rocky Mount if the con- 
 ductor would let him. Dr. Kirk said, in order to draw 
 out the Regulators and see what they meant to do, per- 
 haps some of these white gentlemen will give you the 
 money to go as far as Rocky Mount. Then they began 
 to curse and swear and said they would rather send him 
 down to hell, calling him all manner of names, than to 
 
14 
 
 give him his fare to Rocky Mount. When the train blew 
 for the station, the Regulators passed into the first class 
 car to consult; the porter passed out of the door and ieft 
 it ajar. Lawyer Moore leaped from the car and dashed 
 through the wood, while the train was in motion, thereby 
 escaping; but the train was stopped and they went out 
 t? look for him, but he had gone. Then they got back 
 in the car; we had but a short distance to> go before we 
 reached Rocky Mount. And they began to watch Dr. 
 Kirk very closely, with what intention the Dr. could not 
 tell, but he thought and felt that it was as serious as 
 death. Before the train stopped, it seems that the con- 
 ductor must have told them that his ticket was for Wel- 
 don, and that he would have: to< be there awhile and it 
 was not necessary to disturb him on the train. This is 
 conjecture. Dr. Kirk became very uneasy and prepared 
 to go out ; he got a lunch, hired a carriage and rode all 
 that night through the storm and reached Whitaker, X. 
 C. next morning and boarded a freight and came on to 
 Petersburg, Ya. ; he promised his wife before he left that 
 he would send her a telegram (which was a sign) that 
 next morning from Richmond, Ya., if he got there, and 
 if she received no telegram it was a sign that he was dead. 
 He could not reach Richmond, he therefore wrote a mes- 
 sage and gave it to a colored gentleman at Whitaker, N. 
 C, insisting upon liim to be sure and send it, not stating 
 that he was in North Carolina. This shows the complete 
 organic strength of this most regretful and dreadful move- 
 ment going on in North Carolina. The telegraph, the 
 telephone, and even it seems the very railroad train knows 
 hew to move against the Negro in this matter and the 
 exiled ones, either colored or white, for both were shipped 
 from Wilmington and were kept going out of the state. 
 It is as hard to get out of the State as it was to pass the 
 ruffians at three Eastern Gates, as you travel through the 
 East. We are' widows' sons. Lord, God, is there no 
 help for us. Dr. Kirk left his wife in a country hut in 
 the swamps of North Carolina, sleeping on a pallet wait- 
 ing to hear from him; and he, a minister of the gospel; 
 honored and respected by black and white throughout the 
 country as far as is known to himself and others. 
 
15 
 
 He appeals in the name' of humanity that the lives of the 
 citizens of these United States be protected, let them be 
 white or black; for we all fight and die for the same 
 country and her flag. Extend to us the hand of help! 
 Give us the strong grip of the lion! Lift this dark and 
 oppressed race from a dead level of sore affliction to a 
 living perpendicular of consideration in the eyes of this 
 nation. Not from a political standpoint, but an humane, 
 recognizing us as worthy your protection if nothing more. 
 The above is a limited sketch of the troubles in Wil- 
 mington, X. 0. The entreaty is to move the feeling of 
 those who 1 may read them. It is not to stir up passion, 
 but pity. It is not to make enemies, but friends. It is 
 not from the heart of an evil thinker, but one that.prayeth 
 that God may revolutionize the fearful sentiment of the 
 South, and inspire sympathy and pity in the hearts of our 
 white friends. f< r good to our race. The summary of 
 the situation: Evening Dispatch, of Wilmington, X. 
 
 O.j published Friday evening, November 11, 1898, states 
 tli at a correct list of the fatalities will never be published, 
 but there were many men wounded as well as killed; 
 Negroes and some whites. Says the Dispatch, in the same 
 issue, "A detailed account of the trouble yesterday will 
 never be given — that is a correct statement — as it was 
 impossible in the excitement to get at the details or to 
 recollect them; and the number of Negroes killed and 
 wounded will brobably never be kno An eye wit- 
 
 ness says that she believes there v ore than one hun- 
 
 \ died destroyed in the said conflict. ] h*. Kirk entreats the 
 Negro race to refrain from threat- and highhanded talk- 
 ing, and loud and boisterous conduct in the streets. Be 
 considerate in all they do. Conduct themselves as gentle- 
 men and ladies, and try by all means to keep the peace 
 that is necessary to our existence in this country. Ever 
 trusting God, with all their hearts, leaning not unto their 
 own understanding, but in all their ways acknowledging 
 God and He will direct our paths. Amen. 
 
 It i& generally . supposed by the better white citizens, 
 that the Negroes who suffer at the hands of these atro- 
 
16 
 
 cious mobs, are of the lower or vicious class of our race, 
 but in the case of Wilmington, X. C, the reverse is the 
 truth. lor the colored citizens of Wilmington were pro- 
 gressive and enterprising- and were characterized by their 
 endeavor to live as worthy citizens. They are property 
 holders, averaging from five to forty thousand dollars, re- 
 spectively. From their ranks were furnished teachers, 
 lawyers, physicians, clergymen, merchants and business 
 men. The intellectuality of the colored citizens is beyond 
 the average, in so much that it has been recognized by 
 the conservative white people of the city and State. The 
 pastors of the colored churches wore recognized by white 
 and colored as the most able divines that ever stood in the 
 pulpits of "Wilmington. The membership of the various 
 (1; nominations loved and respected their pastors, because 
 of their ability to lead them in truth and right. There 
 was a. great lamentation heard throughout the city when 
 the mob got hold of some of the leading pastors and took 
 them from their members. Their shrieks could be heard 
 across the city in exclamations like these: O! 0! My God! 
 My (rod! Where have they taken our pastor! — from men. 
 and women. 
 
 The white people of Wilmington intended to remove 
 ali the able leaders of the colored race, stating that to do 
 so would leave them better and obedient servants among 
 the .Negroes: and all the better class of the colored citi- 
 zens were driven from the city, showing to the world that 
 they were not after the criminal and ignorant class of 
 Xegroes, but the professional and business men. The 
 whites claim that Dr. I. 8. Lee. I). D.. Rev. Dr. J. Allen 
 Kirk, ami lawyer W- E. Henderson were the strong - 
 forces at the head of their race in the city. These and 
 many others with them were driven and sent away from 
 the city. 
 
 This postscript is to show to the white and colored peo- 
 ple of these United States and the world, that the decent 
 families of our race have been assailed and routed like 
 beasts from their God given positions as leaders of their 
 race. 
 
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