St Louis, August 4-A
dispatch from Orange, Texas Says: Belder Sanders, who has just returned
from Lake Charles, La. confirms the report of a riot at Lockmore & Co's
ranch. The last account he heard was from a wounded man, who left the
scene at 4 o'clock yesterday, who stated that fourteen men were killed and
two missing. It was a free-for-all fight between the "Redbones" and the
whites. Sanders stated that many different reports were circulated and
nothing more authentic could be learned. Officers and physicians have
gone to the scene.
Another account of the riot coming from
West Lake, Louisiana, is to the effect that the emeute was caused by the
breaking out of of an old feud between a band of robbers known as the
Ashworth gang and the cattlemen of that section. The former it is said,
had been committing depredations upon the community, and they had killed a
number of cattle. They had been notified by the ranchmen to desist and
leave the county, but the gang continued their proceedings, and at last
they were caught and the fight began. The "Redbones" are the leaders of
the cattlemen. A man named Webster led the gang of toughs and killed
three men.
- A late report increases the number of
wounded to sixteen. A special from Orange, Texas gives a partial list of
the killed and wounded as follows: Killed-Dyson, Marion Markley, Lee
Perkins and Owen Ashworth, all of the Redbone Gang, and Jesse Ward, one of
the cattlemen. The wounded are: Willette Dupre and Lecomb. The latest
reports are to the effect that everything is quiet. The coroner has gone
to the scene and investigation is now going on.
- Still Another Account of the Much Reported
Bloody Affair in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
Houston, Tex. August 5-
Further details of the battle on Lockmoor & Co's tramway on Sunday says
that a party of Redbones, a mongrel crew of mixed whites, Indians and
negroes, about twenty five in number, went to the stores and announced
that they would drive away Hooker Morris, the manager of the log camp, in
revenge for an insult offered to two of the party. They were well armed
and lead by Jessie Dyson, a well known and desperate charachter. The
white men, who had gathered about the same strength, were lead by Jesse
Ward. In the battle which ensued Ward killed Jesse Dyson, and was at once
killed from behind, when the fight became general.
List of killed: Jesse Ward, white, T.S.
Swap, white, Jesse Dyson, L.E. Perkins, Andrew Chariz, Owen Ashworth and
Marion Markel.
Wounded: Dupre, Larcombo, keeper of the
store and saloon, and his son was shot in the leg. Larcomb's wife ran
into the woods with her children and escaped injury.
The complete list of wounded cannot be
obtained, but about twenty are known to have been hurt. Sunday afternoon
thirty Redbones came to camp after the bodies of the dead and dispersed
the officers who were at the scene, and who, under threats, are organizing
a strong force to storm the strongholds of the desperadoes. More trouble
is feared. The above is the report of the morning fight.
In the afternoon it was reported at a
store down the road that the Redbones were massacreing the women and
children and every one that came across the camp. Hearing this
reinforcements went up from along the line of Calcasieu, Vernon and
Shreveport road. In going up Mr T.T. Swan, an old and respected citizen
of Calcasieu, was murdered from ambush. Excitement is running high, and
more trouble maybe expected at any time. The log camps are situated about
sixteen miles from Lockmoor & Co's mills, and about five hundred men are
employed.
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Oct. 17th
1891
Clerk of the Court
Dear Sir: During the past
summer an account of a "Redbone" riot in your parish was published in the
newpaper in South Carolina we have a rather peculiar people called
"Redbones"-a people in which I am interested. I would like to know what
kind of people are the "Redbone" of your State. Any information about
them which you send me will be appreciated.
I wrote to the Sheriff of
your parish about the Redbones, but my letter has never been answered.
I hope that you will excuse
a stranger troubling you. I write because I really desire to hear from
you.
Sincerely yours
McDonald Furman
Thad Hays, Clerk
Ramsey, Privateer
Township,
April 29,1897
A Family Name Found about
in the United States and Borne by Mixed Race People. To the editor of the
News and Courier: among that isolated and mixed breed people of Privateer
Township who are classed as colored but who should properly be known as
"Redbones" is found the name Goins. The founder of this family, so I have
been told, was a "yellow man" whose wife was a mixed breed Indian. Vicey
goins, the daughter-in-law of this couple lived to a great age, and died
in 1887. Her son, Wade Goins is one of the people among the Privateer
Redbones, and his features are copper-colored skin show the presence of
Indian blood in his veins. Another descendant of the Goins couple is Tom
Gibbes, pastor of the little church in Southeastern Privateer, which is
attended by the Redbone people, and and which, I might remark, is a member
of the Colored Wateree Baptist Association. lower division. I think Gibbes,
shows his Indian blood. He and "Uncle Wade" are both honest, and worthy
men. While it would greatly puzzle an ethnologist to determine what per
cent of white, negro and Indian blood flows through in their veins I think
they are at least a sixth part Indian, if not more.
It is interesting to see
over what a large area the name Goins is found. This name is (or was)
found among that peculiar people, the Croatans of North Carolins, which
unique race is believed by historical investigators to be the descendants
of Sir Walter Raleigh's famous "lost colony." Henry Berry Lowrie, so
celebrated in the post bellum annals of North Carolina as a bold and
daring outlaw, was of the Croatan race. It is evident the the "old
issues" or, properly speaking, "Redbones" who are found in South Carolina,
are in part a branch of the Croatans.
"Redbones" are found in
Louisiana. In the spring of 1893 I wrote to one of the parish officials
inquiring about them, and I received an interesting letter in reply.
Among the Redbone family names mentioned it was that of Goins.
In a short magazine article
last summer Mr James Mooney, one of the leading ethnological writers in
the United States, gave an account of two Goins brothers he formerly knew
in Indiana, "who, although associating by necessity with negroes, always
insisted that they were not of that race or of slave ancestry. They had
the physical appearance of half-blood Indians." There are Goins in
Georgia, who are a branch of the Privateer Stock.
McDonald
Furman
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