Volume 17 , Issue 24

(1896) White Supremacists Shoot One Negro

The Morning Times, 9 April 1896, reported on its front page newspaper from Opelousas, Louisiana, 8 April 1896: "Do Not Want The Militia." Louisiana elections assume a less dangerous aspect. White Supremacists shoot one negro, but he escapes with his life, in St. Landry Parish.

Opelousas, La., April 8 (1896) -- Excitement was at a high pitch the evening of April 7, 1896 when a report was received in Opelousas to the effect that two negroes had been killed and six wounded at Grand Prairie, about twenty miles distant from her.

The rumor stated that a band of white supremacists had gone to whip these negroes and upon the latter showing fight were fired upon. However, when traced up, the entire story was found to be utterly unfounded.

The alleged facts were that a band of White Supremacists were riding along the public road, through Grand Prairie, when suddenly fire was opened upon them by a negro in a field nearby. The boys returned the fire and the negro escaped with but slight wounds. In the fusillade the negro's horse was killed. None of the White Supremacists were injured. Otherwise everything had been exceedingly quiet in the parish as well as in the town.

The prevailing opinion there among the people was that the militia was no longer needed and that retainance there would be imposing a useless expense on the State. The evening before the soldiers had a gay time on the green of the courthouse square.

The Washington artillery arrived at Opelousas in due time and quartered in the parish courthouse.

It was expected that Monday there might be trouble at Mallet, a voting precinct where there was a very large negro majority. About 300 white supremacists assembled in the neighborhood to overawe the negroes and prevent them from registering.

As the Populists and white Republicans did not come forward to back up the negroes, no trouble occurred. Many sensational and grossly exaggerated reports had been sent away from St. Landry.

A Catholic priest, who left St. Landry and came to the city, caused a little flurry and the Populists had made the most of the event to make political capital and prejudice the minds of Catholics in New Orleans to influence the city election.

The truth is the priest became frightened at the demonstrations that were being made and concluded he would leave until the election was over. The Daily State special correspondent in Opelousas wired a full daily report of the situation in the parish. The day after the sensation makers had two negroes killed and several wounded.
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