Unfortunate State of Affairs

Dallas Morning News
10 Feb 1887, Page 5

FORNEY, Feb. 9 – Last Sunday night while several colored citizens were engaged in divine worship at the house of Jerry Rivers, three miles from here, they were surrounded by about twenty men, a few of whom had handkerchiefs over their mouths, the majority being undisguised. After attracting the attention of the darkies they demanded the body of one Squire Peterson, and being told that Peterson was not there began to inspect the crowd by calling them out one by one. This course of procedure it seems rendered Peterson a little uneasy, and before many of his friends had been thus interviewed he made a hasty exit through the back door of the cabin, but before he had gotten very far he received several small shot in his skin. It is said that he is not seriously hurt, but is a little sore from his wounds and his run. On the following night another negro rent house on Mr. Pat Collins’ place was besieged, and the mob, after breaking out the window lights, ordered the occupants to leave. This they promptly did. It is rumoured here that this self-constituted committee has ordered several negro families to leave the country. Some are preparing to go, others are preparing to protect themselves. This uncalled for disturbances will probably wind up in prosecutions, as several of the parties, it is said, are fully identified, and some of the best citizens are quietly but earnestly investigating the affair.

The Forney Affair

The News Report Accurate, Statements to the Contrary Notwithstanding

Dallas Morning News
21 February 1887

Forney, Tex., Feb. 20 – The Terrell Star of yesterday contains a letter from this place, which charges that the correspondent of THE NEWS has “grossly misrepresented the facts” in relation to the shooting of the negro Squire Peterson, and the depredations on a rent house on the premises of Mr. Pat Collins. Disregarding the tone of the letter referred to, it is proper to state that the statement of THE NEWS was correct, and the following gentlemen are referred to for substantiation: P.E. Yates, Y. McKellar, D.G. McKellar, N.B. Shands, T.H. Dailey, T.J. Wideman, B.T. Selman, A.T. Tillery, H.H. Bowles, Pat Collins, Thomas Layden and others. The names of these gentleman are used by permission. So the matter is dismissed.

(Transcribed by Kathy Jennings)