THE BLACK PERIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13421, 7 July 1911, Page 8

THE BLACK PERIL.

OUTRAGES IN SOUTH AFRICA Most Women Learning to Shoot.

A cable was recently published giving .particulars of the. summary shooting by Air. Sam Lewis, a prominent resident of Bulawayo, South Africa, of a native boy wbo had made overtures to his girls. Details have just been received by mail of a somewhat similar case, but of a much more brutal nature, which occurred near the village of Bcrgvillo, iu Natal Two ladies, daughters of prominent farmers, were driving homo from tennis along a country road when they were held up by a native. '! he native had lioen waiiing in the grass on the roadside. When the ricksha drove up lie caught the horse’s head and made use of disgusting language. One of the ladies jumped from the vehicle, and attempted to run towards her father’-;; farm. The nigger pursued and caught her, and treated her in a most brutal fashion. The other lady went to her assistance, and n prolonged struggle took place, during which the native dragged one lady into a donga. Other natives, seeing the empty trap, went to the scone, and rescued the ladies, who were exhausted, and terribly knocked about, one barely escaping with her life. A native was arrested shortly afterwards. Indignation meetings wore subsequently held in the district. 'I he culprit was arrested, and 150 armed moulded fanners assembled outside Rergville at midnight and demanded the suneuder of the prisoner. ’The police, being forewarned, had removed the native to Ladysmith. The foregoing cases and others are forcing the whole problem on public attention, and while the public generally is opposed vo lynehings, it. is feared that the tendency in that direction will be dangerously increased unless ordinary lawful measures soon place* a cheek on what is regarded as a growing menace. An officer in the Natal Carabineers, writing to a comrade, now living in Goulburu, New South Wales, says:—“ These eases are an everyday occurrence in South Africa. Every paper one picks up lias an account of one or two similar happenings. If anything of the kind occurs in this district (Richmond and Hosobauk, where the 1906 rebellion began), there will be little said but a good deal done. Nearly every lady m the country is learning to shoot now.” Six negroes have been Ivnched at Lake City. Florida, F.S.A., by a mob of several hundred townspeople, and the circumstances under wiiieh the outrage occurred are being investigated by Air. Gilchrist, the Governor of the State. The negroes were charged with murdering Air Bernard Smith, of AVadesborougli, Georgia. and being captured not far from the lander of the two Slates, near Lake City, they were held in the gaol at that town awaiting their extradition to Georgia. Tile negroes were secured by moans of a trick. A forged telegram ordering the delivery of flic prisoners was handed to I lie sh: nil 's son. who was iu charge of tile gaol in the absence of iiis Duller, end he, believing it lo lie geaejne. turned the men out lo .he bearer of the mes--age. The mob man-bed the negro.es to the outskirts of the town, and, placing them in a line abreast, told off forty men armed with rifles lo shoot them. The negroes were riddled with bullets, and all fell dead at the (irst discharge.