East Carroll Parish African American Deaths - Banner Democrat - 1897

The following African American deaths were reported in various issues of the East Carroll Banner Democrat during the year 1897:


The Banner-Democrat, January 16, 1897, Image 3
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-01-16/ed-1/seq-3/

• Aunt Julia Parks, colored, wife of Henry Parks, died on Tuesday [January 12, 1897] and was followed to her last resting place by a large cortege on Wednesday [January 13, 1897].  She was one of the old house servants of the late Gen. Ed. Sparrow [General Edward Sparrow] before the war, and was implicitly trusted by the family.  The gold old time colored people are fast passing away with many regrets.  Uncle Henry has the sympathy of his white friends in bereavement.

The Banner-Democrat, April 24, 1897, Image 3 
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-04-24/ed-1/seq-3/

• Chess Cary, a colored man, raised in our town, died at the hospital in Vicksburg [Mississippi] last week.

The Banner-Democrat, May 17, 1897, Image 3  
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-05-15/ed-1/seq-3/

• Last Saturday morning Mr. John Plttman shot and killed a negro by the name of George Boyd on the public road, on the Wilton front. It seems that the negro owed Mr. Plttman a supply account and was attempting to move off of Wilton down to Stein's without settling up before leaving. Mr. Pittman wrote Mr. Stein a note in reference to the matter and told him that if the negro would pay one half of his indebtedness he would relinquish him. To this he received no reply. The night before the killing, Boyd carried off a large portion of his effects in one of Mr. Stein's wagons through the back part of the plantation and next morning was returning for the balance, coming up the public road along the levee front, when he was met by Mr. Pittman. A short conversation took place between them, duriug which Mr. Pittman told Boyd that he did not intend to shoot him, but that he could not go on until he was paid. The negro replied that by G--d he was in the state read and nobody could stop him. Mr.Pittman caught the bridle of one of the front mules, and as he did so, Boyd raised his Winchester to fire; but before he could do so Mr. Pittman cocked his rifle and shot him in an instant, the ball entering near the thigh and coming out near the spine. He died in a few minutes. The only reason Mr. Pittman was not shot was due to the fact that the negro's gun was rusty and would not work rapidly. Although done in self defense, the affair is regretted very much by Mr. Pittman, who had no idea of his trouble with the darkey terminating so fatally.

 The Banner-Democrat, May 29, 1897, Image 3http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-05-29/ed-1/seq-3/

• Tom Wade, [Thomas Wade] a colored man who lived in town a few months ago, and who never recovered from the beating he received, died in the country on Saturday last. [May 22, 1897]

The Banner-Democrat, June 5, 1897, Image 3
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-06-05/ed-1/seq-3/

• Craps-seven or eleven, all for the amount of 5cts, has claimed another victim, and Willie Hall, a young colored boy, an innocent party, was to the unfortunate one.
  
  There is a crap game run on the sly in town, and on Saturday night a week ago [May 29, 1897] it was in full blast, when a dispute arose between Jake Wright and Mat Douglass over a nickle. Wright slipped outside and secured half a brick and returning to the door let it fly, and instead of striking the person intended, Willie Hall received the terrible blow on his jaw bone. It knocked him down, but in  few moments he recovered and after a little while went to his home, which is in the swamp. On Saturday last Doctor Bernard was called to see him and found him suffering with lock jaw and a very high fever. The Doctor had hardly returned to town before .he received word that he was dead. Wright was immediately placed in jail.
  
  Everything possible should be done to break up this low vice of gambling and the persons running the games severely punished. But in the past it has been shown to be an impossibility to make a conviction-even white people being known to perjure themselves on the witness stand to save the guilty parties from a heavy find or the penitentiary. Let the next grand jury probe the matter thoroughly.

The Banner-Democrat, June 26, 1897, Image 3 
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-06-26/ed-1/seq-3/

• Emanuel Baker after an illness of several weeks, passed away on Sunday night [June 20, 1897] and was laid to rest Monday evening. [June 21, 1897] Emanuel was one of our respected colored men, who was well thought of and trusted by the white people and who will be missed very much.  He was a good man, and before the war was one of the trusted and confidential servants of the family of the late Gen. Sparrow [General Edward Sparrow]. Peace to the soul.

 The Banner-Democrat, December 4, 1897, Image 3
 http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064237/1897-12-04/ed-1/seq-3/

• Aunt Louisa Burton, another one of our gold old colored people has passed over to the unknown beyond.  The old lady was highly respected by the white people of our town and there were many regrets at her demise.  Her funeral was largely attended on Saturday morning last. [November 27, 1897]