African-American References
African-Americans
appearing in articles of available issues of
Miscellaneous Newspapers of McKinney
1901 - 1905
[Some articles of general interest are included. These articles frequently reflect the bias of the southern press and the times during which they were written. The “white news” included as much disreputable behavior, but was not so blatantly apparent because the newspaper’s coverage included as well white social and political events.]
1901. Rev. John LONG, colored, deliberately cuts her throat – tragedy in South McKinney. A shocking murder took place this morning when Rev. John Long, a negro preacher, deliberately cut his wife’s throat from ear to ear. Long and his wife, who live in rear of Mrs. J. P. Dowell’s were passing through the alley between the residences of Mrs. Dowell and J. H. Jenkins’ at the time. Without warning, Long drew his knife and slashed her in a terrible manner. She fell dead at his feet. He then straightened her lifeless form upon the grass, adjusted her almost severed head so as to hide the awful gash in her throat, folded her arms across her bosom and started to town. T. J. Bury who lived across the street was attracted by ...cries of some ladies and endeavored to capture the negro who turned on him with his knife. Sury shot five times at him at close range...but none of the shots took effect. When his pistol was emptied Bury failed the furious negro over the head with it until de desisted and started up town again. About that time Gabe Staggs came along and captured him. The prisoner was released from the asylum only a few months ago and is regarded among the negroes as a religious fanatic. After he was captured he asserted that he was “God’s man” for the white man’s shots couldn’t kill him. The murdered woman’s mother was washing in Mrs. Dowell’s back yard and witnessed the tragic death of her daughter.
Van Alstyne, Tex. June, 1901. Rebecca CROW, colored, died of cancer last Friday at the home of her daughter, Aunt Mandy ANDREWS. She was 75 years old.
July 11, 1901. McKinney Democrat. Jeff SANDERS, colored, received a dangerous gun shot wound Thursday. He works at the SHAIN Packery but was two miles north of town hunting with some other negroes. He stumbled and accidentally discharged his gun. The shot took effect in his face, neck, and shot off one thumb. He was brought to town where his injuries were dressed.
July 11, 1901. McKinney Democrat. Deputy Sheriff Sam PAFFORD arrested a negro boy named Will CHAMBERS near Weston on a charge of theft and placed him in jail..
July 25, 1901. The Democrat.....the following inmates of Collin county’s bastile:
Alice TODD (negro) — burglary;
Lewis THOMPKINS (negro) — burglary;
Rev. John Long (negro) — wife murder;
John DORCESTER (negro) — theft.
July 25, 1901. McKinney Democrat. Reported from VanAlstyne. Mike Collum, colored, died suddently at his home in this city Monday evening. He was 78 years of age and was one of the original slaves of Uncle Billy McKinney.
August 15, 1901. The Democrat. Marshal Todd WARDEN brought Sewell RAY down from Sherman Friday. RAY is the negro who recently broke out of the calaboose.
August 15, 1901. The colored people had a big picnic in McKinney Saturday. A Dallas band furnished the music.
1905. The [McKinney] city council met in regular session Saturday night. Several suits have been entered against the city by negroes living in the eastern part of the city charging their health is in danger, that they are greatly annoyed as a result of the sewerage running through that part of the city. The board instructed the street commissioner to remedy the cause of complaint.
1905. Sunday Shooting. Last night at about 9:30 o’clock a negro named John MORAN and an unknown white man met on the E. Virginia sidewalk, jostled against each other, exchanged a few complimentary words, and passed on. Shortly afterwards as the white man was passing along the northwest corner of the central wagon yard, the negro standing in an alley on the opposite side of the street, fired a couple of shots at him with a pistol and promptly took to his heels. Marshall Todd WARDEN immediately got a description and this morning landed MORAN in jail.
July 1905. Perry TUCKER (col.) Was granted a divorce from Mahalia TUCKER (col.)