Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-12
A HAPPY RADIANCE
Death of a Black Desperate,

For hve years past 1t has been we'll
known that a desperate darky named
Sol Mitchell has followed a systematic
series of robberies among the freight
trains of several railroads within a
hundred miles or more Of this city.
Sometimes he worked the trains on
the Mississippi Central between Grand
Junction and Grenada, sometimes the
Mississippi and Tennessee from
Grenada to this place, and again the
Little Rock railway this side Of the
Arkansas river. A considerable
quantity of booty thus fell into his
hands, which the losing roads we're all
compelled to pay for.
Solomon was in the habit Of cross
ing the Mississippi river on his sol
itary raids just below Presidents
Island, a dozen miles o. so south of
here. He was a terror to the
people of his own color, all
who knew him being afraid to open
their lips when he prowled around,
He has killed three or four darkies
within the past few years, but though
often tackled by white men, never vet
succeeded in slaughtering any except
his own kind.
Mitchell is dead. He was
perforated by thirty seven rife
balls and buckshot early on
Wednesday morning last, near
Elliott's station, a few miles
south of Grenada. 1t was understood
that Sol would aud could not be taken
alive, so a party laid for him. As the
blood-thirsty negro passed through
a woods path, lined with briars of his
own cutting out, heal daybreak on the
morning named, he was brought to a
halt with a Henry rife ball,
which struck him in the face
and passed entirely through
his head. Even after this Sol
raised and leveled his gun, aiming
straight for one of the men in ambush,
but before he could pull the trigger,
another shot hit him under the left ear
and he keeled over to die, with his
boots or brogans on. As the defiant
Solomon had frequently sent word to
those who wanted him, both white and
black, that he would kill any one at
tempting his arrest, no effort was
made to capture him alive. A party
was made up expressly to Stay the vii
lain, and they succeeded most admira-
bly,,
In his forays to and fro across the
Mississippi river Sol had a resting
place near fernando, Miss, where
certain friends of his kind harbored,
fed and at times hid him from public
view. He had half a dozen err more
pals or assistants who aided him in
his freight car robberies, slowed away
theplunder and afterward disposed ofiA
dividing the yield with the arch fend,
who was the acknowledged leader Of
the thieves. 1t is related that some
two years ago Sol broke Jail at Gre
NADIA and came here, where he wa
captured by the city police. AS he
went to the cars, to be returned to his
old Jail quarters, he looked daggers at
several of the railway officials, and
made threats against them that were
anything but pleasant to listen to.
He was always heavily armed, when
not wearing handouts, and he was
regarded as a sure shot. On the occa-
sion Of his death no chance was given
him to got a bead on a human adver-
sary. If any had occurred at least
one would have bit the dust. The
result is hailed by all as an exceeding
ly happy radiance of a very bad citi-
zen. A Bengal tiger turned loose
never created half the terror he did
when it was known that he was hang
ing around.
Mitchell's death occurred within
four miles of where he had been
reared as a slave, and where he lived
until he became a wandering rascal.
lie had a family on the farm of Mr..
Mitchell, to whom he formerly be-
longed also a wife near this city, and
six or seven ether wives, with not less
than two dozen children scattered
about loose in neighborhoods. He
was about forty wears of ara