Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-17
A STREET TRAGEDY.
Il nss01relsoaee Negro Shot D0svss bya MAJ,
WHO,ss He Insults.
Kansas Gifu Timas

| y
morning, a messenger from the Addition
came in hot haste to police headquarters, and
stated that brutal murder had been com
mitted at the corner of Grand avenue and
Sixteenth street, and that the murdered man,
colored individual, was lying dead in the
street. A1Snaes representative accompanied
the detectives to the locality, and when the
scene was reached quite crowd of negroes
were gathered about, and curses deep and
ugly were heard on every side against the
man who had so suddenly sent one of their
number on the long journey. The darkies
were good deal excited over the matter,
and had it not been for the presence of the
police there would have been trouble.
Many different stories were afoat in con-
,nection with the affair, but the following
facts will cover the case: About IL O'Clock
Mr.. Erastus Johns, supervisor of registra-
ton, was going home to his dinner, and for
some reason stopped in front of the saloon,
corner of Grand avenue and Sixteenth street,
where he was formerly engaged in business.
He stepped up in front of the door, and as
he rested there, q colored man named Mark
Train, or Ellis, came pushing out. He
crowded against Johns, and said, "Get out
of the way here, you id white men and let
me pass" Some words passed between the
men, and one Butler, who was standing near,
when Johns struck the colored man in the
face. He staggered back from the sidewalk
and grabbed up stone and came
towards Johns saying, II will kill
you, you - -." Johns then
quickly drew revolver from his hip pocket
and fired, the ball entering the negroes
right eye and producing almost instant
death. He fell to the ground few feet
from the sidewalk, where he remained a
space of nearly two hours, until the coroner,
having been notified, arrived on the spot and
caused the body to be removed. The stories
connected with the shooting are varied and
conflicting, yet it seems that but one or two
persons other than the party directly inter-
ested were witnesses of the unfortunate
transaction.
The most authentic version of the tragedy
is given by Mr.. Hyatt Sinclair, gentleman
we'll known to our citizens. He was present,
and, in fact, accompanied Mr.. Johns at the
time the shooting took place. Mr.. Sinclair's
story, as related to Times representative,
was as follows
''About II o'clock this morning, in COM
pany with Erastus Johns, was standing in
front of the Driving Park exchange, on the
corner of Grand avenue and Sixteenth street.
While thus standing, conversing with MIR.
Johns, a colored man named Mark Ellis
came from the back part of the saloon, and
crowding his way out, remarked as he rushed
past Mr.. Johns and myself, leave the way
or clear the way Johns stepped to one
side. saying as he did so, sWho are you
talking tor Ellis replied, very saucily,
None of your id business Johns then
said, If you are talking to meyou had better
leave here.' Ellis remarked, Il don't want
anything to do with the damned white trash,
anyhow Johns fired up at this and said,
You go away from here or You get away
from here Ellis then turned about and
responded to Johns, sI'm better man than
you are, and I'll wipe the sidewalk with YOU
He then jumped into the street and gathered
up rock, with which he menaced Johns,
saying, as he drew back his arm as if to
throw the stene, you Cd id s-n h-b,
I'll kill you. Johns, who was within about
three feet of Ellis at the time, drew his pis-
tol and threw it down as if he designed
striking Ellis over the head with it, but as he
did SO, a report followed, and Ellis fell in
stantly to the ground, dead. I took Johns
to my house near by, and kept him there
for short time, then sent for hack and
had him conveyed to the county marshal's
office, where he gave himself up"