Connecticut western news., 1889-07-24
A RACE WAR IN TEXAS
Whites and Blacks Arrayed Against
 Each Other at Cedar Creek,
BOTH SIDES IN ARMS

RSux White Men and Ono Negro Killed
 i'm . Fight in . Court Room, and Five
 OF Six Others Fatally Hurt-A Justice
 Among the Dead--More Trouble fl
 Feared.
 BAsrRoP, Texas, July 22.-An incipi- county. At the last election the negroes proved the most numerous at the polls In Cedar Creek precinct and elected jus tice of the peace named Orange Wickes and Isaac Wilson, constable, colored men. Wilson, the constable, intruded on the premises of @ harmless old white fisherman living on the Colorado river. The fisherman requested him to leave The negro refused. The fisherman then went into his house and brought out his gun, but made no attempt to use it. For this Wilson went before the negro jus tice, got warrant, arrested the fisher man, and tho negro. on horse- back, made tho inoffensivo old man walk before him all the way to Bas- trop, . distance of twenty miles, at ;l gait that broke the old man down. This incident raised feeling of resentment among the whites, but was allowed to pass.
 A respectable white citizen named Ali Litten wont to a negro's cabin and re. monstrated with him for sending an in. sulting message to him and his wife, For this he was arrested by the negro constable and brought before tho negro Justice Wickes for trial. While the trial was in its preliminary stages, the &C., cused turned towards his lawyer, J. B. Fowler, of Bastrop, and asked him if he could step outside for moment. He re- phed: Certainly you can, and Litten thereupon was about preceding to the rear swhen the justice shouted, "Hait, sir; you can't go."
 Theyoung man turned around, but not thoroughly understanding or hearing the order, continued to move toward the door, whereupon, 1t is said, the justice seized pistol or shotgun and fired at Litten, killing him instantly. The col ored constable also emptied his revolver sion took place, and knives, revolvers and shotguns were speedily brought forth. People from all parts of the neighborhood rushed to the spot, while those already on the ground tried to get away.
 During the battle many persons who took no part on either side were either stabbed or shot. Among the latter was Peter Bell, colored. He was shot down and killed while trying to mount his horso and escape. Two white men named Alexander Nolan and George Scheaff were killed outright by tho bullets of the infuriated negroes, and young Litten, brother of Al I4itten, was also shot and since died, making four white men and one colored man who were killed, while five or six others were fa- tally wounded. Constable Wilson escaped uninjured.
 One of Houston Moore's sons, colored, was killed by a stray bullet, fired by one of his own race. and two others also bit the dust at the hands of the white assail- ants. Several others are wounded. Over 100 shots wero fired. Both whites and blacks along Cedar Creek are now arm- ing themselves and getting ready for re. yenge. The blood of tho people Is up and there is no telling how tho trouble will end. Justice Wickes is among the killed. Ono hundred white men. all armed, 1ocked to the scene from the sur rounding country, and are prepared to thwart any attack made by tho blacks. The negroes on Cedar Creek outnum Der the whites.