Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-27
JESSUP'S MELEE.
Further News from the Seat
of Hostilities.
FIVEOF EACH RACE BITE THE DUST

IN the
of the Marshai-Brewer and Others At
tackled in the Swamp and Two Whites
shot-Origin of the Riot-Brewer's
Record a bad One
NEW YORK Dec. GA Savannah dis
patch to an evening paper gives the follow
ing version of Wednesdays riot at Jessup,
ga: Three whites and three blacks lost their
lives. The whites were Deputy Marshal
Barnhill, William Wood and Henry Ander-
son. The latter was a hotel keeper, and was
accidentally shot by an unknown white man.
The blacks killed were Bill Hopp and Pete
jackson, shot in their cells in Jail, and Bill
Fluett, called out of his house and shot.
William Wood, Sr, was shot through the
head, but will recover.
beginning of the Trouble.
Emma Jones, Sally Hops and Hannah
Naltham, negro women Of bad character
were whipped and ordered to leave town
This action of the whites precipitated
the trouble Bob Brewer, the noted negro
Desperate, armed with a Winchester then
threatened to take the town. Barnhin and
Wood were killed in attempting to arrest
him. After the murder he took TO the
swamp.
A Mob Of Nine Men.
The jail was attacked by nine men at
o'clock yesterday morning Ii had been left
1nguarded. The military are now in possess
Hon of the town, and no further trouble is
expected. There was no riot. Fluett and
Bill Hops, with Brewer, melted the murder
ot BarnhIll. jackson was arrested coming
out of the swamps in which Brewer, Wade
Roford, John Roford, Tom Muller, desper-
sdo negroes, were hid He was thought to
have been with them when the whites were
shot
The whipping and the attack on the Jail
were 10y parties most of whom do not live i'm
JesSup The desperadoes in the swamps will
probably escape, although hounds are ON
their trail.
The Troops just Too Late.
When the jail was attacked early vester-
day morning the military We're about half a
mile distant BY the time detachment of
troops reached the Jail the mob had disap-
peared, leaving the dead bodies OF the ne
groes Jackson and Hops in their cells. The
commander Of the military had suggested to
the mayor that soldiers guard the Jail, but
the mayor said the sheriff could protect the
prisoners. The Georgia HusSars returned
here yesterday. The Brunswick company
remains on duty by request Of the mayor
The HuSSars say that the trouble is over
They say hundreds of colored people were
taken into the houses of leading white citi-
Gems, and protected from danger, remaining
all night.
sun Apprehensive of Attack
a JeSsup dispatch to The Morning News
dated p. IN, says Mayor Hobbs has called
public meeting to take steps to defend the
town. 1t is believed the negro desperate
Brewer and a large force of negroes are near
the town ready for night attack. Citizens
are arming to aid the Brunswick Rifles If
necessary. A special train was run out to
brick yards, where Brewer was reported to
be, and a detachment of armed men were
sent out as scouts.
White Man Responsible.
Mayor Hobbs had received word from
Brunswick that Ryan, the white man &c
cused OF instigating the trouble, was in
Brunswick, but the mayor will not take
steps TO have Ryan brought back. There is
stll great excitement in the country around
JeSSup, but affairs VIII probably quiet down
soon.
The Fight at the swamp.
When the negroes left the scene of the first
fight they went directly to the swamp. I'M
der the leadership Of Brewer. They were all
armed, and when the pursuers were AT close
range the negroes turned loose upon them.
The firing was 81 unexpected that IL threw
the party INTO CONSERVATION, from which it
recovered only when the members had placed
"A safe distance between them and the swami.
At safe distance from the swamp the
whites, counting their strength, found that
they were two short of their original enroll
ment.
Two of the Whites shot.
The two men missing were y C. Wood
and William Wood, nephew and uncle. The
uniujured started hack to rescue their fallen
comrades, but the instant they did 80 the he
groes in the swamp opened fire again. The
shooting was 50 rapid that the whites were
compelled u fall back, leaving their com
pauons upon the field at the mercy of the
negroes. This was about O'Clock, and I'M
til O'Clock the Messrs Wood remained living
upon the ground
An Attack with Reinforcements
T. the meantime other towns sent armed
delegations, 50 that by evening the town was
protected Icy POO armed men under command
of the mayor and Capt Gordon Before
that time however, the JesSup folks had
been reinforced from the neighbOring towns,
and started again for the swamp TO recover
their dead. The negroes opened fire again as
the advance came in sight, but seeing that
the party was large one retired. When the
whites reached the MeSsrs. Wood they found
one dead and the other desperately wounded.
The Negro Bob Brewer.
For three years a reward has been hanging
over the head OF Brewer. He is a tall, pow
erful negro. whose home is in Telfair county.
Brewer killed a negro three years ago and
then took 10 the bushes The year after the
killing Brewer made his appearance near
McRae and openly defie1 the officers He
was armed with Winchester rifle and a
brace Of pistols aud openly asserted that he
would never be taken alive. At that time
Telfair had a sheriff who was Just as brave
as Brewer was desperate The sheriff's name
was McRae, and when he heard of Brewers
presence lac started on u still hunt
Brush with the sheriff.
In few days he encountered the negro.
The fight was desperate, lasting three hours
and covering several miles The negro sue
ceeded In getting away with only slight
wound, but the fight taught him prudence.
and since then he has never boeu in Telfair
He came to Wayne, and for two Years his
robbcries, thievlng, and defiance Of law have
been notorious. Soon after the fight be-
tween Sheriff McRae and the negro a re-
ward was offered for the outlaws arrest
Then officers began a search, but the negro
WAS ns sharp as he was desperate. and care
fully kept himself beyond reach.
Ten Now Reported Killed.
LA11R THE most reliable information is
that ten people have been killed at Jessup,
namely: Barnhill and Woods, by Brewer:
Anderson ,white) accidentally; Jackson and
Hops, in Jail; Fluett tcoloredl, ON the
street, and two whites and two negroes
whose names are not given
The coroner's jury yesterday afternoon
rendered verdict charging the negroes
Brewer and Roford with the murder of Mar
shall BarnhilI aud young Woods As to the
killing Of the negroes in the jail the Jury re
turned verdict, killed by parties I'M
known
WAS SHE BURIED ALIVE?
n Strange Case of Trance I'm AN M