Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-20
BAD RACE WAR.

Several Men Killed In Texas and the Blacks
and Whites Greatly Excited-Fatal Shoot
ing ARRAY In Oklahoma-Tragedy ~
Kirksyille, Mo.
AUSTIN, Tex, June 15-Meager reports
Of a bloody ARRAY at Given's store, eight
cen miles southeast of here, have reached
this city.
The community of Cedar Creek is TWEEN
ty miles from Austin. At the last election
the negroes proved the most numerous at
the polls and elected justice of the peace
named Orange Wicks and q negro con-
stable, Isaac Wilson. both ignorant corn
field men, totally unfit to do justice either
to whites or negroes. The white people
made the best of it and tried to avoid any
thing that would lead to race conflict
Wilson, inflated with power, proved to
be domneering and arrogant he forced
his way last week into an old fsherman's
hut on the Colorado river and refused to
leave when ordered to. The fisherman
took down his gun but did net attempt to
use ii. For this Wilson went before the
negro justice, got a warrant and arrested
the fisherman and on horseback made an
inoffensive old man walk before him all
the way to Boston, a distance of twelve
miles, over terrible roads and at a gait
that broke him down.
This incident raised a feeling of resent.
ment among the whites, but was allowed
to pass. A few days q respectable white
citizen named ALT Litter went to a negroes
cabin and demonstrated with him for
sending an insulting message to himself
and wife. For this he was arrested by the
negro constable and taken before the
negro Justice, Wicks, for trial and while
the trial was in its preliminary stages
the accused turned toward his lawyer, g.
B. Fowler, of Bastrop, and asked him II
he could step outside for q moment. The
lawyer replied:
Certainly, you cam" and Litter there
upon was about to proceed to the rear,
when the justice shouted:
Halt, sir! you can't gow
The young man turned around. but not
thoroughly understanding or hearing the
order, continued to move toward the door,
whereupon, it is said, the justice seized q
pistol or shotgun and fired at Litter, kill
ing him instantly. The colorsd constable
also emptied his revolver into the dying
man, whose life went out without mo-
ment's warning.
Instantly the widest confusion arose
and knives, revolvers and shotguns were
speedily brought into requisition. People
from all parts of the neighborhood rushed
to the spot while those already on the
ground tried to get away.
A general fight between both factions
followed, and during the bout many per-
sons who took no part on either side were
either cut or shot Among the latter was
Peter Bell, colored, who is brother of
Colonel Bell, of Austin. He was shot
down and killed while trying to mount his
horse and escape
Two white men named Alexander No.
land and George Scheopf, the latter a
cousin of Tom beats, of Austin, were
killed outright by the bullets of the in
furiated negroes, and young Litter,
brother of ALI Litter, was also shot, and
has since died, making four white men
who were murdered, while five or six
) others were badly wounded.
Constable Wilson escaped uninjured
but it is not known what became of the
Justice whether or not he was killed.
| One of Houston Moore's sons, colored,
was killed by stray bullet fired by one
of his own race and two others also bit
the dust at the hands of white assailants.
= Several others are wounded. Over one
t hundred shots were fired while the war
ragged.
The tragic occurrence has created blaze
OF excitement throughout this section and
3 it is reported that both whites and blacks
along Cedar creek are now arming them
selves and getting ready for acts of retri-
button and revenge. The blood of the PEG E
pie is up and there is no telling how the
, trouble will end.
TRAGEDY IN OKLAHOMA.
, OKLAHOMA, T., June 15.-Clyde Mat
tox, aged eighteen, shot j. s. Howasd
dangerously but not fatally last evening,
Howard in turn shot Mattox, inhicting a
wound from which he can not recover.
:, Mattox, though fatally wounded, shot
- Dan Mckay, who had come to
:, Towards rescue, inflicting a severe
: flesh wound. Mattox and one
Hart had been removed from
the position OF deputy marshal by the
: CITY Council and Howard and Mckay ap
: pointed. Yesterday Hart was abusing
the mayor and others and the mayor or
:, dered his arrest He resisted officer:
Mckay and Howard, but was finally over
: powered After the two officers had i'm
prisoned Hart they were met by Mattoz
who opened fire. This is the first tragedy
:, of any account in the history of the com
! munity.
:, KILLED HIS BROTHER.
y ST. LOUIS, June 15-At KIrksville, No.,
. Yesterday morning Frank Probst, ex
n school commissioner. was shot dead by hi
n brother, Joseph Probst, who then put 1
bullet through his own heart No cause
can be assigned, save that the murderer