The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-27
THE RIOT IN JESSUP.
It Arose From the Shooting of
Marshal Barnhill by
BOB BREWER, A NEGRO OUTLAW.
All is Quiet at Present, but Trouble May
COme-The DOings of Festive Burglar
in Brooklyn.


in Brooklyn.
SAVANNAH, Dec. 26.-The trouble at Jes-
sup yesterday began at 10 a. m. when Chief
Marshal LeggetC and assistants were at
tempting to arrest Bob Brewer, the noto-
rious outlaw and fugitive. Brewer raised
his gun and deliberately shot and killed
Assistant Marshal Barnhill. The chief
marshal then fired at Brewer, but missed
him. Brewer returned the fire and shot
I Leggett through both legs. Brewer and
e.his crowd of ten or twelve men then fed to
McMillan's swamp. The negroes were
followed into the swamp by several citi-
zens. Among them were William Wood, a
carpenter, and his son, William Wood. The
negroes lodged into the swamp and when
young Wood ran in behind them Brewer
rose up and shot him through the head,
killing him instantly, and shot Woods
father in the face. Accomplishing this
much, the negroes ran further into the
swamp and escaped. The news of the
death of young Wood and the serious
shooting of his father spread like wildtre
over the town. Confusion reigned for a
time and Jessup seemed to be in the hands
of violent mob. Mayor Hof called
meeting and hasty arrangements
were made to protect the town. Sew
enty-five armed men were gathered in
few minutes and followed Brewer
and party a distance into the swamp.
McMillian's swamp covers over four hun
dred acres. Brewer is so familiar with its
hiding places that the efforts of the posse
to locate him were regarded as in vain. The
strength of the posse was soon increased
by posse of twenty-five armed men, and
picket line was formed. Brewer had
threatened the life of Assistant Marshal
Barnhill since the officers killed one of
Brewers pals few weeks ago while at
tempting to arrest a colored man for gam
bling. Yesterday was Brewers chance,
and he took advantage of the opportunity.
When the assistant officer came unarmed
n to the side of Chief Marshal Leggett, who
was making his arrest, Brewer seemed to
forget for a moment that anybody was
4 trying to capture him, and shot Barnhill as
he would dog.
Marshal Leggett, who was badly wounded
in both legs, was seen about the affair last
night. He said that when he went up to
arrest Brewer he knew he had a bad man
to fool with. He wanted a force large
enough to take the desperate. "When
got near him. the chief marshal said, land
he saw who | was, he left two of my posse
who were talking with him and came
toward me- l heard him say That
is the rascal l want and he stepped
behind Mr.. Reddish. He kept coming and
threw my gun to my face and told him to
stop. He looked at me Sullenly and put his
gun to his shoulder and started back.
thought would return to town and get
assistance When met an old man named
Rayford and several others, all of whom
had guns, turned round tc see what they
were going to do and l saw Rayford ex-
change a IS calibre Winchester for a 80
no
white people. / knew we were in for it,
so waited, and hadn't long TO wait, when
I saw Brewer drop his gun to his shoulder
and fire. l looked around and saw my as
sistant fall to the ground. l then returned,
shooting at Brewer. He then wounded me
at the first fire. discharged both barrels
of my gun and, l knew was done, and
jumped down the emoankment and ran.
Reddish stood and Brewer approached him,
saying, 'D-n you, have great mind to
kill you He struck him and took
his gun from him. The news reached the
authorities and they knew that j. w.
RYAN was the instigatOr of the affair. A
posse was sent to his house to arrest him
but Ryan had escaped. 1t is said he put
Al lad idea into Brewers head about the
duty of white people to colored folk and
report says he excited them by saying that
the murder of colored man killed by Barn
hill should be avenged.
Henry EAuuCESOll, OuG VI Gu6 udIuS pun
over Rvan's house was accidentally shot
and killed last night by one of his own
party. He went to headquarters for rein
forcement and was going back when the
gun held by Townsend was discharged,
blowing Anderson's brains out. Last
ously wounded by picket while coming
from McNlillen's swamp He attempted to
slip by the officers when he was shot.
At about o'clock this morning party
of unknown men attacked the jail at
Jessup, driving away the guards. Ina few
minutes the doors were battered down and
four men went inside and shot and killed
Peter johnson and Bill Hops. The for
mer vas the man who had been wounded
and captured in the night. The military
was stationed about half a mile from the
Jail, but by the time detachment arrived
there everything was quiet and all there
was to indicate what had happened were
the bodies of the dead negroes.
The Georgia hussars returned to this
city this afternoon. The Brunswick company
was retained on duty by the mayor. The
returned soldiers reported the trouble
over: their presence was only required to
quiet the excitement. The citizens of
JessuD who remained had their kitchens
and out houses filed with the colored peo-
pie of the town who sought the protection
of their white friends.
A special from Jessup dated 6 p. N. says
that Mayor Hobbs has called public meet
ning to take steps to defend the town to-
might. 1t is believed that Brewer is near
with q large force of negroes. The citi-
zens are organizing and arming to aid the
Brunswick rifles in case of an outbreak.
A special train was run out to the brick
wards where Brewer was reported to have
been seen. A detachment of armed men
was sent out as scouts. Mayor Hobbs is
in receipt of a telegram from Brunswick
saying that the white man who is supposed
to have instigated the trouble is in that
city, but the mayor will not take steps to
have Ryan brought back. There is still
great excitement throughout the country
around Jessup, but affairs will doubtless
quite down in few days. 1t is region
of turpentine distilleries and saw mills
Thousands of negroes are employed in
Jessup, and the trouble is apt to disor-
ganize labor for some time TO come.
Many negroes are quitting their homes
and moving to other towns on the railroad.
A large number of them were taken from
their homes by white men this morning
and severely whipped, some of them being
women of bad character
How the Riot Started.
SAVANNAH, Ga, Dec. 26.-Nothing addi-
tional about the Jessup affair has been re-