Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-01-01
A BLOODY CHRISTMAS,

:. - IL.
BLACKS and Whites at Jesup, Ga. Observe
enc Day In q sangulnary Manner-A
Riot In Which Ten Of tho Former and
Two of the Latter Arc Killed and Many
OF Both Races Wounded-The Trouble
Not Yet Over. .' ~. -. -.
| SAVANNAH, Ca, Dec. 27.-Ten negroes
Ind two whites were killed and many of
both races wounded in the fight in and
around Jesup Wednesday,, and the
trouble is not over. The fight be-
gan about 10 o'clock q. M, when
Chief Marshal Leggett and assist
ants attempted to arrest Bob
Brewer, the notorious negro out
law and fugitive. Brewer raised his
gun to his shoulder and deliberately
shot down Assistant Marshal Barnhill,
killing him instantly. The chief mar
shall then fred on Brewer, but missed
him. Brewer returned the fire and
shot Leggett through both legs. Brewer
and his crowd of ten or twelve men
then fed to Mcmillan swamp, few
yards away.
The report Of the guns threw the town
| Into whirlwind of excitement and the
negroes were followed into the swamp
by several citizens. Among them were
William Wood, a carpenter, and his son,
| William Wood, who was on visit from
Ridgeland, S. c., to his father. The ne
groes 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 farther
into the swamp and escaped.
The news of the death of young
| Wood and the serious shooting of
! his father spread like wildAre over
the town. Confusion reigned for time
and Jesup seemed to be in the hands of
. violent mob. Mayor Hobbs called
meeting and hasty arrangements were
made to protect the town. Seventy-flve
armed men were gathered in a few min
utes and followed Brewer and his
party distance into the swamp. Nc
MILAN Bay covers over 400 acres, and
Brewer is 50 familiar with its hiding
places that the efforts of the posse to To-
cate him in the swamp were regarded as
in vain.
The strength of the posse was in
creased by posse of twenty-five armed
men before an hour had elapsed, and a
picket line was formed on the east side,
so as to prohibit nybody coming out of
tho swamp to the town. Brewer is
thoroughly familiar with the bay, hav-
ing been skulking around and hiding
there, fishing and hunting, for number
OF months.
About o'clock Thursday morning
party of unknown caen attacked the Jail
at Jesup, driving away the guards. In
q few minutes the door was battered in,
and four men went inside and shot and
killed Peter johnson and Bill Hoppe
The former was man who had been
wounded and captured in the fight. The
military were stationed about half
milo from the Jail, but by the time de-
tachment arrived every thing was quiet
At l o'clock fifty men from Baxtry
and other points on the railroads led
by fifty men in and around Jesup divid-
ed into three parties and started out to
visit the houses of the blacks. In all
thirty houses were visited. Six houses
were merely searched for weapons and
members of Brewers gang, and their
occupants were not molested or
abused. The first house visited was
large two-story frame tenement occu-
pied by Sally Hops and other low char
acters. just previously all the buggy
whips in one store had been bought and
distributed. The Hops woman was
terribly whipped and told to leave
the town and never return. Two
other black women in the house were
let off with a lighter whipping. Three
men caught there were whipped. In
the next house Bill Fleutt lived. Fleutt
and his wife and one Schuyler and his
wife, frightened half to death,
came out The men were ordered
to hold up their hands. Schuyler said
he had not lived in Jesup long and
swore earnestly that he had nothing to
do with the Brewer gang. "Put down
your hands," some one ordered. His
hands fell, and the next moment gun
went off and Fleutt fell down. Schuyler,
who stood within awo feet of him,
started to run, when volley of shots
was fired. Fleutt was dead with one
bullet hole in his breast.
One room in Hannah Walthour's house
was riddled with bullets before she
would open her door. Luckily for the
inmates, they escaped from that room
quickly. One bullet went through the
footboard of bed and buried itself
in a pillow. Another bullet went
through the headboard of the bed.
Albert Harper, Dan Jacobs and man
known as Calvin were run out. Harper
asked time to get his shoes. "Never
mind, you won't need them where you
are going" was the reply. The women
were left and the men were taken away.
They have not been seen since.
The Georgia Hussars, dismounted, the
company ordered to the scene of the
trouble by the Governor, returned to
this city Thursday afternoon. The
Brunswick company was retained on
duty by the mayor. The returned SOL
diers reported the trouble over. Their
presence was only required to quiet the
excitement of the citizens of Jesup,
who remained in their homes to protect
their families.
A special from Jesup to the Morning