Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-28
FLORIDA HAS A WAR.
A Cowardly Murder Precipitates a
Bad Race RuctiOn.
A BLACK SHOOTS A WHITE NAN
And q Sheriff's Posse Are After Him With
Guns and Bloodhounds.
NEGROES SIDING WITH THE MURDERER

LEEsBURG, FLA, Dec 27.-[Special.
Just before daylight this morning j. d.
Parramore, well-known and popular con-
ductor on the Florida Central and PENN
sular Railroad, was shot and instantly
killed while on his train not far from here,
by Thomas E. Mike, negro who keeps a
| colored barber shop in this city. 1t was
one Of the most unprovoked, brutal and
cowardly murders ever committed in this
State.
Parramore runs the night express from
Wildwood to Orlando. Mike got on the
| train at Leesburg station, and took seat
| in the white passengers car. The conductor
took up his ticket and then ordered him
| forward into the colored or 'jim crow" car.
Mike obeyed sullenly, and USED some in
suliing language as he passed out through
the door, Passengers in the colored car
who were near when Mike came in, say
that he appeared much excited about some
thing and, as he took a seat, growled
him, I'll kill him when he comes back here. y
Murder in Cold BIocd.
He kept looking around nervously to-
| ward the door, at which the conductor was
expected TO enter, and to those nearest him
began to relate what had happened. He
had hardly begun, however, and had not
been in the car over four or five minutes,
when the door suddenly opened and Con-
ductor Parramore walked in.
When the conductor was about five fee
in front Of his seat Mike suddenly jumped
to his feet, pulled a revolver from his
pocket, rushed into the aisle. took step or
two toward Parramore and then took de-
hberate aim and fired at him. He could
n0t hay tbor r,ot Iah ind
his victim, and his aim was good.
The bali entered Parramore's head, Just
behind his right ear, and he fell forward in
the aisle dead. Not a word, not even a
groan, escaped his lips. Mike then jumped
from the train and disappeared in the woods
The train was backed up to Leesburg with
the dead conductor, where the widest ex-
citement soon prevailed.
Hunting a Murderer With BIoodhounds.
Nearly 1000 white men, mounted and
afoot, and armed with rifles, have started
to find the murderer. They are led by
Sheriff Galloway with six bloodhounds If
the negro is caught he will surely be
lynched.
Nearly as many colored men have shoul-
dered their Winchesters and are parading
through the town. They say they will pro-
tect Mike from harm if the posse brings
him. The widest excitement prevails, and
nobody in the whole town will go to bed to-
night.
Governor Fleming has been asked to call
out the State troops, and has wired the
Leesburg Rifles to assemble at their arm
ory and await orders They number
60 men, all well-drilled soldiers. Up to y
o'clock tonight nothing had been heard of
the searching party. About 175 armed ne
groes have just started out to follow up the
Sheriff posse, as there was a rumor that
Mike had been captured. The situation is
very alarming. Nothing but failure to
capture the murderer can prevent an armed
conflict, and it is almost certain that he will
be caught, as he went in the wrong direc-
tion to escape easily.