Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-03-10

An Attempt to Arrest Bad Negro Pre-
cipitates Fracas, in which Three
Deputy Sherifs were shot. One of Them
Probably Fatally-Several Negroes Ar
rested and the Air Thick with Rumors
of Race Conflict.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 6.-Trouble:
has been brewing for some time be-
tween the whites and blacks in the
lower quarter of the city, and last
nights attack on three deputy sheriffs
by mob of negroes threatens to bring
matters to crisis, and bring race
war that will eliminate in serious
bloodshed. The trouble was precipi-
tated by an attempt to arrest Will
Stewart, negro desperate for whom
Judge Dubose had issued bench war;
rant. Deputy Sheriffs Charles Cole,
Robert Harold and Avery Young
found Stewart about midnight in CAL
vim McDowelFs grocery store, at the
corner of Mississippi and Walker aven--
ues, surrounded by crowd of friends.
The negroes had been expecting the
raid and were armed with Winchesters
and shotguns.
At the appearance of the officers the
negroes opened fire and the three Off
GERS fell. all badly wounded. They re-
turned the fire, but none of the negroes
were hurt. A posse of deputy sheriffs,
who had been searching for Stewart,
and who were in the immediate vicini-
ty, came to the rescue, and fifteen OF
the blacks were placed under arrest.
The shooting caused the greatest eX-
element in the neighborhood and fif-
teen minutes after the first shot was
fired, every white man was armed with
Winchester.
The wounded men, all of whom were
at first thought to be fatally shot, were
taken to the hospital. and were still
alive tonight. officer Cole is in a
dangerous condition, however and will
hardly survive. The Others it is now
believed. will recover.
The police placed fourteen more ne
groes under arrest to-day, charged
with completely in the shooting. If
Officer Cole should die, further trouble
is expected, as the whites living in the
vicinity of the shooting are thirsting
for revenge.
The Excitement Increasing.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 6.-The ex-
element over the shooting of the three
officers by negroes last nights increas-
ing. The air is thick with rumors of
race conflict. Groups of excited white
men gathered on the streets to-day to
discuss the situation. Late this after
noon meeting of citizens was held in
the courthouse to decide upon plan of
action. After a prolonged discussion
it was decided to call upon all good
citizens to tender their services
to the sheriff to aid him in keeping
the peace. That official accepted the
offer and several hundred men were
sworn in as deputy sheriffs. Every
white man in town is walking
arsenal, and should the negroes renew
the trouble the uprising would soon be
put down. The scene of last nights
tragedy is locality notorious for it's
1t is a hang-out for rousta-
bouts and thieves, and the authorities
have always experienced great diff
Guilty in maintaining law and order.
The negroes in that section of the
city are all armed, and they are MAX
ing open threats of applying the torch.
The police and deputy sheriffs are
arresting every suspicious character to
be found over forty having been
lodged in Jail since noon. The Chicl1a-
saw guards, Hibernia rifles Rouzier
zouaves and the Bluff City artillery,
numb ering LOO soldiers, are resting
on their arms, ready to respond to the
call of the sheriff. The negroes are
filling up on whisky and an outbreak is
feared before morning.
-Four shotguns and lot of pistols
and knives, which were taken from the
negro prisoners are in the hands of the
police. Tom Moss and viii Diggs, two
Of the meters of the riot, are letter
carriers. If Deputy Sheriff Cole had
lied this morning, as it was reported,
the entire party would have been taken
from the Jail and mobbed. as prepara-
lions were made and the intention was
not changed until it was found that
Cole was alive.
It was reported tonight that the ne
groes were holding a mass meeting
and that preacher was advising them
% deliver their brothers from the Jail,
put officers failed to find any founda-
ion for ba cu,,,pr