The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-26
CAPTAIN BIRDS STATEMENT.
Continued from page 1.

cred myself dealing with mob and
not citizens.
Sat the same time placed guard at
the front of the door and instructed
Lieutenant Hatcher to bring in the rear
guard and followed him to see they all
got in the mayors office. Before this I
had Placed four men on the floor where
the prisoner was confined with instruc.
tions to obey orders; the guns were
loaded; I placed six or eight men on the
stair landing with orders TO guard the
doors. AS soon as I saw my guard was
inside l went out i'll front of the build
ing. Mayor Trout was then begging
the mob to 60 back. He said every-
thing to impress on their minds that the
rifles were loaded with ball cartridges
and we would fire IL we were compelled
to.
he was answered by jeers such as
they won't shoot we'll have the
niger, we Can shoot too. also Joined
in with Mayor Trout and tried to make
: them go away and was answered in tho
same way Mayor Trout was. tried
very hard to impress on them that |
would shoot ii compelled to and warned
them again and again TO go back, and I
know thore wore men in the crowd who
knew we would shoot. They gave me
the Same answer they did Mayor Trout
and while / was in tho street I heard
them catering on the door on the west
side Of the jail. My first impression
was to run around on the outside, but
on second thought considered it best
to go inside leaving Lieutenant Moss
in command Of the squad at the door.
u then raised the window at the side
OIL the door and leaning out the window
said, You men must get away from
That door, and the only answers l got
were similar to those in front l then
called for three men and either Lieuten.
ant Hatcher or Colonel Pole brought me
four. leaned out and begged them to
go away and said, Men. get back, get
pack, aud the only answer 1 received
was brick hurled through the window
and jeers from the mob, and then rave
the command in q loud tone of voice so
the crowd could hear me, Ready, aim
warned them again saying, Men, 1
give you fair warning, my guns are
loaded with ball cartridges The only
response | got was more rocks and some
pistol shots through the window.
II then said in low tone, steady
boys don't fire until tell you warned
them again while they were shooting at
me aad they wers still batting at the
door. l was very anxious about that
door. AS saw there was nothing else
TO do said in low tone to the SQUAD
only, Fire After firing ono round thew
did give way and 1 rushed to the stair
way to see about the door and said to
the boys il it gets too hot for you retreat
TO the passage.
III went up the stairs so could see
the outside door and found it all right
and instructed the men there to shoot
the hrst man who came through the
door l then rushed out to the front
ana called to them cease firing
found Mayor Trout in front, I asked the
boys If any were hurt. The officer re-
piled not man. While in front noticed
man lying in the street between the
rails.
III then came back to the office and
met Mayor Trout. He asked If any of
the men wore hurt. Then he told me
that he was shot. | then went out and
called DR.. Simmons to examine the man
in the street. He said the man was dead.
They attempted to- bring him into police
headquarters and | ordered them away
and called DR.. Simmons back. 1 then
noticed GRO Nd out in the lot and went
to$he windo~ and called them to 90
away. They answered, There's a man
here dead l ordered them to take
him away and to dispense the crowd.
in 'front.' the Jail and sent two men
to send them away and tell them we
would shoot any man who came in rifle
range and they must go away.
About this time different citizens
came to me and said the mob was break
Ing into the hardw stores and thew
would soon be up and shoot us down like
dogs. Before this DR.. Simmons, who
was dressing Mr. Trout's wounds. I met
him and the mayor and he said INV
friends are going to take me to the
hotel. l am sick and will have to leave
At the same time Colonel Pole went to
the telegraph Office to see about the
Salem company that had been ordered
some time before. The citizens came
to me and begged me to take the men
away as we would all be killed.
"My reply was: Our duty was to
stay there as long as the prisoner re-.
NAMED in Jail None of the men said
anything. BY and by a police officer
suggested that they remove the prisoner
and called for Chief Terry. He couldn't
be found. don't rem g "a Der seeing him
after the shooting began.
They then called for Sergeant Grit.
fin. he came and spoke to him about
removing the prisoner. He said
ne could not remove him without
orders from Terry or Mr.. Trout. I
then made up my mind to hold the pris
Oner. At the same time asked Ser.
geant Traynham to unlock the cage
where the prisoner was confined. and
they got everything ready, and Ssr
geant Griffin came back with orders
from Mayor Trout to remove The p,is.
,oner and for Gods sake not to Kin anv
more men, AT the same time prom.
inent citizens came and begged mo to
move my men away. saying they would
all be killed. Sergeant Griffin and two
pollcemen took the prisoner ont the