The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-25
THAT MANATEE AFFAIR.
THE FACTS GIVEN BY A CITIZEN
OF THAT COUNTY.

out OF the GOumty-HOW the ArO%-
BILE Occurred-A Highly sensa-
tiOnaI story Made out of slight
Material.
Tallahassee. Fla. May 2.-On May p
/ a press special was sent out from Braid
cntOwn, Manatee county. Florida, 10 the
effect that Jack Tree, a negro, resisting
arrest at Palmetto. had shot four white
men, two OF them fatally. This sensa-
tiOnal story was printed throughout the
country, to the detriment Of Florida and
the good people Of Manatee county. who
hail from all sections Of the United
states. Several of these press clippings
! were sent TO Gov. Mitchell, with letters
insinuating that his exceliency was dere-
! Hct in his duty in this matter, because
( the alleged Jack Trice was a negro.
/ A highly sensational article from the
I Chicago Inter-Ocean. under the caption,
I Jack Trice. the Latest Hero" was
I mailed TO the governor by Miss Irene NJ.
/ Wells OF independence Ia, accompanied
] by letter directing him as 10 what was
ms duty in the premises, ana lnJlmatlng
J lndt ne mad been remlss IN lnls respect
/ on account of the color of Trtce.
This letter and clipping Gov; Mitchell
sent TO Hon. John G. Felot, NJ. D., gen
tieman OF the highest respeclaDllty ana
standing in MANAGE county for integrity
ana moral prObity, soliciting from MIN an
unbiased statement Of the facts ana CIR
Gums tances that gave rise to TINS trouble.
Dr. Pelot has sent the following state
menL 10 the governor and what ne says
B will be accepted as true by ali VINO know
B Or Pelot, and he is Wen known all over
'Alanatee. Fla. May 2O,-Gov. H. L.
Mitchell, Tallaha ssee, Fia.-Dear Sir: 1
received yesterday through secretary
Lang enclosed inquiry as 10 the trouble az
Palmetto, and the exploits of one JACK
Irice, together with samples OF the sen
sational literature being so freely as
pensed at the expense OF Manatee county,
but more especially of Palmetto. "
In a general way 1 would say of the
trouble at Palmetto, that no negro mas
been shot-no negro mas been shot at-dnu
none have received any personal INJURY.
There has not been either bloodhound, foN
hound, beagle, cur nor flee dog, nor any
other species of dog put on the track OF
Jack Trice, or any other negro, ana al
though must spoil the romance OF MISS
Irene Wells, if she is the author OF the ar
Ocean, headed, Jack Trice, the Latest
Hero' Nevertheless, the cold facts are:
]. There were no women or chlldren IN
Jack Trice's house; 2, that Jack Trice
never had a house, and 3, there IS no such
person as Jack Trice in this or any other
county of the state that we ever heard OF;
nor has one of that name been heard OF
anywhere until we got 1t through me pa.
THE trouble near Palmetto, as given
me by Sheriff A. 5. Watson, the magis-
trate, r. f. Willis, and large number OF
the leading citizens Of Palmetto, is as tol-
lows: on Saturday morning, May g.
Young white man by the name of Will
Jams in going through the yard or lane
of the lemon companys property, met
five or six negroes going to work. When
from some fancied wrong or real insult,
a quarrel occurred between Williams and
a young negro man by tne name OF Char-
ley Payne. The quarrel terminated IN
blows. In the encounter both parties were
knocked down.
witnessed the fight, and the parties were
separated. Nothing more was done until
Monday morning following, when WIN,
iams, at o'clock in the morning, aroused
the magistrate and sWore out warrant
against the negro Payne, for assault and
battery, upon the plea that he intended
to leave the country and would do so at
daylight. Mr.. Willis, after some hesita-
ton, issued the warrant and placed II in
the hands of Deputy Constable Lotion.
His posse was composed of five men be-
sides the constable. On arriving at the
lemon companys quarters, the posse
called on Mr.. Harvey, the manager, and
requested him to accompany them, which
he declined to do. The posse then pro-
ceeded to the negro quarters, which is
long building with number of rooms In
the house were eight negro men. The
posse carried a lantern, and l was assured
they were mostly unarmed. They knock
ed at the door of the house, stating their
purpose, and demanded that they be al
lowed in and read the warrant; but in
stead of this two of the windows were
opened partly, and the negroes opened
fire upon the six men. A young man by
the name of Hughes was shot in the
shoulder and arm with buckshot, neces-
stating amputation near the shoulder
Mr.. Sanchez was shot in the stomach with
small shot, and, though severely, not dam
gerously wounded Mr.. Daniels was hit
with buckshot or pistol ball, but fortu-
nately was only injured in the leg of his
The FIRE was not returned by the posse.
Three of them were left to guard the
house, while Lotion was sent for rein
! forcements and Sheriff Watson, who ar
rived on the scene about z o'clock, and
70 a al hn w,n-1
ent, who had been in the house.
In the meantime, after daylight, all OF
the negroes had come out of the house.
and among them Payne and another ne
gro by the name of William CAVITY both
of whom declare themselves responsible
for the shooting, and we're making off
when the three who were left as guards
refused to make or attempt an arrest, he,
cause the deputy constable had taken the
warrant off in going for the sheriff Four
or hVe of the negroes who were in the
house when the shooting occurred Were
taken before the magistrate, and they
were all released by MIN upon the ground
that there was no evidence to connect
them with the shooting.
Sheriff Watson, with a posse, made
canty but faied to nd amy amy tHa llia on
them, and dismissed the posse and re-
turned home the day following. That is
all about the shooting and arrest
Several days after the trouble some
body brought into town and exhibited a
notice, which, he said had been pasted
Oii a lele6Idpu DOles OFu6TlnB the negroes
and their, sympathizers to leave, but it
could not be traced to any party and some
parties ordered a number of negroes to
leave. Some left fearing trouble, and
came across the river to Manatee and
/ Braidentown. Some refused to leave, and
We're not lnterfered with. 5. S. Lamb, r.
+. Willis, J. w. Nettles and others in
| formed me that the negroes 1t work for
/ them had remained al wo1 The num-
Der that left was about twenty-eight It
/ must be understood, also, that there were
| but few negroes domiciled on the north
side Of the river, but were employed most
/ ~ by fruit and vegetable growers l was
| informed yesterday in Palmetto that some
/ of the lemon companys' hands had gone
| back to work. and some at other places
There were two, possibly three, negro
! cabins burned on the hummock, because
| it IS said, they were suspected of con-
| cealng Payne and Canty. There is no ex-
| element at Palmetto, or anywhere in
/ the vicinity; no trouble that l could dis
/ cover, and none anticipated. The people
/ of this section are of the most peaceable
/ and law-abiding, as the court records will