The morning times., 1896-12-09
FUNERAL A MASS MEETING
Ineendiary Speeches Made Over
the Body of London Shears.
THREATS AGAINST THE POLICE
Immense Gathering Inflamed by
Tall. of Revenge-"Iess Gospel
and More Pistols" the Text of
One Address Colored People Adj
yised TO Arm Themselves.

London Shears, whc was shot and killed
by Policeman Curry last Friday, while
resisting arrest, was buried yesterday after
noon, but il the threats which were ex-
pressed over his bier are carried into exc
cution there will be bloodshed
The funeral services were begun at 2
O'Clock in the First Colored Baptist Church,
corner of Sixth and q streets southwest,
and the ceremonies resembled more an
indignat ton anecting than the last rites
over a dead man. The noise and tumult
were more OF the nature of political con-
ventiOR, and applause. laughter, shouts and
misses were frequent and punctuated every
inoenGiary uts@raHcc OF the half dozen or
more speakers. ia.1-
The little chtfrch, of which Shears was a
member, was crowded to suffocation, and
on the outside there were twice as many
more who We're unable TO gain admittance.
These discussed in the most passionate
manner the Killing of Shears, and the most
bitter remarks denounCing the police We're
heard on every hand.
OFFICERS WERE ON HAND.
Two or three officers from the Fourth
precinct remained near by, but made no
attempt to disperse the crowd or silence
their abuse. There were ro services at
the late home of the dead man, and shortly V
before / O'Clock the body was taken from
the house To the church, escorted by the
o. IL. Morton g. A. R Post and the Nc
Kinley and Hobart League, To both OF
which organizations Shears belonged.
He lacked neither mourners nor speakers
at his funeral. Fully a dozen colored
diyines occupied the pulpit, and each made
a fiery address, full of threats and incen-
diary language. On the front seat sat the
widow, deeply shrouded in a mourning veil,
and beside her the members of Shears
family. The casket was wrapped in the
American flag A { its head was another
starry emblem and at the foot the banner
bers Of the q. a. r. post acted as pail
bearers.
ADVISED REVENGE.
Rev. Richard johnson was one of the
first speakers. He denounced the killing
in the most severe terms, and left no
uncertainty in the minds OF the audience
that ne intended that they should revenge
the killing OF Shears, whom he extolled
as Christian, who lied many sinners to
repentance.
This is good deal worse than they do
tC our people down in Texas he said,
''and we've got TO do something to stop
II. Revenge is ours as well as the Lord 81
A burst OF applause greeted this utterance
Rev. j. w Howard. pastor of Zion Bap-
list Church, was the next speaker. and
be was even more vehement than his pred
eceSsor.
Our dead brother was q soldier he
began, and | would sooner have seen hun
die Ola a battlefield pierced by the bullet
OF his former master than to have died
at the hands Of Murderer Curry in po-
liceman's clothes" (Applause, hand clap
ping and shouts OF That's right" Hit
INN againi' Lynch the copI'D
POLICE THEIR ENEMIES.
Il only wish that our brother had gotten
hold OF the murderer's pistol instead Of
his billy and killed him, then we could
have re ioiced. for we must understand that
we must look upon the police as deadly
enemies. This murderer had no right to
enter that house. He is the man who
ought to have been killed.
A [ this point SOME one in the audience
shouted, If he ever comes down ON dis
beat agin Wen fix him. and the approval
OF this remark WAS denoted by peals OF
laughter and shouts Of applause.
Rev. William Gibbons, an intellectual
coiorcd man, pastor OF Mount Carmel
Church, followed He said if a bluecoat
entered bis house he could promise that
he would go out corpse He bitterly de-
Dounced the colorcd woman who swore
before the coroner's jury that Curry shot
il self-defense, and referred to her as a
'stinking devil
Rev. Mr.. Lindsay referred TO the police
as gang of tuughs, the lowest class of
the whites, vino come among the col
ored people armed with little brief au-
thcIity TO browbeat and bully them, and
10 murder them as they had done in this
Instance -
Rev. Randolph Somerville advised the
co'ored people TO go armed and to keep
muskets in their homes, and if the police
entered TO shoot them down like dogs.
Perhaps the most incendiary utterances
were made by Rev George Hatton.
who spoFe for the 6. A. r. He said in
part:
MORE 1NCENDIARY TALK.
I'VE have got to leave no stone unturned
TO avenge this wrong: we have got TO do
something desperate. (Cries of You're
rightrl
"Our brother died like a soldier; he
was not in whisky shop, at card table,
in bad house, but in his home defending
hls wife and property. He fought like a
soldier TO free our people and perpetuate
the Union, behind this banner
With that the speaker grasped the in
sigma OF the Mckinley and Hobart League
eAiiu hhS o'SSsh'hhSt Will laughter.
"Our people have got to do some killing
themselves, do you hear me?
I'VE preach too much Christ, and not
enough about pistols" he continued. u
have had a falling out with Jesus and l
am going 10 take to my gun. Get your
pistols and your muskets ready, there's
going To be trouble. Let Christ go and get
your gun" lie bitterly denounced the
woman who swore in behalf of Curry. but
was most severe against the two colored
members OF the jury which cxonerated
Curry, referring 10 them as Judases and
Benedict Arnolds and traitors who deserved
TO be killed. The same class of remarks
punctuated his speech and there was loud
applause when he concluded In each adj
dress the policeman was referred to as a
murderer.
basket was placed on the coffin, and
as the congregation passed around to view
the body each person was requested To
drop in nickle or more to 1efray cx-
penses." goodly sum was realized
AT O'Clock the procession. headed by
the Morton most Sfartnb foIl,u-al Ia.