Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-07
The CoIored Population Gather Round
The Men, Declaring YeDgtanc,.
The Onicer Tells About the Tragedy,
and Says II He Had Not Used His
Pistol He Would Have been
Shot.

4
riously threatened.
| Charles Murray, the older of the me-
groes. who were brothers, was Instant
ly killed. and Anthony Murray so dan
| derously wounded that 1t Is feared he
will not recover. Polce-Officer Albert
| diately surrendered himself, and was
placed in the Manchester station-house,
where he might be protected from the
angry mob OF negroes who sought his
| life.
The tragedy caused the widest ex-
crowd OF several hundred negroes as
sembled around the fallen victims Of the
officers pistol, and declared vengeance
against the policeman. The latter had,
however, been gotten out of the way,
and the mob soon dispersed. The ar
rival on the scene of goodly number
of members Of the Manchester Grays,
who hurriedly left their bazaar when
the alarm was sent down town, had
quieting effect on the turbulent crowd.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
Tho shooting occurred, in the very GEN.
tire of the little suburb of Manchester.
about S:i5 o'clock, when the streets, as
usual on Saturday night. were filled with
people--white and colored. ONLY two
shots were fired, but their sharp ring -7as
heard in nearly every part of the town.
The news that the men had been killed
by the officer spread like a prairie fire.
and in few minutes a growing, seeth-
ing crowd, composed mostly Of negroes,
had gathered at the scene. Every road
and street from the county and Man
chester presented the scene often wit
messed on the occasion OF big fire.
Many, especially the colored people,
among whom were a number of women,
were running in the direction from
whence the reports came, and excitement
was intense.
Immediately after the shooting the
police officer got out of the way, fearing
that there might be further trouble, and
for the purpose of surrendering himself
to the authorities.
While the dead man and his wounded
brother were still lying upon the ground,
the infuriated mob of negroes which had
assembled around them became fearfully
dieJrdesly.- SCnS OF the party shouted,
"Alvisl Alvis!" Find Avis and Kill hlm'
and such other fiendish utterances and
IL was some time before order was re-
stored. Only few white persons were
in the vicinity, and the bowling mob gave
vent to its threats at pleasure.
1t is fortunate that there was no Of
ficer on the scene at the time, for while
loud nd
against Mr.. AlviS II was plain enough
that no special love was entertained by
that crowd for policemen In general.
A PHYSICIAN SENT FOR.
During this excitement some one had
the presence Of mind to try to get a
doctor to the man, who was badly wound
ed, but not dead. Mr.. Eaton 'phoned
from his drugstore for several physi-
clans, succeeding finally in getting Dr.
William Z. Mathews and also DIR. Lewis
c. Bosher, of Richmond. DIR. Mathews
came with great promptness, and getting
grocery wagon from one Of the stores,
had Anthony removed to his home. on
Decatur street, extended. Later another
wagon took the dead body OF Charles
Murray TO the same place.
The spot where the negroes were shot
Is about thirty yards from Morrissettss
Hall, on the left-hand branch OF Hull
street, which divides at this point. In
this turnpike" as 1t is called, just op-
posite the large gate leading into the
rear grounds of Mr.. T. l.. Cersley's store,
the negroes fell and lay until removed
to the house on Decatur street.
Directly after the shooting. before the
crowd fully understood what had hap
pened Mr.. Avis went to the store Of
Squire Charles L. Jones and gave him
self UP. The Justice OF the Peace, fore
seeing that there would be trouble II the
negroes in their excitement found the
object of their wrath. instructed Alyis
TO 20 to the Manchester Police Station.
This the officer did quietly and .unob-
served by the people.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
After peace had again began to settle
on Swansboro', Mr.. Avis was seen
AT the station-house In Manchester, and
talking freely about the matter, told how
the affair happened. He said that about
8 o'clock he received message bidding
him TO come to Mr.. Cersley's store, as
two negroes were very disorderly at that
place. Reaching the store, he met
Charles and Anthony Murray coming
out. Both had been drinking freely. and
were swearing and indulging in the
vilest sort of language. On seeing the
officer their rage seemed to increase,
and both declared that they were going
TO "clean up" the turnpike. and were
not afraid of any id officer on earth.
Avis told them to go away saying he
did not wish 10 have any trouble with
them.
BOTH SEIZED THE OFFICER.
They. cursed the officer again. and then
he told them to consider themselves
under arrest. Both men, as II by COM
mon consent, seized the officer and be-
gan pounding him. Mr.. Aivis said
thew had pressed him so closely that he
could not use his stick and threw II
side. He was nearly carried to the
ground by the weight of both men on
him and when he made a desperate
effort to regain his feet Anthony drew
a pistol on him. Then. fearing that he
would be shot, he drew his own revolver
and fired, first at Charles who was
closest upon him. and then at Anthony.
The elder Murray fell instantly and a
moment later had breathed his last.
Anthony fell almost across the body of
his brother, and lay there groaning. his
clothes stained and soaked in the blood
~ both. Seeing that one was already
dead. and perhaps that the other could
not live, he concluded to give himself
up. For this purpose he. then went to
Squire Jones's store.
ACTED IN SELF-DEFENcE.
The officer, Of course. deeply regrets
hat he had to take the lives OF these
TWO men, or that OF anybody. but feels
confident that had he not killed he
would himself have been killed. He
spoke OF IL calmly. as man speaks or |
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