The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-27
One Negro Shoots and Kills
Another at ForestviIle.
THE MURDERER AT LARGE
TOM DUNN STAYS WILL KELLY
Alta CHURCH FESTIVAL.
ME OFFICERS SEARCHING NOW
Those Who Saw the Killing Were Afraid to
Arrest the Slayer and He Boosted
Afterwards of Having Killed
His Man,

Afterwards of Having Killed
His Man.
F. Forestville, N. O., July 26.-(Staf cor
respondence) THE entire neighborhood
here is aroused at the startling state OF
affairs in this section, which reached its
erowning point of unendurableness Sat
urday afternoon, when Tom Dunn, a
desperate mullatto from Neuse, murder
sd in cold blood, a bold. reckless negro,
win Kelly. from Wake Forest.
The story of the murder is a STRANGE
sac in that the motive for the deed is
el0uded in mystery, and no one offers a
lplausable reason why the murderer
would have engaged in the conflict. as
he only slightly knew the man who was
90 suddenly sent into eternity.
Saturday was 'festible" day here, and
ali day long the negroes from miles
around, who had gathered shortly after
service, rowed and fused, enjoying in
the usual way the annual picnic of the
colOred Baptist church of this town.
Will Kelly, who is well known in
Wake Forest, having served the students
OF the college there for several years,
and bravely assisted in fighting the
flames in what might have been a dis
2strous fire there some time ago, arrived
early at the picnicing scene, and had
mo idea other than to have great, glori-
OHs day in his own peculiar way. He
had not been drinking, but was in q
most HILARIOUS mood. and after seeking
his friends, began TRADE of oaths
more violent than one could expect from
a human being on the day of his death.
He did not direct his remarks to any
enc in particular, but in a promiscuous
fashion, melted out to every object his
Rique in the basest and vilest words con-
Geivable.
damn God and the church," he said
rs he stood on the steps of the sacred
edifce. Il don't give a damn for re-
Egion, and ! amt er goin' to git none"
Thus he ran along in his cursings, little
dreaming of the possibility Of the day
uroving such an eventful one for him.
Shortly after Kelly appeared on the
scene, a fresh, hot-headed and desper-
ate character Tom Dunn. Of Neuse. ar
rived, tanked up with the meanest Ii
quor to be found in a Neuse River still.
Dunn had not known Kelly more than
rs passing acquaintance, and the two
men were thrown among associates of
different qualities, either of which might
have been considered a pernicious mob.
The crowd attending the picnic was
bOisterOus and loud, and when the morn
ing mail arrived from Raleigh, Kelly,
who was leader in the crowd of bigots,
hailed a passenger to know what SEN
tence had been passed ON Tom Terry,
the negro who murdered John Gill, at
Wake Forest. The passenger told Kelly
that the murderer got only four months
GA the county roads. and this brought
forth from Kelly another TRADE of ours
es. '"Ehat's damn good,' was Kelly's
reply. well kill some more of these
Co D. black-guards."
The afternoon passed quietly until late
IN the day game of base ball was
pulled off between Wake Forest and
and as usual disputing, row.
ing and fighting was in order. Tom
Dunn played in the ball game, and his
general conduct was not such as to prom
Ese peace on earth.
WIN Kelly was getting louder than
efecrim bus merriment, and began guying
E0ffent ones in an aggravating manner.
He became quite troublesome, and Len
Hicks, a negro from the Falls of Neuse,
resented something said by the Wake
Forest man, in regard to his belt. Kelly
made fun of the hat worn by Hicks,
calling it two CENTER" and then the
two mixed. Hicks friends parted the
and plead with their COM
panion to come away. just at this mo-
ment Tom Dunn stepped out of the
door of near by house and called to
Hicks: Don't go no where; you amt
going d STEP" and with this Dunn
rushed out to join in the scrap.
Kelly had said nothing to Dunn pre-
vious to this, but now the responsibility
Of the fight shifted. Hicks jumped the
game and became a back number, and
Kelly rushed at Dunn holding two large
stones in his hand ready to throw them.
'Stand back; don't come any nearer;
IL you do I'll shoot you," Dunn yelled.
But Kelly continued to advance and
Dunn placed his hand on his pistol and
pointed the gun at the aggressor. AT
this time DIR. Solomon Holding, of Wake
Forest, who was out driving with lady
friend, reached the place, and called from
mis- buggy telling the man not to shoot,
that it would brighten his horse. Dunn
waited long enough for the buggy to
draw by, and then in answer to Kelly's
words, "Now you've got it out, you've
got to shoot" leveled the gun and fired
the shot which sent Kelly into another
world. The ball entered the mans
body about an inch and a half to the left
Of the navel.
The terrified witnesses to the fight
were so filled with CONSERVATION that
they little thought of the crime committed
by Dunn as he slowly walked away,
swinging his 3S-calibre pistol by the
trigger with his first finger.
Not long, however. after the murder
was committed, the news reached Deputy
Sheriff Ernest Raines at Wake Forest,
and soon he was following the murderer,
but in vain. The deputy sheriff at Neuse
was telegraphed to watch the murderer's
nome, but he failed in his attempt to
cut-wit the desperate.
There are many theories afloat here
as to where the man may be. Some lay
stress upon his words spoken some time
ago in regard to Georgia, but after
II n