The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-01
A REIGN OF TERROR.
KEY WEST, FLORIDA is HAVING A
HARD TIME.

Murder IL Very Comnon-Bad Feeling
Among the Marines Towards the Negroes
--some Think That tho Oity Should be
Placsd Under Martial Law.
Key West IS suffering from reign
of terror. Two murders were COM
mitted during Wednesday night and
the best citizens feel that unless the
town is promptly pu. under martial
law state Of riot may prevail at any
moment.
The police force consists of three
men with grievances of thsir own,
and with streets and grog shops infest
ed with turbulent jackies, negroes and
and roughs of many classes, the dan
ger to the respectable classes is no
mean one.
In consequence of last nights blood.
shed, Commander ForsyEhs has al
ready askeC for guard OF 25 marines
to protect the naval station and gov.
ernmen. dock, and strong efforts are
being made By citizens to have mar
tial law declared.
Jonn J. Dorsey, reputable machin.
ist Of Mantee, Fla, about 55 years old,
was found dead Wednesday morn
ing in a vacant lot near the Kay West
hotel. Roooery is supposed to ha7e
led to the murder. Charles Wallace,
leader Of q gang Of young Key West
toughs, has ceen arrested charged with
the crime.
Within the past month three SO,
called peace guardians" have re.
signed Office, complaining that they
nave long bean paid in city scrip, as
the rate Of $50 par monsh, which Is
discounted At oae.hslf. 4 new rrio OF
policemen were obtained and these are
now showing signs OF rebellion, de.
claring tnaE tney are suffering und9i
like disadvantages and will resign.
WHAT threatens to develop inIo an
ugly affair, if not ;yncniog, occurred
Wednes..--J 1tgnt, aGEnis writing tna
situation is decidedly serious. a report
Tas circulated EnaI = marine mad o5an
shot and killej oy nsgro. Ens re.
port reached the sailors and marines,
!ha latter of wnon were enjoying
their 6rsE days lloerty sluc9 arriving
here and they formed into Two oaEEal-
Iians and marched 10 rns jail with
loaded reVolgers.
Snerlf KnlgnE nat then at the door
and parIeyed, assurng tnsn tnas tins
negro vas not n custody. Ems IL.
yadsrs drew off snort distance and
selected two blue jackets aad ons ma.
rine TO go through the jail. Tns
sheriff was poTerIess to resist and
made no attempt to do 50. Twelve
negroes were found in the jail, but as
the identity OF the supposed m1rderer
was q myEery, ths party was haLiea.
Soma of tns mora turbulent spirits
suggested the lynching Of negro on
principle, DuI upon the sheriff ptonls'
ing to fad and produce the assallant,
If Ene story were Er1s, ths party Left
and secured the town IN nope OF com
ing upon THAR man. Hls feeling
among tns ''jackias" aad tns marlnss
against the negro population is in.
tease, aggraTased By last nlgats al
tray when Charles Kitchen, also a
negro, killed a SEAMAN. ToeIt re.
7enge will os quite as wall saIIs6ed If
Kitenen can b. Iocaied, and they are
looking for him as well as Tor the
mysterious negro Wno is supposed TO
have killed a marine.
WniIa returning from ths Jail the
party mat ano5ner Jackie" Wao
thought ne could Identity the sup.
posed murderer. Another march on
the jail followed and the maa Looked
over Gne coIored prisoners, pl5 failed
to identity. rnere were soma COOL
heads among the marcaers, and they
advised giving the snerlf caaace TO
5get Kitchen and two otner suspected
Ensgross named Kidd and Spencer.
Tns party eventually dlsparsed asa
Ists hour without further trouble al
though determined to aTenge tae as
asaults and indignities from negroes.
The latter are keeping well under
IcoVer tonight.