The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-26
MARTIAL LAN NEEDED
To Keep Order in the Wild
and WooIIy Key West.
ROBBERY AND SLAUGHTER
Are Rampant = Only Three
Policemen in Town.

Key West, May 25-Key West is suf-
fering from reign of terror Two muir
ders were committed during the night. and
the best citizens feel that unless the town
is promptly put under martial law. state
Of riot may prevail at any moment
The police force consists Of three men,
and with streets and grogshops infested
with turbulent tackles. negroes and
roughs of many classes. the danger to the
respectable classes is no moan one.
In consequence of last nights bloodshed
Commander Forsythe has already asked
for a guard of twenty five marines to pro-
tect the naval station and government
dock, and strong efforts are being made
by citizens to have martial law declared.
While William Carnes, a seaman on the
auxiliary gunboat Morrill,, and Vladimir
Ichnitski, sailor Of another gunboat
were sitting in Cuban coffee shop last
night, Charles Kitchen, local negro, ap-
preached, bearing a rife on his shoulder,
and without word of warning he aimed
at the sailors and fired. One shot struck
the Russian on the back OF his neck, in
aicting a wound from which he died at the
hospital few hours later. second shot
grazed Carnes' forehead, and, as the lat
ter leaped to his feet. the negro closed in
upon him and beat him on the head with
the butt of his rife until the stock of the
weapon broke and the sailor lay sense
less. The crowd that witnessed the af-
fair made no attempt to interfere, and
Kitchen escaped.
Sheriff knight organized posse and
spent the night In pursuit Of Kitchen.
He was found in lot early this morning,
but dashed into a doorway, escaped
through the house and had not been cap
tured up to 10 o'clock.
The exact cause for the shooting is I'M
certain, but is said to have been Kitchens
jealousy of his wife.
The victim of the second crime was
John ]. Dorsey, a reputable machinist of
Manetto, Fla, about 90 years of age. He
was found dea early this morning in
vacant lot near the Key West hotel.
There were bloodstains on his head and
bruises on his face and neck Dorsey was
a man of family and owned an orange
grove near Manetto. He recently came
here and secured job. He was paid off
yesterday, and after paying his board bill
had seven or eight dollars in his posses
sion.
Following a lively drinking bout in
tavern few yards from the lot where his
body was found. Dorsey left the place
and was followed by Charles Wallace. a
coachman and leader of the bottle gang"
an organization of young Key West
toUghs. Nothing was seen Of the two
men until the body was found thi MORN
ing, with money gone. Wallace was soon
afterwards arrested.
The employees OF the hotel say they
heard a shot. and revolver, with one
empty chamber, was found on Wallace.
He denies any knowledge OF the killing,
but he said to the sheriff;
''You need not be afraid the old man
was shot He was choked 10 death"
further examination of the body
showed that this was probably the case.
The municipal conditions here will be
classed as grotesQue normally, to say
nothing of war times. How long they
have existed Is puzzle. but they first be-
came manifest soon after the arrival here
of tw accompanies OF the oolored Twenty
fifth infantry. One of these soldiers be-
came involved in a shooting affair on the
street and was lodged in the county Jail
Half an hour later a body Of his COM
rades. with rifles, marched on the jail and
forcibly liberated him, the sheriff being
powerless to prevent them. Since then
this harbor ha become the base OF oper-
atoms for a number Of free-and-easy sa-
looms, crowded night after night with
tackles and toughs OF all classes. One
night this week q general fight occurred
in one of these taverns and no less than
four sailors suffered broken heads. The
impotent police force Of three men saw
the whole affair. but OF course could DO
nothing. Within the past month three
officers. called peace guardians" have
resigned Office. complaining that they have
long been paid in city scrip, at the rate
fifty dollars per month, which is dis
counted one-hslf. A new trio of police
men were obtained and these now show
@@O%@S<@ %S@@S@%