The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-08-13
GUARD BLAZED AWAY.
MOB OF SOLDIERS TRY TO RESCUE
IMPRISONED NEGRO AT TAMPA
They Shot to Kill and Several of the Shots
Took Effect-..Biacks Had Terrorized
the Town and Several of Them had been
Arrested and Jailed.

Arrested and Jailed.
Early this morning, says q Mondays
dispatch from Tampa, Fla, mob tried
to rescue three negro teamsters of the
regular army, incarcerated in the Jail
here.
An armed guard ordered them to de-
sist, but the mob opened fire on the
jail. A volley was poured into the
crowd from the upper story of the
building and several shots took effect.
The wounded were carried away by
their comrades and the raid was unsue-
cessful.
Another dispatch gives the following
account Of the affair:
Tampa was terronized last night as
never before in its history, and for
hours detachment of the Ninth Cav
airy held the police and county officers
at bay. The trouble was precipitated
by the arrest and incarceration of q
private from that regiment at st. Pc
tersburg, a small town across the bay,
several days ago.
The soldier was arrested by the town
authorities and brought to the county
Jail at Tampa for safe keeping. The
regiment was ordered to leave last
night for Montauk Point, Long Island,
and all were aboard the train when the
memory that one of their men was in
prison stirred his company comrades to
attempt his rescue.
Accordingly, about thirty Of tho
men, armed with rifles and revolvcrs,
marched to the city Jail and held up
the guards and demanded the release
Of the prisoner. They were told that
he was not in the jail, but they made
thorough search before they were
satisfied, and then proceeded to the
county Jail, where the prisoner really
| was.
The jailer had been notified by tele-
| phone that On attack would be made
on the jail, but the soldiers arrived be-
fore any preparations for q defense
could be made. On arrival at the jail
they demanded that the jailer give up
the prisoner, which he first refused to
do, but after the soldiers had fred a
yolley of shots OF the building and no
assistance arrived, he delivered up the
man. .
After getting him the soldiers
marched to the train, firing their pis-
tolls as they went and defying arrest.
In short time the whole city was
aroused, and the citizens were arming
themselves, and by midnight the
streets were crowded, but too late to
do any good, as the train carrying the
regiment to Montauk Point was on its
way North.
The chief Of police, finding that his
force was inadequate, went to the
camp of the Second Georgia regiment
for assistance. But Col. Brown Of
that regiment refused to render any
assistance without the consent of Gen.
Coppinger, who was too far away from
the scene of action to be reached in
time.
Immediately after the occurrence
the sheriff telographed the facts to the
governor, who will make formal de-
mand to the United States govern
ment that the prisoner be brought
back for trial. The affair created an
unprecedented excitement here, and
has had the effect of licensing all the
negroes in the city to defy the law and
authorities.
The Ninth is one Of the colored cav
airy regiments of the army, and until
this outbreak has given the authorities
very little trouble. Tho train was
held in order that the men might eff.
feet tho release of the prisoner, and il
is fairly certain that the officers of tho
regiment were cognizant of the plan
to make the assault OH the jail.
| The State authorities will push the
matter to the limit.