The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-26

they heard shot and q 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 to DEATH"
A fair examination of the body showed
this was probably correct.
The municipal conditions here would be
classed as grotesQue normally. to say
nothing of war times. How long they have
existed is a puzzle: but they first became
manifest soon after the arrival here of the
troops Of the colored twenty-fifth infantry.
One of the soldiers became involved in a
shooting affair on the street and was
lodged in the county jail. Half an hour
later a body of companions with rifles
marched on the Jail and forcibly liberated
him, the sheriff being powerless to prevent
them. Since then this harbor has become
the base of operations for a number of free
and easy saloons, crowded night after
night with tackles" and rowdies Of all
classes. One night this week q general
fight occurred in one of the 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 so-called peace guardians" have re-
signed their office, complaining that they
have long been paid in city scrip at the
rate of $50 per month, which is discounted
one-half. A new trio of policemen were
obtained, and these now show signs Of re-
bellion, declaring they will resign. Long
before the war broke out there had been
much talk Of martial law for the town,
1,,,k CT 20 hot toll
There IL little doubt now, however, that
martial law will soon be a fact.
A Serious Situation
KEY WEST, May rs, 9:45 p. m.-What
threatens to develop into an ugly affair,
If not a lynching. occurred tonight, and at
this writing the situation is decidedly seri-
Gus.
A report was circulated this evening that
a marine had been shot and killed by ne
gro from a second story window.
Nobody seemed to know what had become
Of the victim or perpetrator, but the report
has reached the sailors and marines. the
latter of whom were enjoying their first
days liberty since arriving here, and they
formed into two battalions and marched
on to the jail with loaded revolvers.
assured them that the negro was not in
custody. The invaders drew off a short
distance and selected two bluejackets and
one marine to go through the Jail. The
sheriff was powerless to resist and made
no attempt. Twelve negroes were found
in the Jail, but as the identity of the sup
posed murderer was a mystery, the party
was halted. Some of the more turbulent
men suggetesd a lynching of a negro on
general principles, but upon the sheriff
promising to find and produce the assistant
If the story were true, the party left and
secured the town in the hope Of coming
upon their man. There were some cool
heads among the marchers, and they ad-
vised giving the sheriff chance to get out
Kitchen and two other suspected negroes
named Kidd and Spencer. Commodore
Remy, who is in command of all the mill
tary forces, issued an order at 10 o'clock to
have all the marines taken into camp and
the sailors to their ships. Squads of the
men from the camps and ships were sent
out to bring them In. At midnight squad
of seventy soldiers was guarding the jail
but the town was comparatively quiet