The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-26
MARTIAL LAW PROBABLE
KEY WEST SAID TO BE IN THE
THROEs OF A REIGN OF TERROR.
Murders and Other Forms of LawIess-
tiles Unable to Preserve Order.


ders were committed during the night, and
the best citizens feel that unless the town
is promptly put under martial law a state of
riot may prevail at any moment. The police
force consists of three men, and with streets
and grog shops Infested with turbulent
jackies, negroes and roughs of many classes
the danger to the respectable classes is no
mean one. in consequence of last nights
bloodshed, Commander Forsythe has al
ready asked for guard Of twenty-five ma
rines to protect the naval station and gov
errment dock, and strong efforts are being
made by citizens to have martial law de-
clared.
While William Carne, a seaman on the
auxiliary gungoat NORTH, 3 and Vladimir
1chnitSki, sailor of another Gunboat, were
sitting in a Cuban coffee shop last night
Charles Kitchen, q local negro, approached,
bearing a rifle on his shoulder, AMI without
word of warning ne aimed it at the sailors
and fired. One shot struck the Russian on
the back of his neck, inhicting a wound
from which he died at the hospital a few
hours later. A second shot S:azed Carne's
forehead, and as the latter leape1 to his
feet the negro closed in upon him and Leaf
him on the head with the butt of his rifle
until the stock of the weapon broke and the
sailor, lay senseless. The crowd that. wit
messed the affair 1na deEuoi attempt to inter-
fere and Kitchen escaped Sheriff Knight
organized posse and spent the night in
pursuit Of Kitchen. He was found in a lot
early this morning, but dashed into a door
way and escaped through the house and
had not been captured up to 10 o'clock. The
exact cause of the shooting is uncertain, but
IS said to have been Kitchens jealousy of
his wife.
The victim of the second crime was John
j. Dorsey, reputable machinist, of Mana
teo, Fla, about fifty-five years of age. He
was found dead early this morning in a
vacant lot near the Key West Hotel. There
on his face and neck. Dorsey was a man
or FAMILY, and owned an orange grove at
Manateo. He recently came here and Sc
cured government employment. He was
paid Off yesterday, and after paying his
board bill had 81 or S. in his possession.
Following a lively drinking bout in a tav-
ern a few yards from the lot where his
body was found, Dorsey left the place and
was followed by Charles Wallace, a coach
ganization of young Key West toughs
Nothing was seen of the two men until the
body found this morning with the
money gone, Wallace was soon afterwards
arrested. The employees of the hotel say
they heard 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 to DEATH" A further examination
of the body showed this was probably cor
rect
The municipal conditions here would be
classed as grotesque normally, to say moth
listed is a puzzle but they first became man
ifest soon after the arrival here of two COM
"
One of these soldiers became involved in a
shooting affair on the street and was lodged
in the county jail. Half an hour later a
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 a general fight occurred in
one of these taverns, and no less than four
sailors suffered broken heads. The lmpO-
tent 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 resigned 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 rebellion, declaring they will
resign Long before the war proke out there
had been much. talk Of martial law for. the
town. but no steps to this end were taken.
There is 5, little ;u doubt now however that
GAS p. m.--What threatens to develop into
ugly affair. If not lynching, occurred
tonight, ard at this writing the situation
is decidedly serious. report was cir
cslated this evening that a marine had been
shot and killed by a negro from a second
what had become of the victim or perpetra-
tor, but the report has reached the sailors
and marines. the latter. of whom were en-
here, and they formed into two battalions
and marched on the Jail with loaded re-
VOlVerS. Snef1n Knight met lnem at tno
door OF the Jail and parleyed, assuring them
that the negro was not in custody. The
invaders drew off short dis
tance and selected two blue jackets and
one marine TO go through the jail. The
sheriff was powerlesS to resist, ana made no
attempt. Twelve negroes were found in the
jail, but as the identity OF the supposed
halted. Some of the more turbulent spirits
suggested a lynching of a negro on prin-
ciple, but upon the sheriff promising to find
and produce the assailants, II the story
were true, the party left and secured the
town in the hope of coming upon their man.
The feeling among the tackles and the
marines against the negro popuiatlon IS In
tense. aggravated by last nights ARRAY.
when Charles Kitchen, also negro. shot
and wounded two seamen. Their revenge
will be quite well satisfied II Kitchen
can be located, and they are looking for
him as We'll as for the mysterious negro
who is supposed to have killed marine:
IL p. m.-While returning. from the jail
the party met another Jackie, who
thought he could identify the supposed muir
derer another march on inc jan Io!loWed
end the man looked over the c0dored PITS
oners, but failed to identity. Ihere We're
some cool heads among the marchers, ana
get Kitchen and two other suspected ne
groes named Kidd and Spencer Inc party
eventually dispersed at late hour without
further trouble, although determlned 10
avenge the assaults and indignitles from ne
groes. The latter are keeping Well under
cover tonight.
Commodore Remey. who is in command of
all the military forces here, issued an order
at 10 o'clock to have all the marines taken
INTO camp and the sailors 70 their snlps.
squads or men from the camp anu SHIPS
were sent out to bring themlh