The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-25
SOLDIERS BENT ON MURDER.
MEMBERS OF A NEGRO REGIMENT
FIRE ON WHITES AT ANNISTON.

They Entrencbed Themselves in a
GulIy and shot at All the White
Men Who Passcd-Lnter They Fire
ON Squad of Provost Guards-A
White Soldier shot and Stabbed.
One Negro Killed and Two Fatally
Wounded.
Admission, Ala, Nov 24-Members of the
Third Alabama Regiment (negro), with
murder in their hearts. caused great excite
ment here tonight.
Shortly after dark Private GRdhart
Company b, Second Arkansas, while going
toward his regimental camp from town,
was shot in the head by a negro soldier,
who also stabbed him in the back. Gid
hart was taken to the vegimental hospi-
tai.
little later member of the Fourth
Kentucky was shot on Walnut street by
negro soldiers, who lay in a gully shoot
ing at the white men who passed.
Firing was heard in Liberia, the negro
quarter of the city, which is not far from
Walnut street. and a squad of provost
guards went to investigate.
As it turned the corner of Fifteenth and
Pine streets a large crowd of negro sol
diers without warning. opened fire upon
the guard with springfelds, the gun in
use in the regiment.
The guard returned the fire, but had
few cartridges and soon had to retreat.
Reinforcements and more ammunition
were sent for, but when they arrived the
negroes had disappeared The number Of
negroes in the mob were variously estl-
mated at from fifty to two hundred.
In the engagement Sergt Dodson, Third
Tennessee, was shot in the arm, and Pri-
vate Graham, Third Tennessee, received a
painful, but not necessarily dangerous.
wound in the stomach.
If any of the negroes were shot 1t is not
known, as no dead or wounded have as
yet been found. Two other members of the
provost guard are missing and cannot be
found.
When news of the trouble became known
white soldiers who were in the city gath
cred around the provost guard headquar-
ters and begged for guns and ammunition,
crying like children because their requests
could not be granted.
Citizens armed themselves and repaired
to the scene of battle. Mayor Hight at once
ordered all saloons closed.
Several negro soldiers. one with a
Springfield, which had just been fired,
were arrested in various parts of the
city and locked up, though it was with
difficulty that the infuriated white SOL
diers and citizens We're prevented from
wreaking summary vengeance upon them
Armories of the two local military com
panies were broken into, and every gun
and cartridge appropriated by unknown
parties.
Gen. Frank, who is in command of the
troops here came out and was on the
streets until a late hour.
Gen. Colby, commanding the Second BrI-
gade, ordered out two companies each of
the Third Tennessee and Second Arkan-
sas, and brought them to the city for
whatever service might be required. They
secured the city and carried all soldiers
on duty back to camps.
A member of the Fourth Wisconsin is
said to have been shot, but the report
cannot be verified.
One negro soldier. while under arrest
was shot in the arm by a citizen
After the engagement at Fifteenth and
Pine very few negroes either soldiers or
civilians, were to be found on the streets.
and it was well
Firing has been heard at intervals in
various parts of the city. and rumors
are aioat of several crowds of negroes
in ambush, but all investigation was fruit
less.
A negro soldier was dangerously beaten
.f.sA
this afternoon, and this incident is sup
posed to have caused the riotous actions
on the part of the negroes, who are said
TO have slipped out of the camp through
the guard lines.
Later-One negro soldier has Just been
brought In dead, and another fatally
wounded.