The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-21
A Lynching Only Averted By Cool
Headed officers.
CAPT. GRIMSLEYS QUICK ACTION
one of the Negroes Charged With
the Shooting arrested and Jailed.
Many Wild Rumors Last Night
Which the Officers OF Camp
Lee Vigorously Denied.
Reports Contradicted

The first battle of the Spanish war as
far as Virginia troops are concerned took
place between and 7 O'Clock last even
ing in the field west of Camp Lee and
might indeed have proven serious mat
ter in the absence Of the cooler heads OF
the camp.
The parties TO the struggle were several
white boys. who took the role ot the
down-trodden Cubans, a gang OF negroes
were the spaniards in the case and
party of the Virginia troops in the char
acter Of Uncle Sans avengers.
col. o. B. Roller yesterday issued an
order permitting the men to leave and
enter camp at will between the hours OF
6.90 and II O'Clock yesterday evening.
The soldiers toyfully took advantage or
this privilege and IL was as party OF the
troops were leaving the gate that the
trouble occurred.
EXCHANGE OF SHOTS.
The white boys, who had been playing
on the fieid, in some way got into a
difficulty, with some negroes When the
latter commenced % throw rocks at the
white boys, some Of The soldiers, just
leaving camp, took part in the fracss.
The negroes then fired several pistol
shots at the soldiers, but when the lat
ter returned the fire. the negroes began
20 run Two or three of them were over
taken and received a sound threshing.
one negro. however, who seemed 10
have been the leader, took refuge IN
stable near Leigh street. The building
was soon surrounded and the culn1t
taken out.
At that moment It looked rather seri-
ous for the prisoner, but squad from
the guard arrived with arms and hxed
bavonet- and took the negro away from
the soldiers thereby saving him possibly
from lynching. BY the time the squad
reached the camp. they were followed
by large crowd of soldiers and civilians.
A COURAGEOUS OFFICER.
Captain Grimsley, of the Culpeper
Minnie Men. Company 3, Third Regi-
ment. who saw the mob coming, prompt
lv and coolly called out his company ana
his example was followed by the other
commissioned officers, who happened 10
be present.
The prisoner was safely conducted to
the guard tent which was promptly sur
rounded by plckets. The soldiers not
under arms were then ordered to their
tents and the camp cleared OF all out
siders.
Subsequently the negro was, under an
escort OF a squad Of armed men, placed
on a car of the Richmond Traction
Company and rapidly taken 70 the city
to be turned over 10 the city authorities.
He was delivered at the Third Police
station by Major James c. Watson. The
negro gave his name as Joseph Clayton.
During the brief exchange Of shots be-
tween the negroes and the soldiers, one
of the latter said TO be member of
Company T.. Of the Fourth Regiment.
was shot through the arm. He was taken
to the hospital tent and his hurt prompt
~ dressed. His name could not be learn
ed.
MANY WILD RUMORS.
The occurrence gave rise 10 many
rumors of the widest Sort one Of them
10 the effect that a soldier had been shot
TO death, another that a negro had been
bayonetted 10 death by the soldiers, and
yet another that a negro had been
lynched.
A reporter of The Times in view OF
these reports questioned Colonel J. c.
Baker Of the Second Regiment, in re-
gard to the affair but he had heard ho-
thing OF it.
other officers about Murphy's Hotel
lobby stated that they also were un-
aware or such an occurrence.
The reporter then visited Camp Lee,
arriving there as the guards called mid
night. A pass signed by Colonel Roller
and Adiutant Campbell. saw The Times
man through the gate all right but the
corporal OF the guard didn't see the
reason" and refused TO pass him through
the inner lines, saying that everyone was
asleep at the time and It would not do
10 waken them.
Several soldiers standing near the en-
trance stated their knowledge of the
affair. and corroborated the statement
that "A soldier had been shot. but gave
their assurance that nothing further oc-
Cured and that the soldier was not seri-
ously hurt.