The age-herald., 1898-05-26
REIGN OF TERROR
 AT KEY WEST Murders Committed and Town May Be Put under Martial Law. POLICE FORCE INADEQUATE To Cope With the Gangs of Turbulent
 JaGkieS and Negroes. VLADIMIR ICHNITSKI A VICTIM Shot By Charles Kitchen, Who Made His Es- cape Commander Forsuhe Has Asked for Marines to Protect Naval Station
 and Government Dock.

Key West, May 25.-Key West is suffer- ing from reign of terror. Two murders were committed during the night and the best citizens feel that unless the town is promptly put under martial law state of riot may prevail at any moment.
 The police force consists of three men, with streets and greg shops infested with turbulent tackles, 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 already asked for guard of twenty-five marines to pro- tect the naval station and government dock and strong efforts are being made by citizens to have martial law declared
 While William Carne, seaman on the auxiliary boat Morrill,, and Vladimir Ichnitski, sailor of another gunboat, were sitting in a Cuban coffee shop last night, Charles Kitchen, local negro, approached bearing d rifle on his shoulder, and without a word of warning aimed at the sailors and fired One shot struck the Russian in the back of his neck, inflcting wound from which he died at the hospital a few hours later A second shot grazed Carne's fore- head and as the latter leaped to his feet the negro closed in upon him and beat him m the head With the butt of his rifle until the stock of the weapon broke ana the sailor lay senseless. The crowd that Wit messed the affair made no attempt 10 iiltef- fere and Kitchen escaped.
 Negro Again 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 doorway, escaped through the house and had not been cap tured up to 10 o'clock. The exact cause of the shooting is uncertain, but 1t is said to have been Kitchens jealousy Of his wife The victim of the second crime was John J. Dorsey, reputable machinist, or Manatee, Fla. about 55 years old. He was found dead early this morning in va cant lot of the Key West hotel. There were boodstains on his head and bruises on his face and neck. Dorsey was man of family and owned an orange grove at Manatee. He recently came here and se- cured "a government job H was paid off ysterday and after paying his board had $7 or $8 left. After drnuking bout in a tavern few yards from the lot where his body was found, Dorsey left the place and was followed by Charles Wal lace, a coachman and leader of the bot tie gang an organization of young Key West toughs. Nothing was seen of the two men until the body was found this morning, with the money gone. Wallace was soon afterwards arrested.
 The employees of the hotel say they heard a shot and a revolver with one empty chamber was found on Wallace. He de- nies 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 correct.
 The Municipal Conditions
 The municipal conditions here would be classed as grotesque normally to say notn- ing of war times. How long they have ex- isted is a puzzle, they became manifest soon after the arrival here of two com panies of the colored Twenty-ffth infan- try One of these soldiers became in volved in a shooting affair on the street and was lodged in the county jail Halr an hour later body of his comrades, with rifles marched on the quay and forclbly liberated him. the sheriff being powerless to prevent them. Since then this harbor has become the base of operations for number of free and easy saloons crowded night after night with 'iackies" and rowdies of all classes. One night this week q general fight occurred in one Of these taverns and no less than four sail- DTS 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 s.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 new trio of policemen were obtained and these now show signs of rebellion, declaring that they will resign Long before the war broke out there had been much talk of martial law for the town, but no steps to this end were taken.
 There is little doubt now, however. that martial law will soon be fact