The record-union., 1898-05-26
REIGN OF TERROR AT KEY WEST
CRIME RAMPANT IN THE FLOR.
IDA CITY.
A State of Riot Likely to Occur at
Amy Moment-Citizens Ask
for Martial Law.


for Martial Law.
| KEY WEST, May 25.-QO a. m)-
Key West is suffering from a reign of
terror. Two murders We're 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 po-
lice 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 blood
shed, Commander FOrsythe has already
asked for a guard of twenty-five ma
rines to protect the naval station and
! Government dock, and strong efforts
are being made by citizens to have
martial law declared.
While William Carnes, a seaman on
the auxiliary gunboat Morrill,, and
! Vladimir Ichnitski, a sailor of another
gunboat, were sitting in a Cuban cof-
fee shop last night, Charles Kitchen, a
local negro, approached, bearing rifle
on his shoulder, and, without a word
of warning, he aimed it at the sailors
| and fired. One shot struck the Russian
on the back of his neck inhcting a
wound from which he died at the hos
! pital few hours later. A second shot
| graZed Carne's forehead, and, as the
| latter leaped to his feet, the negro clos
ed in on him and beat him on the head
with the butt of his rifle until the stock
Of the weapon broke, and the sailor lay
| senseless. The people who witnessed
| the affair made no attempt to inter
fere, and Kitchen escaped.
Sheriff Knight organized a posse and
spent the night in pursuit of Kitchen.
He was found in a lot early this morn
ing, but dashed into doorway, es-
capped through the house. and had not
been captured up to 10 o'clock
The direct cause of the shooting is
not certain, but it is said to have been
Kitchens jealousy of his wife.
The victim of the second crime was
John j. Dorsey, a reputable machinist
of Manatee, Fla, about % years old.
He was found dead early this morning
in a vacant lot near the Key West Ho-
tel. There were blOOdStains on his head
and bruises on his face and neck. Dor
sey was man of family, and owned an
orange grove at Manatee. He recently
came here and secured a Government
job. He was paid off yesterday and,
after paying his board bill, had 81 or
IS in his possession.
Following a lively drinking bout in
a tavern, few yards from the lot
where his body was found, Dorsey left
the place, and was followed by Charles
Wallace, a cOachman and leader of the
''bOttle gang" an organization of Key
West tOughs. Nothing was seen of the
two men until the body was found this
morning, with the money gone. Wal
lace was soon afterWard arrested.
The employees of the hotel say they
heard a shot. and a revolver with one
empty chamber was found on Wallace.
He denies any knowledge of the kill
ing, but he said to the Sheriff: You
need not be afraid the other man was
shot. He was chOked to DEATH" A
fair examination of the body showed
that this was probably correct.
The municipal conditions here were
to 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 col0red
Twenty fifth Infantry. One of the SOL
diers became involved in a shooting af
fair on the street, and was lodged in
the County Jail. Half an hour later
a body of his companions, with rifles,
marched to the Jail and forcibly liber
ated 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 Jack
les" and rOwdies of al. classes.
One night this week 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 resigned 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 OBJ
tanned, and these now show signs of
rebellion, declaring 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 effect
were taken. There is little doubt now,
however, that martial law will soon be