The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-28
MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RIOT.
TROUBLE ON EAST BROAD STREET
BETWEEN WHITES AND BLACKS.

Tom Cochran, the Young Prize Fight
er, Badly Beaten-PrOmpt Action
of the Police Scattered the Crowd
and Prevented Further Difficulty.
Three of COchrnn's AssaIlants En-
dcaVored to Escape on a Street
Car, hut II. L. West and samuel
Lewis Arrested-Nest an officer of
the COIOred Military.
Say aunah came near having a small sized
riot of its own yesterday, Tom Cochran.
a young white man, was set upon and
badly beaten by several negroes on East
Broad street near the Plant System depot.
A large crowd gathered outnumbering the
whites ten to one, aud preventing Coch-
rams friends from interfering in his be-
half. Things looked pretty squally for
time, but The prompt arrival of Lieut.. ReiI-
ly win a squad Of police soon scattered
the crowd and restored order.
Cochran is the young man who has
gained considerable reputation for himself
as middleweight prize fighter. He is now
employed at the Plant System blacksmith
shop. He became involved in some diff
Guilty with a negro in The neighborhood of
the shops and chased the man out of the
yards, and on 10 East Broad street. At
the corner Of Liberty street lane Cochran
was set upon by half dozen negroes and
badly beaten. Several white men, who at
tempted TO 80 to his assistance, were pre-
vented by the crowd, which gathered
around and shut them out from getting TO
the combatants
a message was sent to police headquar-
tiers from The Plant System depot that
there WAS about to be a riot on East
Broad street, and that squad of police
was needed at once Lieut. Reilly was at
the barracks when the message was re-
ceived. Accompanied by Detective Scully,
Policemen Collins and Christie and Flee
trician Claiborne, he hurried TO the scene
in the patrol wagon. Detectives Barrett
and Shea and Policemen Lang aud Suili-
van, the latter Of the Plant System force.
also responded to the call. The crowd
scattered right and left as the police ar
rived. A street car was passing south at
the time, and three of Cochrans assaii-
ants, thinking this would be a shrewd
move for them, boarded the car. They
were not quite quick enough, however,
and Lieut.. Reilly was soon in pursuit of
the car with the patrol wagon. Although
conductor, who was on the rear platform
gazed stupidity at the pursuing policemen
and allowed the car 10 proceed. A stop
was made a switch in the neighborhOod
of Hall street. and the police, some on
foot and some in the wagon, caught up.
The three men, who had participated in
the row, left the car, and one succeeded in
escaping but the other two were caught.
At the barracks the prisoners gave their
names as r. L. West and Samuel Lewis
West is a Lieutenant of the Colquitt Blues
one of the colored infantry companies
and was a one time captain of the Lone
ordered disbanded. The police do not give
West a good name. II was his company
the Lone Star Cadets which had a col
ision with the police at Liberty and East
Broad streets on the occasion of an in
spection of the company by Lieut. Sat
terlee several years ago. Both men de-
cllned to talk about the affair.
Cochran's other assailauls escaped in
the crowd. Cochran was badly bruised
about the face, but he is used to rece!v-
ing hard blows and was not knocked out.
He was able to walk TO the police bar
racks, where he made charges against
the two prisoners, and then went to his
home on Gordon street near East Broad
Charges Of assaulHng and beating Coch-
ran and of riotOus conduct on the streets
We're entered against the prisoners
The neighborhood of Liberty and East
Broad streets is a favorlte one with the
colored population, and there is usually d
large crowd there Sunday afternoons Had
il not been for the prompt action of the
police. the row might have assumed more
serious proportions, and bad blood engen-
dered, which might have led TO further
trouble.