Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-08-31
a CKETRALIA oFFIcER CON-
PEELED TO SHOOT AN OBJ
sTREPERoUs DARKEY.
JOE HOFFMAN VAS TIE VICTIM.


OANAnAAAAs Aosa Ahk14t Acs-Auc
colored people had . barbecue It the
Centralia fair grounds Saturday and
the AFFAIR passed OF without any dis
turbance until late in the afternoon,
when some Of our local darkies be-
came boisterous ana started q row in
town which deputy marshal Henry
BAldridgs undertook to suppress BY
making An srresk
Joe Hoffman, . powerful negro, who
had repestedly threatened the life Of
BAidridge should be attempt to arrest
him, interfered with the oaicer and
sstsmpted 9 rescue, but Baldridge
locked up his prisoner and then re-
turned to look after Hoffman for in
~terfering. Hoffman, surrounded by .
mob Of negro men and women armed
with cinns and other weapons, de6ed
the ofacsr. But Baldridge Is noted for
his determination and nerve and C
ceedsd in getting Holman Is far ~
the Opera House in front OF skaggs &
Gays where, encouraged by his
friends,who made threatening demon
STATIONS, Hoffman refused to move
and took refuge behind W. A. Skaggs,
whom he held AZ a shield between him
and the oficer, as the same time hAv-
ing q knife In his hand.
Finding all efforts to arrest Hoffman
Of no avail Baldridge drew his pistol
and shot the negro, the ball entering
just about an inch above the nipple on
the left breast, passing through the
upper part of the lung, then ranging
around the ribs on the left side and
coming out near the back, where 1t
lodged under the skin and was after
wards cut out by DR.. Wallace.
After the shot q wild scene ensued.
Women shrieked, and negro men and
women seemed determined 10 wreak
vengence on the o%ficer, who, how
ever, stood his ground, backed by
citizens.
After being shot Hoffman dashed
} through the hardware store Of Thomas
& johnson and through the alley in
the rear, north, then took refuge in
, the rear room OF Tom Wade's new
store, where be sank down. Mean
while Baldridge, after intimidatine
J the mob of negroes, started on Hon.
man's trail, coming around to the
! front OF the store, revolver In hand
i. compelling the now thoroughly cowec
negro TO follow him. But Just as they
reached the sidewalk Hoffman col
Iapsed and fell at full length on the
: walk. Drs. Wallace, Brown and Hamp'
ton administered r~estoratives and ex'
traeted the bullet.
About this time another wild ant
exciting scene ensued. A mob o.
frenzIed negroes gathered about Hoz'
. mans PROSTATE body and shouted de
! ianoe ut the officer and the white
present and q race conflict seemed in
evitabIe, when City Marshal Brown
backed by some Of our leading citi
gems, went into the thick OF the mol
1 Of excited negroes and dispersed then
and Hoffman was carried home on
4 stretcher.
II While the occurrence is deeply de
: plored by ali our citizens, yet, takinI
!, INTO consideration the desperate char
acter of Hoffman, who has for year
defed the officers and has repeated
threatened to kill Baldridge II he eve
attempted to arrest him, with the evi
dence of reliable eye witnesses, Their
is no question bat what Baldridge wa
e entirely ju~stifable in the s~hooting,an
), those who are 30 ready to censur
should put themselves in his plac'
"A Law and order must be maintained
all hazards.
II We do not believe in temporizin
with the lawless element. Mr.. Bald
ridge exercised commendablefo rbeal
ance in not firing into the mob, whic
i'd he would have been ~iustinable
ar doing. The only way to keep II
I'd tough element in check is BY rigl
lie measures and terrofizing. The NOR
re effect Of the shooting viii leave . las
ing impression and command respel
for the officers.
" The negro may die as he is in
serious condition.