The age-herald., 1899-06-27
ATTEMPT ID CAPTURE JOHN
 SHEPHERD, THE RAPE F|END,
 CAME NEAR END|NCIN RACE RIOT
A Report That He Had Been Seen Near BDOkide Led to the Forming of Armed Bodies of Whites and Blacks
 Sheriff O'Brens Goodness Prevailed.

was sent at o'clock and at 3:35 train load of special deputy sheriffs arrived at the mouth of the tunnell. All of the officers were armed with Springfield carbines and presented formidable sight as they lined up along side of the railroad track.
 In the meantime Sheriff ORear or Walker county came in with thirty-fve deputies and stopped on theother side of the tunnel. The next to arrive was Sheriff Caine of Fayette county, accompanied by his brother and a deputy.
 conference was held by the officers and plan of search mapped out.
 The negro was supposed to be somewhere in Trimble Hill quarters. a negro settle ment.
 The Forces Divided
 Captain O'Brien, accompanied by his original posse. was to go down the rail- road to where the negro had first been seen and cross the mountain. The large posse was placed under command of Cap tain Morson, Troop D, A. N. G., who de- ployed the men as skrmishers and swept the mountain. The Walker and Fayette county posse was to come across the moun- tain from the other side and meet Captain Morson's force at the negro quarters.
 The woods were thoroughly secured. but at late hour tonight the rapist had not been caught.
 John Shepherd is we'll known in this vi-
 
 identifying him. He has a large scar on one of his hands and another triangular scar on his forehead. About 10 o'clock this morning he was seen by some section hands who were working on the railroad near Blossburg. He was walking on the track and asked the negroes if they had seen big crowd of white men. Before the men had time to answer Deputy Sheriff Armstrong was seen coming around a curve, and Shepherd dashed into the woods and disappeared. The news was carried to Brookside and the trouble began.
 It is stated here that the trouble between the white men and the negroes has been brewing for some time and that it broke out afresh last Saturday night when Mar shal Totheraw of Brookside arrested a ne- gro woman for disordery conduct A ne- gro manhwas standing near and protested against the arrest saying that he was tired or seeing the negroes being treated out rageously Marshal Tetherow brought A revolver into play and the negro went away muttering something in sullen tone about the white men. About a year ago some trouble was had between the two races and the negroes formed themselves into a secret order and ordered large supply of Winchester rifles and ammunition The fraternity is called "The Knights of Af- rica,' and sometimes The Mysterious Ten.' ataur
 All of this had been told the officers be- fore starting on the man hunt yesterday. and the least demonstration on the part of the negroes would have brought on bloody fight.
 Every House Searched
 The posse under command of Captain O'Brien was first to reach the quarters. Not house was left out of the search. Even the negro church was thoroughly ran sacked, the officers climbing into the belfry An old negro offered a slight objection to this "desicration" of the church, as he termed 1t, but one look at the array of Winchesters and carbines satisfied him that the proceeding was just and proper.
 The party then returned to the railroad to wait for the other crowd. Presently men could be seen emerging from the bushes in every direction. The whole force soon gathered. but not a favorable report was made. The negro had not been seen At this time there were at least 200 armed men in one crowd, and it seemed as if small sized army had arrived.
 report then came in that the main body of negroes were assembled near Blossburg.
 Continued on Eighth Page)