The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-17


ing and put to death four negroes, fa-
tally wounded one, shot another and
broke the arm of a seventh man. Two
others who were of the crowd upon
which the bullets were showered. mi
racupusly escaped. These unfortu-
mates were under guard of three men
awaiting the hour of 8 O'Clock when
they were to have n hearing before 4
Justice of the peace on the charge of
arson. William Cotton, the leader of
the nine men, confessed some time ago
that conspiracy had been entered into
which resulted in two incendiary fires
here in February and on this evidence
the men were to have been tried.
The dead are:
William Cotton, w.
Harrison Hudson.
Ed Brown.
Henry Bingham.
Fatally wounded:
Johf Bigby.
Wounded:
John Jameson.
George Tatum, arm broken.
Isham Brown.
Glenn Watts.
The other two members of the gang
escaped injury. After the inquest they
were turned loose and left ON the train
for Atlanta. The town is quiet tonight
and under the protection of the Capital
City Guards of Atlanta and posse
of well-armed citizens.
The negroes were confined in the office
of the johnson warehouse, a one story
csf.a l,ttI. Il OF ia
from the Atlanta and West Point depot.
They were arrested yesterday, and tied
together with ropes, We're passing the
night under the protection Of three
guards sworn in for that purpose. Their
preliminary trial was set for 9 o'clock
this morning.
About / o'clock this morning, about
twenty men masked and mounted. rode
up to the warehouse and dlsmounted.
Without waiting to announce themselves
to the guards within, they easily forced
the door of the warehouse and second
later stood in the office of the Johnson
Company where the negroes were lying
on the floor around the fire. The guards
were covered by Winchesters, and with
hands up were marched to one side of
the little room and stood against the
wall.
The negroes who were frightened into
silence by the bursting of the door now
realized their peril. Scream after scream
went up from the victims as they saw
the CLEAN of the fire arms in the dim
light from the fireplace. Their appeals
for mercy were unheeded. A short.
heayy-set man. whose features were
completely concealed by white hand
kerchief, acted as leader. He cursed the
blacks into silence for a moment and
told his men to get ready. After looking
at each negro he commanded them to
get up. The trembling, crying wretches,
tugging at their ropes in a vain effort to
get away, obeyed the words of the
mob's leader. A last appeal for mercy
went unheeded and the word: Fire,
rang out in the little room. The volley
filled the room with fire and smoke and
the negroes fell in a heap on the floor
The noise awakened the little town, and
as lights began to twinkle in windows
here and there. IL second volley sealed the
doom of those who were fortunate
enough to escape the murderous fire of
the first charge. As the mob made
ready to depart three or four men with
pistols sent bullets into the PROSTATE
forms on the floor. and inside of ten
minutes after the masked crew had
entered Johnsons warehouse on their
murderous errand, they had completed
their work and were on their way 10
safety ON the backs of feet horses.
Soon citizens began to arrive at the
warehouse, being under the impression
that the guards We're murdered by the
negro prisoners. When the horrors of
the affair was presented Mayor Arnold
telephoned Governor Gambler, at At
lanta of the occurrence and asked for
some militia. He then deputized 10
citizens to preserve Paer, and arming
them with rifles placed them on duty
in different parts of the town.
Daylight in the warehouse revealed n
sickening sight. Blood covered the floor
and the walls were indented with bullets
from Winchesters and other arms.
Wives and children of the negroes to
whom the news Of the tragedy had
spread on rapid wings. knelt by the
bodies of their dead and endeavored to
console the wounded. The cries of the
negro families filed the room and sent
"a shock through the hearers.
Doctors bent over the wounded and
administered to their wants at intervals
until noon, when friends of the injured
came and removed them to their homes.
The dead, whose bodies were horribly
mangled, remained where they were until
shortly after noon when coroners $
jury was empanelled. In the absence of
Coroner Dunlap, Justice of the Peace
Cummings summoned the jury and con-
Quoted the inquest. Olem Watts. one of
the negroes who miraculously escaped
being shot, was the first witness. He
said:
Il was at the warehouse and crowd