The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-16
HAVING A WATERMELON FEAST
In One of the ShaCks When
Strikers Crept Up
AND FIRED THROUGH WINDOWS
The Dead Negro Was from Atlanta, and
Among Those the Company Has =
Been Importing to Take
Strikers Places
AND FIRED THROUGH WINDOWS

The second outbreak at Ishkooda between
the striking miners and the negroes who
came last night when a party of the new
comers were fired upon from ambush by
the strikers.
One negro was killed outright and an
other was fatally shot. Two more sus-
tained slight injuries. This was the result
of the first outbreak. Firing was heard in
other localities, but the darkness and the
rugged country prevented thorough in
vestigation. Some of the deputies think it
probable that other wounded negroes will
be found when daylight comes.
The name of the negro who was killed is
not known. The assistant superintendent
of the mines either did not know or did not
care to tell the dead mans name. Outsd-
ers stated that he was an Atlanta negro.
1t is said that the imported negroes have
been coming in so fast that 1t was impos-
sible for the company to keep track of their
names. They were paid off every night
when through work.
Having Watermelon Feast
The party of negroes who were fred upon
were in "double" house situated 200 yards
from the track of the Louisville and Nash
Vile railroad and surrounded by a dense
thicket. There were fifteen or twenty in
the rooms and they were eating water
melon after finishing supper. At the time
the shooting occurred two of them were
running a race on a wager to decide who
could eat the most melon in given
time.
The attacking party crept up to the
house and fired at the merrymakers
through the wide open windows.
The dead negro was standing near a win
dow at the time of the shooting, and fell to
the ground, his face being shot to pieces
with large square shot or buckshot. He
also has wound in the left arm, apparent
ly made by a Winchester rifle ball. After
falling from the window the man crawled
under the house, and was there found by
the deputies. AT the first volley the water
melon feast broke up in wild disorder, and
the negroes came pouring out of the door.
AS they reached the outside another volley
from the unseen guns met them, and three
more fell. The others escaped to the woods
From the wounds of the injured Winches-
ter rifles, shotguns and pistols were evil
IDENTIFY used. A posse of deputies, who are
stationed at Ishkooda under command of
Deputy Waldrop, hurried to the place, but
could get no trace of the assassins. Short
ly afterwards volley of shots was heard
in another quarter, and a detail was sent in
that direction. They reported that no one
was hurt. and that some unknown persons
had fred in the negro houses
Persons living at Ishkooda believe the
shooting was done by union negro miners,
who have borne i'll feeling against the new-
comers ever since their arrival.
Result of Plot
The shooting was evidently the result of
a plot The theory is that the strikers
thought by firing into one house they would
frighten all of the strange negroes away.
The news reached Birmingham through
message to Sheriff O'Brien from Deputy
Waldrop, who has been stationed at Ish-
kooda since the trouble first began.
Engine No. SO2, in charge of Engineer
Snitzer, was called out, and force of
eight deputies, under command of Deputy
Sheriff George Courson, was carried to Ish-
kooda in fifteen minutes.
few shots were heard after the special
arrived. but there were no serious results.
The train was met by the assistant SUPER
intendent of the mines and Deputy Wal
drop. Deputy Courson later returned to
the city.
He brought a message to Sheriff O'Brien
from the mine officials asking for blood
hounds. BY recent action of the board of
revenue support of the dogs was cut off and
the sheriff was. of course, unable to COM
ply with the request.
There are now sixteen officers on duty.
They have been deployed in six squads and
are keeping q close watch for armed bodies