The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-03-17
Son of the Sheriff, Two Police
Officers and an Innocent
Bystander Killed.
GEORGIA MOB'S AWFUL CRIME
Murdered Four Negroes and Fatally
Wounded Another Yesterday
at Thomasville.

HOT SPRINGS. Ark. March ia
shooting occurred here at $40 o'clock this
afternoon which resulted In the death Of
i've men and the serious wouBdlng OF
two others. one OF whom Is not expected
to live. The killed, are:
Thomas Toler. chief Of police.
]. Z. Hart. city detective.
Thomas F. Goslee. police sergeant
Jchn Williams. son Of Sheriff Williams
Louis Hinkle, driver Of a brewery
wagon.
Ed Spears was shot in the neck and
may die.
The shooting was the result Of the feel
Ing growing out OF the mayoralty con-
test, which was under way here. The
sheriff was a warm supporter OF the
Irregular democratic nominee, while Toer,
Hart and Goslee were supporters OF the
opposition candidate. Feeling ran high
and early in the afternoon shots we're
Exchanged in front OF the city hall be-
tween the sheriff and his son John. on the
one side, and Sergeant Goslee on the
lo,her. but no one was injured.
After this both parties determined to
have II out Toier, Hart and Goslee were
together, walking south on Central ave-
niue, when they met Sheriff Williams and
his TWO sons. John and Coffee. and Ed
Spears. deputy sheriff. The quarrel
was renewed. No one can tell who fired
the first shot, but in a moment there was
a general fusillade in which 20 or 50 shots
were exchanged. When the firing was
over Toler, Hart. Goslee and Hlnk,e. a
Inon-combatant, were dead. and John
Williams was mortally wounded. He died
an hour later.
| Louis Hinkle attempted to separate the
Icombatants at the commencement and
was shot in the head and died instantly.
! Inc mayor, Immediately after the
shooting, appointed Judge L. D. Be.dlng
chief Of police, who had a posse Of
I deputies sworn In at once. There IS
little factional feeling outside Of those
engaged In the shooting. order was easily
restored and the city is now quiet. The
sheri1 and his son, Cofey. are under ar
rest and no further trouble is anticipated
The mayor said in an interview at 9
o'clock that the whole AFFAIR grew out Of
the intense feeling on the mayoralty
contest.
II have ordered an the saloons in the
city closed and everything is as quiet as
usual, and there viii be no further
trouble"
Sheriff Williams, in an interview at his
home tonight, said there was an attempt
Ito assassinate him this afternoon by
policeman on account of his friendship
for Belding, the populist candidate for
mayor Williams claims he was not
armed, but that, as Goslee attempted to
.assassinate him, friend Of his grabbed
the pistol and handed the sheriff another
one. Goslee started to run and Williams
fired several shots. without effect. This
occurred about o'clock in the after
noon. About o'clock the trouble broke
out again. beginning with the deliberate
assassination Of his son, who was shot
in the back Of the head and killed
Instantly by the policeman who attempt
ed 10 take his life.
Williams says he was not present until
the shooting had ceased. He then found
that his SON the chief Of police, Detective
Hart and two policemen including the
enc tha; had made the attempt TO kin
him, had been killed. and enc citizen had
been seriously wounded