Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-17

Four Killed and Five Badly Wounded
By a Masked Mob.

-Four Killed and Five Badly wounded
By Masked Mob.
SHOT DOWN IN PRISON-THE JAIL
GUARD WAS CVERPOWERED
AND THE PRISONERS FIRED
UPON WHILE BEGGING FOR
MERCY THEY WE'RE CHARG-
ED WITH ATTEMPTING TO
BURN THE TOWN.
Palmetto, Ga, March 16.-Four dead
negroes lie in Johnson's warehouse.
Beside them, groaning in agony, are
five of their race, all victims OF an as
sault made by white men of this neigh
borhood early this morning. This lit
tie city has had two inoendiary fires,
which almost destroyed it, since jan
uary /, and the negroes who were shot
down while begging for mercy, lie
where they fell on the bloOd-soaked
floor of the improvised Jail.
The dead are Bud Cotton, Henry
Bingham, Tip Hutton, Ed. Brown.
Dying-John Bigby.
Wounded-Clem Watts, shot in the
abdomen; George Taylor, wounded in
the thigh; Isham Brown, shot in the
body; John Jamison, arm fractured
The citizens are patrolling the main
street of the town and dispensing an
occasional group of muttering negroes,
who seem determined to get some form
of revenge for the slaughter of four of
their race.
The scene at Johnson's warehouse,
where the nine negroes were confined,
and which is filled with dead and dy-
ing, is miserable one. Blood covers
the floor and blackened walls are IN
dented with rifle shots. Wives and child
rem of negroes are kneeling by their
side in the dimly-lighted room and
piercing the air with cries and groans
of anguish. Several doctors were
summoned and spent the morning with
the wounded.
Mayor Arnold summoned guard of
Is citizens to patrol the streets and
warehouses, and every citizen seen on
the streets is armed with a gun. The
Palmetto cotton mills shut down for
the day on account Of the excitement.
The mob was composed of $50 men.
Where they came from is mystery
so far as the people of the town know.
That some Of the people OF Palmetto,
but not the better class, were in the
mob goes without saying. Every face
was masked. and when the warehouse
was reached the special guard of five
men were covered without a word. In
a minute the mob was in the big ware
house and the fusilade opened. The
frightened negroes sent up yell after
yell, begging for mercy, but it had no
effect on the mob. When it's work
was finished the masked mob turned
and quickly disappeared, as it had
come, ON horseback.
Two fires of incendiary origin have
occurred here this year, one on Feb
ruary % and the other five days ago.
Fourteen business houses in all were
destroyed. Nine negroes were arrest
ed on suspicion and taken to john
sons warehouse to await preliminary
trial, which was to have taken place
this morning. Yesterday the leader of
the gang, Bud Cotton, is said to have
made written confession of the guilt
of himself and associates. He was the
first to die in the mOb's bloody work
The negroes of this community have
threatened in the last week to burn
Fairburn, the county seat, and it is
reported that the mob came largely
from that town.
Atlanta, Ca, March 16.-The mayor
of Palmetto, little town % miles out
on the Atlantic and West Point, tele-
phoned Governor Gambler at o'clock
this morning that mob had entered
the little house being used as a jail
there and shot nine negroes. He asked
that militia be sent at once to safe
guard the people. as it was feared the
negroes would revolt and do the whites
harm
Governor Gambler notified Capt. W.
W. Barber, of the Capital City Guards,
to assemble so men and when ready
he would have special train at his
disposal. Capt. Barber sent out no.
tees to his men, but as they had nearly
all gone to their places of business,
it was some time before they were
assembled. capt. BARRIERS orders are
to report to the mayor of Palmetto
and to put down any uprising which
may occur.
Atlanta, Ca, March 16.-Gov. Cand-
Ter to-day issued a proclamation Of
fering a reward of $500 "for the appre-
hension and delivery of the first mem
Der of the mob and a further reward
Cf S100 for oach additional parc0n inn
plicated' in the killing OF the four ne
groes at Palmetto this morning.
The Governor said: Il regard the
outrage as simply inexcusable. These
men had been arrested, as l am in
formed, and proof was at hand to con-
Wet them. The law was amply able
to punish them"