The Topeka state journal., 1899-03-16
NEGROES
SLAUGHTERED.
Four Killed and Five Wounded
by a Mob.
Shot Down in Prison at Pal
mettO, Ga.
HELD AS FIREBUGS.
Trial Was to Have Taken Place
This Morning.
Victims Begged Piteously For
Their Lives.
Prison Floor Covered With
Blood and Walls Battered.
Prison Floor Covered With
Blood and Walls Battered.
STREETS PATROLLED
By a Large Body of Citizens
With Guns.
State Troops Are on the Way
From Atlanta.

Palmetto, Ga, March lb.-fOur Oeeu
negroes lie in Johnson's warehouse. Be
sides them, groaning in agony, are five
of their race, all victims of an assault
made by white men of this neighbor-
hood at an early hour this morning.
This little city has had two incendiary
fires. which have almost destroyed it,
since January I. 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.
BUD COTTON.
TIP HUTSON.
HENRY BINGHAM.
ED BROWN.
Dying-JOHN BIGBY.
The Wounded.
Glenn Watts. shot in abdomen.
George Taylor, wounded in the thigh.
Isham Brown. shot in 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,
and which is now filled with the dead
and dying is a revolving and miserable
one. Blood covers the floor and black
ened walls are indented with rifle shots.
Wives and children of negroes are
kneeling by their side in the dimly
lighted room and piercing the air with
cries and means of anguish.
The bodies of the dead negroes have
not been removed. The coroner has been
notified of the shooting and will en-
panel a jury about noon Several doc
tors were summoned and spent the
morning working with the wounded.
Mayor Arnold has summoned a guard
of seventy-five citizens to patrol the
streets and warehouse and every citizen
seen on the streets is armed with
gun. The situation is believed to be
practically under control owing to the
work of Mayor Arnold.
The Palmetto cotton mills shut down
on account of the excitement
The mob was composed of $50 men.
where they came from is a 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 is certain. Every face was masked
and when the warehouse was reached
the special guard of five men was COW
cred without a word. In minute more
the mob was in the big warehouse and
the fusillade opened. The frightened ne
GrOes sent up yell after yell. begging
for mercy, but it had no effect on the
mob When it work was finished the
masked mob turned and quickly disap-
peared as it had come, on horseback.
Two fires of incendiary origin have
occurred here this year, one on F'ebru-
ary % and the other five days later.
Fourteen business houses in all were de-
strOyed-
Nine negroes were arrested on sus-
picion and taken to Johnson's ware
house 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 a 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 the
past week to burn Fairburn, the county
seat, and it is reported that the mob
came largely from that town.
Sheriff J. C Adderhead is expected
from Fairburn with a large posse at
any moment. The city is quieting
down. The militia from Atlanta will
arrive about II o'clock, but it is not be-
lieved they will have anything to do.