Evening star., 1899-03-16
Four Negroes Killed and Five Wound
ed at Palmetto, Georgia.
SHOT DOWN WHILE IN PRISON
They Were Under Arrest on a
Charge of Arson.
THE MILITIA CALLED OUT

PALMETTO. Ga, March 16.-Four dead
negroes lie in Johnsons warehouse. Be
side them. sroaning IN agony. are five of
their race all victims of an assault made
by white men of this neighborhood at an
early hour this morning. This little city
has had two incendiary fires since Janu-
ary /, which have almost destroyed it. 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 Bing-
ham, Tip Hutson and Ed Brown. Dying,
John Bigby. Wounded, Glen Watts; shot
in abdomen; George Taylor wounded in
thigh; Isham Brown, shot in body; John
Jamison, arm fractured.
Citizens PatrOIlinE the Street.
The citizens are patrolling the main
street of the town and dispensing an occa-
sional group of muttering negroes. who
seem determined to get some form of re-
venge for the slaughter of four of their
race.
The scene at Johnson's warehouse, where
the nine negroes were confined, and which
is now filled with the dead and dying, is a
revolving and miserable one. Blood covers
the floor, and the blackened walls are in
dented with rifle shots. The wives and
children of the negroes are kneeling by
their side in the dimy lighted room and
piercing the Air with their means of an
guish The bodies of the dead negroes have
not been removed. The coroner has been
notified of the shooting, and will empanel
jury about noon. Several doctors were
summoned, and spent the morning working
with the wounded.
Mayor Arnold has summoned a guard of
seventy-fve citizens to patrol the streets
ana warehouses. and every citizen seen on
the streets is armed with a gun. The sit
uatlon Is believed to be practically under
control, owing to the good work of Mayor
Arnold.
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 a mystery, so far as the peo-
pie or the town know. That some of the
people of Palmetto but not the better class,
were in the mob goes without saying.
Shooting at the Prison.
Every face was masked, and when the
warehouse was reached the special guard
of five men were covered without a word
In a minute ths mob was in the big ware
house, and the fusillade opened. The
frightened negroes sent up yell after yell
begging for mercy, but it had no effect on
the mob. When their work was finished
the masked men turned and quickly disap-
peared as they had come-on horseback.
Two nres OF incendiary origin have oc-
cu[red mere TINS year. one on February %
business houses in all were destroyed
Nlne negroes were arrested on suspicion
and taken to Johnson's warehouse TO await
preliminary trial, which was to have taken
place this morning. Yesterday the leader
or the gang, But Cotton Is said to have
made a written confession of the. guilt of
hlmseif and associates He was the first to
die In the mob's bloody work
The negroes of this community bo--a
threatened in the past week to burn Fair
ptrn. the county SCAT and it is reported
ttat the mob came largely from that town
Sherin j. c. Adderhold is expected from
Fatrhurn with large posse at any mo-
ment.
State Troops Arrive.
The Capital City Guards arrived at IL
0 CLOCK and were put on patrol duty in
oiHerent parts of the town. The citizens
are apprehensive of an uprising of negroes
tonight In an effort to have revenge.
AT noon friends of the wounded arrived
at the warehouse and were given those in
1ured. Glenn Watts, one of those who had
put In the morning groaning loudly. was
carefully carried to wagon and taken
nome. Upon his arrival there it was found
that ne did not bear scratch. John Rigby
is badly wounded and cannot recover.
1ne city is quieting down.