The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-08-03
CHARLES FOUGHT
DESPERATELY.
New Orleans Negro is FL
nally Killed.
SHOT AT POLICE AND OTHERS
From Ambush, Until He Is Burned
Out Four Killed and Many Wound
ed During the ARRAY.
SHOT AT POLICE AND OTHERS

came to an end, the turbulent
lrment yielded and peace and order
were restored.
The early hour of the afternoon,
however, wrought woeful change
in the situation. The desperate
negro. Robert Charles, whose crimes
have caused the terri BILE events of
the past two days, was located in a
Negroes dwelling on Saratoga street,
and in effecting his capture the
lives of fonr more white men-two
police officers and two citizens
were sacrificed.
Charles resistance cost him his
life, and with him was killed negro
companion, who had aided him in
his war on the whites and his de-
f1ance of the authorities.
The fresh violence of to day has
revived the turbulence of the unruly
element and added strength to their
forces. The citizens police force
has been Increased over 1000 men.
All companies of the State militia
are under arms and are guarding the
prison and other important points.
The general belief Is that the force
in hand will be ample to suppress
the lawless element.
Sergt. Gabe Porteus, one of the
best-known officers on the force, and
Sergt. John +. Lally, who has fine
record for bravery, were informed
curing the day by negro that
Charles was in hiding in house on
Clio, near Saratoga street. Deter
mined to take him alive, ii possible,
the officers summoned a number OF
patrolmen to their assistance and
went TO the house where Charles
was supposed to be in concealment.
The negro informant of the police
men accompanied the officers.
Shot From Ambush.
They entered the side alley of the
house and were surprised in practi-
cally the same way as were Day and
Lamb. Before the officers were
aware of their danger, Charles, who
was hidden behind screen on the
second floor of the building, raised
his Winchester and began a furious
but accurate fire. Lally fell with a
bullet In the right side Of the abdo-
men. Porteus was shot through the
head and dropped dead across the
body of Lally. The other officers
and the negro fed.
The reports of Charles Winchester
and the fact that two officer lay
bleeding in the yard created tremen-
dous excitement. Hurry calls ere
sent to the Mayor, the chief of police
and Col. Wood, Ia command of the
special police, and as fast as possible
armed help was rushed to the scene
| In a little while there was an inn
| mense armed crowd circling the
| square in which Charles was located
In the meantime Father Fitz.
gerald, of st. Johns church, was
summoned to administer extreme
JUNCTION to the police officers who
were lying in the alley.
Lad Killed Ply Priests Side.
The priest responded promptly ano
he was amounting the BODY of Por
teux with Alfred j. Bloomfield, 9
young boy. standing by his side
when Charles again appeared at the
window. The lad saw him at once
and begged the desperate not te
shoot him. Charles Immediately
fred his Winchester again and
Bloomfield fell dead.
La the meantime an immense
throng had gathered in the vicinity
and schemes were set on foot to ge
Charles out of the building. Time
after time he came to the window
and, as citizens one by one, entered
the alley, he blazed at them Ii
this manner Confectioner Leclare
who was one of the special police
squad; ex. Policeman Evans, Johr
Banville and George ii. Lyons, eor
of the head of the biggest drug es
tablishment in the South, wer,
wounded.
At this time the extra police begar
to fire indiscriminately at the negro
Just at this time Andy Van kurem
Keeper OF the police Jail, got bulle
In the body and fell dead. Just af
terward H. II. Bait, an old man ageC
sixty. five, working for the Mutua
Benevolent Association doing bust
ness In the vicinity, was hit anC
mortally wounded. About the tim,
Charles was firing his Winchestel
| lnui6CI llnlHdbcly riuhh DOi 1uOOi o
cieyed a shot in the left shOulde
and ]. w. Boil got bullet in III,
right hand.
The House Set On Fire.
Ultimately it was concluded b,
those who were handling the situa
ton that the only way TO get Charle
at all was 10 burn the building II
which he was intrenched.
Some one went to neighborinl
grocery, purchased a can of oil. and
pouring IL over the rear steps, of thu
building, applied a match and sooI
had the building i'm flames. 3,
fieTcely did the fire burn that 1t be
came evident that no human beinI
could live in the building, and pick
ed men from the police specia
squad. members of the soldiery, sta
toned themselves about the build
ing in order to pick off the desperate
as he attempted to leave the house
A young soldier named Adolpl
Anderson, a member of the ThIr
teenth company of the State militia
a -