Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-08-04
WITH A RIFLE IN HIS HAND.

ROBERT (HARLEs, coloreo, charged
with killing Captain DAY and Patrol
man LAMB and badly wounding officer
MORA died game Friday, July 27sh, in
the city OF New Orleans, La.
The city had been virtually turned
over to an irresponsible mob and
CHARLES knew what to expect il he
was taken alive.
Sipgle-hsnded and alone, but armed
with Winchester rife, which he fred
with deadly accuracy, he defied the
entire police-force OF the city, backed
as it was by twenty thousand infuriat-
ed citizens.
1t seems that upon learning that
CHARLES was in house on Clio Street,
near Saratoga Street, the officers en-
tered the side alley Of she house.
LALLY was shot in the abdomen and
PoRTEUs in the head. The other ofic-
ers and the colored man, who betrsy-
ed CHARLES, ran as fast as their legs
could carry them ALFRED J. BLOOM
FIELD, said to be young boy was shot
dead.
1t was decided to smoke CHARLES
out and the building was soon in
flames. LECLBRE, one Of the leading
confectiOners of the city was fatally
shot also ex-PolicemAn EVANS, JOHN
BAsvILLE, GEoRaR II. LIONS, ANDY
VAN KUREK, 81. III. BALL and FRANK
BERTURRE and ]. w. BCFn wounded.
With smoke and fire on every side
yet grasping his trusty rife he left the
building, receiving ss he did 80 q bull
let in his breast. A moment later, he
knew no more, dying in the midst of
his enemies.
Soon thereafter, the mob exhibited
lite rage by firing int his body and
certain fendish members of it stamped
his face into an unacceptable mass
of bleeding flesh.
Others wanted TO burn the body.
But RoBRRr CHARLES had passed be-
yond the portals of human injury. His
soul had returned to the God who
gave it. His enemies could not do
otherwise than admire his intrepid
bravery. He lived like colered man
and died like . white one.
We do not know as to the merits or
dement's OF the charges against him.
1t is said that the ffisers, whom he ia
charged with killing attempted to ar
rest him when he had committed no
crime.
Suffice it to say that he set an exam
pie which every colered man in the
Southland should initiate. When we
are assaled by lswless mobs, backed
up by the officials, who are in league
with them; we should initiate the
white man TO the extent OF selling our
lives as dearly as possible.
Death had no terrors for ROBERT
CHARLES. Bold and defiant to the
last he fought ali corners, and only
yielded up his life when his finger
could no longer pull the trigger.
To have surrendered to the officers
of the law would have been TO place
himseliin the hands of q bowling mob.
who would no doubt have mutiiiated
and burned him
Colored men, we should be respect-
full to white people, observant of the
law and industrious in our daily life !;
but greater than this, we should De
manly and courageous. The world
hates 9 coward and admires q champ
ion.
Will the colored men of the United
States understand this? Will they
meet death fearlessly as they have
done on the battIetields? II they will.
respect will come to them in civil life,
even as it has shOne upon their ban
ners during the DAYS of war.
Live uprightly aud die game. Oh,
for q Thousand Robert CHARLES
throughout the Southland