The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-29
RACE WAR IN SOUTH
LOUISIANA TOWN SCENE OF
BLOOD. FIGHT.
STATE MILITIA CALLED OUT
Negroes Driven From Building by Fire
and Riddled With Bullets as
They Attempt to
Escape.
(By Associated PreSS.)


Columbia, Miss. Oct. 29.-The town of
Columbia and its vicinity was thrown
into great excitement yesterday by sew
eral messengers from the vicinity OF
Balltown, La, about % miles below here,
who brought the news that a race riot
had been precipitated between the whites
and blacks of that section by the shoot
ing and burning of the negro Bill Nor
ris who criminally assaulted and al
most murdered Mrs. John Ball, a few
days ago.
Several runners brought the news
that numerous white men We're killed
and that the negroes We're arming them
selves for the fray.
This information created the widest
excitement! and a number of men. headed
by Deputy Sheriff Branton of this coun-
ty and Marshal 7. T. Ford of Columbia
all fully armed, left for the scene of the
trouble.
Call For Troops.
kilograms were sent 10 Governor Herd
of Louisiana by citizens of Washington
parish who We're in Columbia, informing
him of the situation. and an attempt was
also made by Sheriff Ball of Marion
county to reach Governor Longino of
Mississippi.
AS the wires were down between here
and Jackson, for quite a while nothing
could be accomplished until last even
ing after tidings had been received from
the scene of the trouble.
Then answers were received instruct
ing the sheriffs to call out the nearest
troops if needed.
1t seems negro named Crea Lott
was really at the bottom of the trouble
1t was reported to the officers of
Voc Oh puto ;S1, o+t
near Booth, La, was running restau
rant without a license at camp meet
ing at Live Oak church, where a negro
revival was in progress.
The constable of the district gathered
a posse and started to investigate. Lott
was apprised Of the approach in advance
and was ready for trouble when it
reached Live Oak church.
Sheriff's Posse Arabushed.
The posse was about 100 yards from the
church when ambushed and the negroes
opened fire from two or three directions
The constable babe his men pay no
attention to the firing as it was from a
distance. He said all he wanted to do
was to capture Lott.
When the restat INT where Lott had
his goods was reached the posse was
fred on by Lott and negroes, who were
concealed behind the counters on the
Inside. The fight became general be-
tween the posse and the restaurant
crowd and also between whites and ne
groes all over the ground.
At this juncture the posse deemed il
necessary to fire the Lott restaurant in
order to dislodge his gang. Lott rushed
out when the torch was applied and dis
charged double barreled shotgun into
the crowd of whites.
Twenty-Five buckshot took effect ir
the side Of Joe Seals, one Of the posse
from the effects of which he died.
A negro who followed Lott shot a mar
named Elliott. one of the posse, through
the stomach with a 3S-caliber pistol.
The negroes then tried to escape, bu
pthers of the posse had their guns lev.
eled and completely riddled their bodie:
S;ith bullets.
Lofts head was almost shot from hi!
shoulders. He was a shapeless mass O.
blood and brains before his body hit tn
ground.