The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-30
SGENE OF HORROR
Bloody Race Riot Occurs in
Louisiana.
WOMEN ARE BURNED
Fight Is Result of Feud Be-
tween Whites and Negroes,
'OMEN ARE BURNED

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 twenty-five miles
below here, who brought the news that
a race riot had been precipitated between
the whites and blacks Of that section
by the shooting and burning of the negro
Bill Morris. who criminally assaulted and
almost murdered Mrs. John Ball a few
days ago. Several runners brought the
news that numerous white men were
killed, and that the negroes were arming
themselves for the fray. This informa-
ton created the widest excitement, and
q number of men, headed by Sheriff
Branton Of this county and Marshal 7. T.
Ford OF Columbia, all fully armed, left
for the scene of the trouble. kilograms
were sent to Governor Heard of Louis
lana by citizens Of Washington parish,
who were in Columbia, informing him Of
the situation, and an attempt was also
made by Sheriff Ball of Marion county
to reach Governor Longino Of Missis-
sippi. AS the wires were down between
here and Jackson for quite while moth
ing could be accomplished until last even
ing, after tidings had been received from
the scene of the trouble. Then answers
were received instructing the sheriff to
call out the nearest troops if necessary.
It seems q negro named Crea Lot was
really at the bottom of the trouble. 1t
was reported to the officers of Washing
ton parish that Lott, who lived near
Booth, La, was running a restaurant
without a license at a camp meeting, 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 advance and
ready for 1t when It reached Live Oak
church. The posse was about 100 yards
from the church house when ambusned
and the negroes opened fire from two or
three directions. The constable babe his
men pay not attention to the firing, as
it was from a distance. He said all he
painted TO Go was to capture Lott.
When the restaurant, where Lott had
his goods, was reached, the posse was
fired on by Lott and negroes who were
concealed behind the counters on the in
side. The fight became general between
the posse and the restaurant crowd. and
also between whites and negroes all over
the ground.
At this juncture the posse deemed it
necessary TO fire the Lott restaurant in
order TO dislodge his gang. Lott rushed
out when the torch was applied and dis
charged a d0uble-barreleI shotgun into
the crowd of whites. Twenty-Five buck
shots took effect in the side of Joe Seals,
one of the posse, from the effects Of
which he died. \ negro who followed Lott
shot a man named Elliott, one Of the
posse, through the stomach with a IS
calibre pistol. The negroes then tried to
escape, but others of the posse had their
guns leveled and completely riddled their
bodies with bullets. Lofts head was al
most shot from his shoulders. He was
a shapeless mass of blood and brains
before his body hit the ground.
During the fight a negro preacher came
out of the church, armed with a musket.
He was shot and killed before he could
use it. After the smoke Of battle had
cleared away there were five dead negro
men. including the preacher, three wo-
men, two burned beyond recognition, who
persisted in Lofts restaurant and one
child who was with it's mother in the res
taurant and persisted with her.
The fences, trees, church house and
camps were thoroughly riddled with bull
lets. There must have been fully 1900
shots fired. It is rumored that since the
fight one negro has ben found dead in the
swamps and ,severa wounded have ap-
piled for assistance at neighboring
houses. The negroes took TO the woods
ike scared rabbits after and during the
shooting and hardly a one can be found
in the neighhorhood. Sheriff Simmons.
of Washington parish, and posse assisted
by Deputy Sheriff Branton. of Marion
county and posse, were on the ground
early this morning and assisted in burr
ing the dead and taking care Of tia
wounded
Quiet prevails this morning, according
to the latest reports from Bautown, but
4r-f T..