Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-10-31
BLOODY RACE RIOT
Near new ORLEANS
Eight Negroes Are Killed and
Many Wounded in a Fight
With Whites.
OVER 1000 SHOTS FIRED
Attempt to Arrest an Unlicensed Res
taurant Keeper at a Negro Re-
vival Preclpitates Trouble
One Of Posse Killed.

Columbia, Miss, Oct 31-The town
of Columbia and it's vicinity was
thrown into great excitement yester-
day by several messengers from the vi
clnlty of Balltown, La, about twenty
five miles below here, who brought the
news that race riot had been precipi-
tated between the whites and blacks of
that section by the shooting and burn
ing of the negro Bill Norris who GRIM
inally assaulted and almost murdered
Mrs. John Ball a few days ago. Sew
eral runners brought the news that
numerous White men were killed and
that the negroes We're arming them
selves for the fray. This information
created the widest excitement and
number of men, headed by Deputy
Sheriff Branton of this county and
Marshal T. I. Ford of Columbia, all
fully armed, left for the scene of the
trouble.
kilograms We're sent to Governor
Heard of Louisville by citizens OF
Washington parish Informing him of
the situation and a telegram was sent
by Sheriff Ball of Marion county to
reach Governor Longino of Mississippi.
AS the wires We're down between
here and Jackson for quite a while
nothing could be accomplished until
received from the scene of trouble.
Then answers We're received instruct
ing the sheriffs to call out the nearest
troops If needed.
Origin OF Trouble.
1t seems q negro named Crea Lott
was really at the bottom Of the trou-
BILE. 1t was reported to the officers of
Washington parish that Lott, who
lived near Booth, La, was running q
restaurant without a license at 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 appraised of the approach IN ad-
vance and was ready for trouble When
it reached Live Oak church.
The posse was about 100 yards fran the
church house when ambushed and the
negroes opened fire from two or three di-
rections. The constable bade his men to
pay no attention to the firing, as 1t was
from a distance He said all he wanted to
do was to capture Lott.
When the restaurant where Lott had his
goods was reached. the force was fired on
by Lott and negroes who We're concealed
behind the counters on the inside. The
figmt became general between the posse
and the restaurant crowd also between
whites and negroes all over the ground.
Shot Into the Crowd.
At this juncture the posse deemed 1t
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.SssTwenty-one buck
shot took effect in the side of Joe Seals,
one of the posse, from the effects of which
he died A negro who followed Lott shot
q man named Elliott, one of the posse,
through the stomach with 3S-calibre
pistol. The negroes then tried to escape,
but others of the posse had their guns
levelled and completely riddled their
bodies with bullets Lofts head was all
most shot from his shoulders. He was
shapeless mass OF blood ard brains be-
fore his body hit the ground.
During the fight negro preacher came
out of the church, armed with a muslSet.
He was shot and instantly killed before
he could use It,
After the smoke of the battle cleared
away there were five dead negro men In
Guiding the preacher three women, two
burned beyond recognition, who persisted
in Lofts restaurant, and one child, who
was with its mother in the restaurant and
persisted with her.
1000 Shots Fired.
The fences, trees, church house and
camps We're thoroughly riddled with bull
lets. There must have been fully 1000
shots fired. 1t Is rumcred that since the
fight one negro has been found dead in
the swamps and several wounded have
applied for assistance at neighboring
houses. The negroes took to the woods
like scared rabbits after and during the
shooting and few can be found in the
neighborhood. Sheriff Cummings of Wash
iington parish and posse assisted by Depu-
styy Sheriff Branton of Marion county and
posse We're on the ground early this morn
ing and assisted in buryng the dead and
taking care of the wounded.
Quiet prevails this morning according
to the latest reports from Baltown, but
further trouble is not at all unlikely.