New-York tribune., 1901-05-20
MADDENED NEGROES RIOT.
SEEK TO LYNCH RAZOR WIELDER OF
THEIR OWN COLOR.
PISTOLS POINT - POLICEMAN BARRI-
CADES HIMSELF AND PRISONER

CADES HIMSELF AND PRISONER.
sixty-second-st yesterday at noon developed
into n riot. A row about a poker game started
the trouble, and before it was over a crowd Of
excited negroes We're wildly chasing one of their
own color and insisting that he should be
lynched. The police reserves saved him. Four
prisoners and one man who is held a wit
ness are in the hands of the police
The original difficulty took place several
months ago in the rooms of a colored Tam
many Democratic club at No. 226 West Sixty
second-st when George Gordon and John Rice,
two of the members. had words and came to
blows in a poker game dispute.
Yesterday Rice was playing poker in the
clubrooms, when Gordon came in and took a
hand in the game. After about an. hours play
Rice said he would not play any longer be-
cause Gordon was cheating. The two men start
ed to fight. They were pushed into the street.
There Gordon started TO pull razor and Rice
ran away. He bolted into the hallway of n
1athouse No 234 West Sixty -second-st. and
up to the roof. Gordon headed off by
friends of Rice and ran to adjoining house.
He entered this hallway and made his way to
the roof, hoping 10 catch Rice at the top.
While Gordon was looking for Rice. who had
down through another house. he Joined
woman. The two urged him drop the
ing that he would find Rice and cut him or
shoot him. Two or three hundred negroes had
collected in the street
sLASHES HIS ENEMY'S FRIEND.
Clarke followed Gordon TO the street The
latter pulled his razor and slashed Clarke sew
eral times the face and head and the upper
part of his body. There was a yell from the
crowd Clarke dropped. bleeding profusely,
and 1t started for the assailant. Gordon recog-
nzed his danger and headed again for the roofs
the surest place of safety.
He ran into No. 23O in the basement Of
which there is a small grocery kept by COL
ored man named George Gaylan. His wife
called 10 him that Gordon had killed man and
was escaping through the halls Gaylan started
after the fleeing negro with revolver. He
fired several shots up through the opening in the
stairways. and he finally frightened Gordon into
making a stand on the roof
When Policeman Lersner. OF the West Sixty
eighth-st. station reached the roof he found
Gaylan with his revolver pointed at Gordon.
who. with his razor in his hand. stood at bay
against a chimney. Gordon surrendered to the
policeman. Lersner started with him for the
street with his revolver in his hand. He sent
Gaylan to the police station.
RESERVES RESCUE POLICEMAN.
When Lersner appeared on the street with
his prisoner he confronted by a bowling
mob OF colored men, many OF whom cried for 4
rope with which TO lynch Gordon. The police
attempted TO fight his way through,
shouting that he would shoot IL the crowd did
not give way. Little attention was paid TO his
commands. When he found 1t was too hot for
him he pushed his prisoner into a hallway nt
No. 226 and, jumping in after him. locked the
street door. Gordon Immediately started to es
cape by way OF the roofs, and Lersner had TO
run after him and throw him down. The crowd
outside assaulted the front door with sticks and
stones.
In the mean time boy had gone to the sta
tion and told the sergeant that a policeman
being killed in SiXty-second-st. The SER
geant ordered out the reserves. who went to
difficulty in driving the mob away from the
door where Lersner imprisoned and ar
resting three of the rngleaders. With their
help Lersner got his prisoner safely TO the sta
tion house.
The arrested described themselves as
John Delacross. forty-eight years old Of No.
241 West Sixtieth-st.; Charles Thompson, forty
six years old. OF No 226 West Sixty-second-st..
and James Lewis, twenty-five years old. OF No.
225 West Sixty -secOnd-st They were locked up
with Gordon and Gaylan.
Clark was taken TO Roosevelt Hospital in an
ambulance. He is in serious condition.