The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-29
WHITE MAN SHOT TO DEATH
ANOTHER WOUNDED " THE sT0M-
ACH AND MAY NOT RECOVER.
At Least Two Thousand shots Ex-
changed Between "a Posse aud
Negroes at n Revival.

COLUMBIA. Miss. oct. 29.-The town OF
Columbia and its vicinity was thrown into
great excitement yesterday by several mes
sengers from the vicinity of Balltown. La.
about twenty-five miles below here. who
brought the news that a race riot had been
precipitsted between the whites aud blacks
of that section by the shooting and burn
ing Of the negro. Bill Morris. who GRIM
inalIy assaulted and almost murdered Mrs.
John Ball 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 in
and number of men. headed by Deputy
Sheriff Branton. of this county. and Mar
shal T. T. Ford. of Columbia. all fully
armed, left for the scene of the trouble.
kilograms were sent to Governor Heard.
Of Louisiana, 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 coun-
ty. 10 reach Governor Longino OF Mssis-
sippi. AS the wires were down between
here and Jackson for quite a while -nolhll.x-
could be accomplished until last evening.
after tidings' had been received from the
scene of trouble. Then answers were
ceived instructing the sheriffs TO call out
the nearest troops if the situation de-
manded it.
1t seems that negro named Crea Lott
was really at the bottom OF the trouble.
II 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 posse and started to investigate.
Lott was apprised of the approach in adj
vance and was ready for trouble when IL
reached Live Oak Church.
POSSE FIRED on.
The posse was about one hundred yards
from the church house when ambushed.
and the negroes opened fire from two or
three directions The constable bade his
men pay no attention TO the firing as il
was from distance He said all ne wanted
10 do was to capture Lott.
When the restaurant. where Lott had his
goods, was reached. the posse was fired
by Lott and negroes who were concealed
behind the counters on the inside. 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 IL
necessary to fire the Lott restaurant. in
out when the torch was applied and dis
charged a double-barreled shotgun into The
crowd of whites. Twenty-Five buckshot 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 a man
named Elliott, one OF the posse through
the stomach with a SS-calibre pistol.
The negroes then tried TO escape. hut
others Of the posse had their guns leveled.
and completely riddled their bodies with
bullets. Lofts head was almost shot from
his shoulders. He was shapeless mass OF
blood and brains before his body hit the
ground. During the fight negro preacher
came out Of the church. armed with a mus
ket He was shot and killed before he
/ could use il.
After the smoke OF battle had cleared
away there were five dead negro men. in
] Guiding the preacher. three women. two
! burned beyond recognition. who perished in
Lofts restaurant and one child who was
with its mother in the restaurant, and per-
/ ished with her.
The fences. trees. church house aud
! camps We're thoroughly riddled with bull
/ lets. There must have been fully 20O0 shots
| fired II is rumored that since the fight one
| negro has been found dead In the swamis
] and several wounded have applied for
! sistance at neighboring houses The ne
| groes took 10 the woods like scared rabbits
after and during the shooting and hardly
| one can be- found I'm the neghbOrhOod
Sheriff Simmons. Of Washington parish.
! and posse. assisted by Deputy Sheriff
! BraQton. OF Marion county. and posse. were
/ Oh the ground early this morning and
| sisted in burying the dead and taking care
! OF the wounded.
Quiet prevails this morning according to
| the latest reports from Balltown. but fur
ther trouble is not at all unlikely.
| GOVERNOR HEARD's ADNICES.