The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-29
TEN KILLED
IN RACE WAR.
Six Negroes Shot to Death and
Three Burned.
White Man Dead and Another
Fatally Wounded.
AT A CAMPMEETING.
A COlOred Preacher Numbered
Among the Slain.
AT A CAMPMEETING.
Restaurant Burned and Over
1900 Shots Fired.

New Orleans, Oct.29-A dispatch from
Columbia, Miss, says six negroes were
shot to death at Live Oak church, about
three miles from Ball Town. La, that
one white man was killed and another
fatally wounded, and that two negro
women and a child were burned almost
to cinders in Lofts restaurant, which
had been fired by the whites to dislodge
Lott and others who were firing at the
whites from behind the counters. The
negroes have taken to the woods and
no further trouble is apprehended at
present.
1t seem that a negro named Crea Lott
was really at the bottom of the trouble
1t was reported to the officers of Wash
ington Parish that Lott, who lived near
Both, La, was running a restaurant
without 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 advance and was ready for
trouble, when it reached Live Oak
church.
The posse was about 10 yards from
the church house when it was am
pushed and the negroes opened fire
from two three directions. The con-
to the firing, as it was from a distance
He said all he wanted to do was to cap
ture 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 double barreled shotgun into
the crowd of whites Twenty-Five buck
shot took effect in the side of Joe Seals,
one of the posse, from the effects OF
which he died. negro who followed
Lott shot 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 leveled and completely rid
died their bodies with bullets Lofts
head was almost shot from his should
ers. He was a shapeless mass OF blood
and brains before his body hit the
ground.
During the fight negro preacher
came out of the church, armed with
musket. He was shot and killed before
he could use it, After the smoke of
battle had cleared away there were Eve
dead negro men, including the preacher,
three women two burned beyond recog-
milton, who persisted in Lofts restau-
rant and one child who was with its
mother in the restaurant, and perlshed
with her.
The fences, the trees. church houses
and camps We're thoroughly r1ddled
with bullets. There must have been ful-
ly two thousand shots fired. 1t is ru-
mored 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 nearly no one can be
found in the neighborhood. Sheriff Sim
mons, of Washington Parish, and posse
assisted by Deputy Sheriff Branton, OF
Marion county and posse We're on the
ground early this morning and assisted
in burying the dead and taking care o.
the wounded.