The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-06

DROWNED IN A POND
A Durham Man Sank While
in Swimming.
A Negro Who Was Attending Religious Gath.
ering Got into Watermelon Patch and
Was Filled With Shot
Especial to News and Observer

tSpecldi TO NCWS ana observer
Durham, N. c., August 5.-A white mar
by the name of Beleah Rigsbee wa:
drowned at Christians MILL six miles
from the city yesterday. He and party
of young men went out there to go in
swimming, While in the water he sud
denly sank to the bottom and was drowned
before he could be rescued by his com
panions. Rigsbee was about q years Of
age and lived some three miles from the
city. He had been employed in the Duke
factory fer some time. His body was
taken out later in the day and the inter
ment took place at the Proctor buryine
ground this afternoon. Rigsbee leaves q
father, brother and sister. 1t is said
that he was engaged to be married some
time in the near future.
The Primitive Baptist Association add
journed today after having been in session
since Saturday morning. There was q
tremendous crowd here yesterday. 1t is
estimated that fully two thousand visitor.
were in the city, having come here to
attend the association.
In addition to the white association the
colored association of the same denomi-
nation was also in session yesterday. This
latter meeting was held about a mile
from town. The exercises were all out
of-doors and the colored population for
miles around attended, having come in al
most all conceivable kinds of vehicles.
This gathering of colored people and
the negroes natural love of watermelons
came near resulting in homicide. Mr..
William Fowler lives near the place where
the meeting was held He has some very
fine and tempting melons. The sight of
these soon drew crowd. They tried to
buy some but were refused. Late in the
afternoon Mr.. Fowler saw one of the
negroes who had been to him earlier In
the day get over the fence and go into
the watermelon patch. Mr.. Fowler fired
at the negro and wounded him very
painfully. At first it was feared that the
negro was seriously hurt, but later re-
ports say that he will be all right in a
few days. After the shooting Mr.. Fowler
was not troubled with watermelon thieves.
The board of county commissioners
met in regular monthly session here this
morning. The meeting will last for sew
eral days.
A county teachers institute will be
held here next week, beginning on We'd
neSday. PrOf. +. +. CI9XtOn, OF the oldte
Normal and Industrial College, will hold
the institute 1t will be in session four
days.
The Durham baseball team left this
morning for a trip through the eastern
part of the State. A game was played
at Goldsboro this afternoon. Tomorrow
and Wednesday the team will play in
Newbern and on Thursday and Friday will
be in Kinston. The team will come home
next Saturday.
DR.. E. A. Yates has gone to Mt. Airy,
where he will spend a week on visit
to his daughter, Mrs. ]. r. Green.
DR.. j. c. Kilgo, president of Trinity
College, filled the pulpit of Main Street
Methodist church yesterday morning. This
was his last sermon before he leaves for
London to attend the great missionary
conference, which will be held in Sep
TENDER After the conference DR.. kilgo
will go on an extensive European tour
At night the pulpit of Main Street was
filled by Rev. ]. c. Troy, of Jonesboro
editor of Trojan's Notions.
Hillsboro court convened this morning
and will be in session all of this week.
Several of the Durham lawyers are there
attending court and looking after cases
in which they are interested.