Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-13
SUSPECTS HELD IN STORE
Threats of Lynching Heard oil
 Every Side.

Civilians Form a Guard Around the Store-Will Not Allow Suspects to
 Be Removed-One of Their Number
 Is Suspected of Shooting John Gray Foster Yesterday.
 Shreveport, Ia, June 13.-rne Foster suspects with the exception of Ed wards, the murderer, who is still at large, arc held in a frame store about two miles from Shreveport on the banks of the Red river. Ostensibly they are in the hands of officers of the law; ac- tually they are ill the custody of armed civilians, men from every walk of life, from the farmland to the city mer- chant. The crowd gathered immediate ly after the murder, armed with pistols, Winchesters and shot-guns. Early to- day the mob drew a cordon around the temporary jail for the purpose of pre- venting any attempt on the part of the officials to move the men and women to a place of safety.
 Numerous threats of lynching are made by the members of the mob.
 Houston, Tex, June 13.-The negroes who are corralled at Shreveport were taken from Houston during the winter by negro preacher named Smith, call ing himself Elijah the Prophet" He created a great furore among ignorant blacks by predicting dire disaster and finally persuaded about 200 of them to go to Louisiana in order to avoid death in the prophesied destruction of Hous- ton It was ascertained afterward that Smith who is amo1sg those who are under arrest, was acting as an agent for planters who were short of help and had used his influence as an ex- horter to get the negroes to go with him.
 shreveport, La, June 13.-Later re- ports from the Foster plantation, where John Gray Foster was murder ca yesterday, say a dozen or more frightened negroes are still covering in the Kinnebrew store, surrounded by big mob which threatens every moment to. lynch the whole party. Prince Edwards, the negro who it is charged fired the fatal shot, has notyet been apprehended, however and it is the desire to get him that has restrain ed the mob thus far. Bloodhounds are being used on his trail, but so far as known he has eluded pursuit.
 The mob includes nearly every man and boy for miles around and most of them are armed
 The negroes imprisoned in the store are officially" in the hands of the authorities, but they rea1ize that their real eaptors are the members of the | white mob which has guarded every avenue Of escape since last night, | when the negroes were placed in the store.
 Mrs Edwards is among those ar rested She is quoted as having said: l Prince told the other men to stand | back and he would settle the business. Then he went in front of them and | fired and Fostef~fell''
 The Foster plantation is five miles | east of this city.
 Trouble has been brewing for some | time between the negroes and the over | seers. Foster. thinking he could sue | ceed where the overseers had failed, | started for the negro quarters yester- day. The negroes were gathered in a l cabin, and he was some distance away | when the shot which killed him was l fired.
 The negroes immediately scattered. | All but Edwards were quickly cap- tured.
 Foster was a young man. we'll known a brother-in=law of Governor McMillan of Tennessee and a member of one of the leading families of | Louisiana
 The mob guarding the store have considered lynching all the prisoners. It is. however, awaiting the capture of Edwards.