The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-22
THE MURDERON TRAIN
Two Pistols Were Used in
the Killing.
The Testimony Of the Participants in the Cap
ture of the Riolous
Negroes.
(Staff Correspondence

talk of the matter. There has been no
attempt to form a lynching party and it
is felt that the law will be undisturbed.
TWO PISTOLS WERE USED.
Investigation into the incidents of the
shooting on the Seaboard train yesterday
do not change the first reports obtained
in but one particular.
1t will be remembered that after the
six negroes had come from the white
second class coach, where they were
boisterous and singing, that all but Cole
ST., appeared satisfied. He exclaimed:
1--WE are all brothers anyhow and we will
stand together" and made for conductor
w. p. Clements, striking at him. 1t
was at this time that Roadmaster Slew
ers appeared and pushed the negro into
a corner, grasping him by the coat and
about the body The negro got out his
pistol and pressing it against Mr.. Slew
ers head, shot, killing the Roadmaster
instantly.
Here is the new evidence. 1t is that
another negro pulled pistol and that
Jim MITCHELL the colored porter. dashed
in between him and Capt. Clements and
was shot in the stomach. Whether it
was young Cole, or Charles Ferguson, or
another negro who shot is not known. 1t
is said that Jim Mitchell can identity the
man, but it is feared he will die. The
pistol taken from Cole, ST., had but one
empty chamber, so it seems certain that
he only shot it once. No one has found
the pistol from which came the bullet
that struck Mitchell, and unless Cole,
ST., had two pistols and rid himself of
one before being captured, another negro
made the second shot.
AFTER THE SHOOTING.
The conflict was a quick one in the
colored coach, and as it ceased the two
Coles made for the platform. leaving
their victims weItering IN their own
blood in the coach. The noise of the
shots had reached passengers on the
train and these rushed out on the plat
form.
The first to reach the two Coles was
Mr.. C. H. Turner, of Henderson, mama
ger and treasure of the Henderson Ice
and Cold Storage Company. Telling of
his connection with it he says:
81 heard the commotion and ran out of
the smoking car. / saw two negroes on
the platform steps ready to get off.
Some one yelled: ''Grabbed that
man." and 1 grabbed both about their
necks. bracing my feet. The negroes
pulled and 1 felt myself giving way.
\Spme one was behind me and 1 asked
him to help me. He caught ma about
the shoulders and our combined weight
held the negroes.
Some one ran out on the platform with
h. Ixrn
pulled them back on the platform. mere
was a second man there with a pistol
also who aided. The second man was Mr..
Sternheimer. Parties took the younger
Cole and 1 held the older while Stern
heimer got pistol from his pants
pocket. 1t was the left hand pocket l
think He also got a box of car
tridges out of his hip pocket as we'll IS
a half open knife out of a side pocket.
1--WE took the negroes in the coach, cut
the bell cord and tied their arms behind
them, tying their feet to the sides of the
seat The older negro fought vigorously
and tried to get out of the window. An
elderly gentleman in the coach Capt j.
p. Leach hit him several times with
stick, and he was pulled back from the
window.
1.-The younger negroes were also tied
and kept quiet. When put off at Hen
derson the older negro fell and the crowd
closed in on him. He was struck and the
officers had trouble to maintain order.
There were many men there with guns.
The negroes were surrounded by dcpu-
ties and taken to Jail. Later they were
x carried before Mayor Switzerland
Mr.. Isaac Sternheimer, a travelling
man from Richmond, who secured the
pistol from Cole, ST., says:
I'VE had left Norlina about fifteen
..saairruTsS and it was after o'clock. Some
young man ran in the coach crying out:
Stop the train, negroes are numbering a
man in the front coach l jumped with
the others and ran to the platform.
found Mr.. Turner and Mr.. H. E. Nor
man, of Halifax, holding two negroes on
the steps, while these were struggling to
get off, The train was going forty miles
an hour Mr.. Turner was calling for q
gun. / ran back in the coach and got
pistol from an elderly gentleman Capt.
j. p. Leach, ran back and held the ne
.yroes up. / told them to throw up their
hands Turner and Norman pulled them
ND the steps. / took pistol and box
of cartridges out of the big Negroes (Cole,
SRI. pocket Think it was his left hand
pocket. There was great excitement
when we dragged the negroes in the
coach. The older one fought savagely
and tried to jump out of tie window.
We caught him, and cutting the bell
cord tied the men. There were cries Of
kill him. lynch him on the train. The
negroes were turned over to the off,
GERS in Henderson.
TWO NEW ARRESTS MADE.
Neither Mr.. Turner nor Mr.. Stern
hefmer saw any negroes jump from the
train. 1t is reported here that other par
ties saw one get off on the LETT side,
another on the right side Of the train. 1t
is said that these two joined and later
report is from a man who says he saw
them under tree in a field nearby eat
ing a watermelon, and that both had is
tolls.
The three negroes captured, for John
Jones, alias Charley Ferguson, did :.ot
resist arrest in the train, were taken be-
fore Mayor Switzerland and be COM
mitted them to Jail until Monday, when