Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-04-10
Nine White Men Shot by a Des-
perate Negro.
five Others wounded-Nrgro Began Hos.
tilities by shooting tn. sheriff,
Who Had q Warrant for
His Arrest

Hugh Jones of Sheffield, killed.
James Finney, flesh wound in the
arm.
Robert Patterson, shot in the ankle.
Jim Payne of Sheffield. shot through
left lung: seriously injured.
The foregoing represents the bloody
work OF a desperate negro with Win
chester rifle in this city today.
About IL o'clock Sheriff Gassway
went to the home OF VIII Reynolds,
for whom he had warrant charging
him with obtaining goods under false
pretenses. The Sheriff. calling to the
negro that he was wanted. the latter
came to the door. and, remarking that
he would be ready to go with the on
Ger in a moment. stepped into an ad-
Joining room. When he emerged he
had a Winchester rifle presented.
which he fired twice at the Sheriff.
One of the bullets penetrated his bow
els and the other shattered the officers
right arm. After being shot down the
officer returned the fire with his re-
VolVer, but without erect
Intrenched for War.
After shooting Gassway the negro
sought refuge in the upstairs OF the
building. where he intrenched himself
and from the partially hoisted win
dows poured a deadly fire into those
who exposed themselves.
William Gassway. the Sheriffs
brother. was shot while standing be-
hind a tree with a rife in hand. fully
800 yards distant. The negro proved
himself a perfect marksman. and with
nea.ly every shot wounded or killed
the person aimed at
Prout was shot in the back. the ball
passing entirely through his body. the
same bullet penetrating Payne's left
lung.
Finney. n boy about Is years of age.
was shot through the arm while en-
deavoring to get shot at the negro
from a vacant building just across the
street. and Jones. peering from the
corner OF another building, received
bullet in his brain.
The excitement was intense as the
bloody work continued. the citizens be-
ing powerless to dislodge the negro. A
rush upon him meant the sacrifice Of
possibly a dozen lives more. and for
hours the crowd seemea at loss what
course to pursue. The building occu-
pied by the negro was in hollow.
with every advantage in favor of the
fiend. Dynamite was resorted to with
out avail. and. fearing that darkness
would come on and the negro escape.
the Governor was wired to order the
Wheeler Rifles of Florence to the scene
of carnage.
Military In the Battle.
Under Capt Simpson score of mill
tia reached Tuscumbia about o'clock
Taking position behind buildings. trees
and fences, they poured volley after
volley into the windows and all aper-
lures OF the building where the negro
was barricaded. literally riddling the
house. but the negro kept up his dead
ly firing. About dark, as a last resort.
il was decided TO burn the two adjoin-
ing dwellings. and by this means force
him out. Balls OF cotton saturated
with kerosene and turpentine were
lighted and thrown upon the build
ings. both houses being destroyed. but
failed to ignite the house in which
the negro was secluded.
After the destruction OF the two
houses the efforts of the determined
crowd were directed to the building
occupied by the desperate negro, but
1t was not until 9 o'clock that their
efforts to fire the house were success
full. Two or three members OF the
Wheeler Rifles bravely exposed them
selves TO the negro's unerring aim,
and, rushing TO the front and rear gall
leries, poured buckets OF kerosene
upon them, and, dropping burning
balls of cotton on the oil, soon started
a confagration. Hundreds breathless-
ly watched the courageous Inen, ex-
pecting to see them shot down. but
they escaped, fortunately, doubtless.
for them. the negro having taken a po-
sition in an clubhouse while the fire
ragged in the adjoining buildings.
At this juneture Jesse Davis and
Bob Wallace rushed to the east end
OF the burning house, and while the
former was firing through the upstairs
window he was shot through the head.
falling in his tracks, Wallace sharing
the same fate.
Negro's Tragic End
A glimpse of the negro was secured
by scores of armed men as he at
tempted to get out of his perilous hid
ing place, which was by this time be-
coming unbearable on account OF the
intense heat, and in a moment hun
dreds of shots were fired into his body.
He fell dead, never a muscle twitching-
Instantly the infuriated crowd rushed
upon him, fired several hundred more
shots into the lifeless body. piled burn
ing fagots around him and left the
scene.
1t has been the bloodiest and most
exciting day in the history of this city.
and the memory OF the awful expe-
riences will not soon be forgotten.
Men and women thronged the streets
from the moment the first shot was
fired until the tragic end Of one Of the
most brutal, fiendish and desperate me-
groes brought to close the days
events.
Kruger Relatives Pacified.