Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-05-24
LEFT HORRIBLE
TRAIL OF DEA
Seven Killed an6 Six Wounded
Fierce Battle.
FOUR OFFICERS WERE SHOT DOWN.
Efforts 10 Capture Five Desperadoes Re-
suited in Terrible Slaughter Near Atlanta
Two Negroes Filled With Bullets and One
Cremnted In BIaz: Started to Drive Them
From Their Places of Refuge.

Atlanta, ia, Especially -Four white
men and three negroes dead, five white
men and one negro wounded and an en-
tire block of buildings burned. is the re-
suit OF 4 conflict here between the police
and blacks.
William Richardson, who is believed to
have been hall Indian and half negro,
the owner OF a store on Mcdaniel street.
in the suburbs OF Atlanta. called Pitts
burg. and four other negroes brought on
trouble by resisting arrest and defying
the officers.
The officers attempted to arrest five
negroes suspected of having almost ia
tally beaten former Policeman S. A. Ker-
lin. The negroes resisted arrest by in
trenching themselves in house, and the
fight resulted
As soon as information of the fight
between the negroes and uie police
reached the city. wagonloads of police
men, heavily armed. were hurried to the
scene OF action, and Governor Gambler
ordered ont a detachment of the State
militia.
from Sheriff Nelms of Fulton county,
advising calmreSs on the part of the
crowd. and the efforts of the officers
thereafter were directed toward controll-
ing the temper of the white men who
were walking the streets of the suburb
with drawn weapons.
AT midnight County Policeman Col
den heard that kerlin's five assailants
were in house on Mcdaniel street. He
secured warrant for their arrest Of
ficers Golden lumbar and Cheshire. ac-
companied by number of Kcrlin's
neighbors, including Owen Heard, start
ed for the hiding place of the FIVE ne
groes, arriving at 80 A. NJ.
The house was dark but as the Of
fcers approached the inmates opened fire
and Owen Heard fell The house was
surrounded by the posse who waited for
daylight before making another advance.
AT 9 A NJ the officers approached the
house and called upon the negroes to sur
render. The answer WAS yolley OF
shots. County Officer Battle was in
stantly killed. The attacking party re-
treated some distance and from behind
trees and telegraph and trolley poles be-
gan firing into the store. In few min
utes the door of the house was thrown
open and William King ran out and
gave himself TIP to the officers. Inside
the house Richardson had an unobstrfuct-
ed view in three directions. 4 Block
away Policeman Thomas Grant stelpped
from his shelter to fire into the house
a shot from the bcsieged house KILLED
him before he could fire.
The attacking party sent word 10 po-
lice headquarters. and Chief of Police
Bali dispatched the reserves to thf scene
in several patrol wagons.
The officers to whom King had given
himself up determined to makcl use of
the negro. At the point of 4 rifle they
forced him TO walk up TO .hcE rear of
the house ard Gre it. As sooIn as the
flames started the officers. cager to get
the inmates OF the house. stepbd out of
their shelter in every direction. Again
there was shot from the houkc and this
time Officer Edward Crabtrcc Imet death,
An instant later there was Another shot
and County Policeman Robert Osborne
fell dead
The shooting had attracted hundred.
OF persons. and nearly EVERY man who
came to the scene carried L rifle. The
shooting into the house became genet,I
residents and officers firingI together.
In less than an hour the Mock Of wood-
en- houses was burned To tile ground and
search of the ruins immediately foi-
lowed In the wodslied lin the rear of
Richardson's store was found skuIi and
near it the steel barrel of rifle. 7, i
believed that the skull represents all ,hat
is left of the negro who Hid the shooting