The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-04-16
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Two Men Shot to Death and
Another Wounded.

HuUlu6T UUuuuCus
Henderson Deeply Stirred Over the
Awful Occurrence-Policem John
w. Robertson Fatally Shot by James
Bruce, colored, Who in Turn Re.
ceives His Death Wound-PoIiceman
r. A. Crockett Narrowly Escapes .
Like Fate-tiis Clothing Punctured
by Bullets One Shot Taking Effect
In the Breast lnflicting Slight
Wound-The Trouble Brought on by
the Negro and Without Provocation.
Henderson has been stirred as
never before perhaps by an awful
tragedy enacted within her borders
last Thursday night. AS the result
of trivial matter and extreme fool
hardness on the part of young ne
gro two men are dead, third one
narrowly escaped the same fate, two
families are plunged into mourning
and the community has been full of
excitement and false and unfortunate
rumOrs.
Sparks Show was here Thursday.
At the night performance James
Bruce, colored, took a reserved seat
among the white people. Bruce was
a very bright mulatto and could cas-
lily be mistaken for a white person by
any one who did not know him. He
bought a reserved seat ticket the
man who sold the tickets INSIDE the
tent near the entrance) taking him
to be a white person at the time.
Soon after Bruce had taken his seat
among the white people Policeman
R. A. Crockett's attention was called
to his presence. Policeman John W.
Robertson being nearer to Brucethan
he was Officer Crockett directed him
to tell Bruce that he was in the wrong
section and ask him to move. Officer
Robertson touched him on the shout
der to attract his attention and so
notified him. Bruce hesitated and
did not seem disposed to move.
When spoken to again he said he had
paid for his seat and he had a right
to it, the man sold it to him. At this
juncture Officer Crockett said Bruce,
you know you are negro and you
ought to have gone on the other side
with the colored folks" telling him
at the same time to get up and go
on without having any trouble. 81
am not going anywhere until | get
my money { 10 cents) back" was
Bruce's reply, and Officer Crockett
told him he would get it for him. Co
ing to the lady who took up the tick
cts he stated the case to her and she
in turn spoke to the man who sold
the tickets. He refunded the money
and Officer Crockett gave it to Bruce,
who Immediately got up and left.
This was done so quietly that it at
tracted no attention, only few per-
sons who occupied seats close by
knowing anything about it. There
was no disturbance, no fOrcible eject
ment, no excitement whatever and
the occurrence was soon forgotten
by all save Bruce.
Instead of going on the opposite
side and taking a seat among his
own people where he belonged Bruce
left the show and came down town.
He went into Daniel & Co.'S. hardware
store where he was employed Che car
ried the key and got his pistol. Arm
ing himself he went back to the show
grounds and waited for Officers Crock
EFT and Robertson to come out.
When the performance was over and
the crowd dispersed they stayed be-
hind looking for some one for whom
they had a warrant thinking he
might be hanging around the show
grounds.
AS the two officers came out of the
show tent Bruce accosted them. Adj
dressing Officer Crockett he said he
wanted an explanation from him
about making him move his seat.
The officer replied that he had no ex-
PLANTATION to make, he was only do
ing his duty as an officer, and that
he (Bruce) knew he was a negro and
knew he had no business where he
was. At this Bruce began to curse
and showed disposition to bring on
trouble. Crockett told Robertson to
take charge of the man that he did
not want to have any fuss with him.
Bruce defied them to put their hands
on him saying he had not done any
thing to be arrested for and he would
swim through HI before he would be
arrested, at the same time moving
up closer to Crockett in an insolent
and Threatening attitude. Up to this
time no movement had been made to
take hold of Bruce and no violence
had been resorted to. "You don't
know the difference between a d-n
niger and negro" said Bruce.
''There is no difference as far as I
know" replied Crockett, whereupon
Bruce cursed him and applied vile
epithet which is unfit to print even in
the form of Authorization and dashes.
AS he did so Bruce made motion
to draw his pistol. Crockett struck
him with his billy but he was not
close enough and the force of the
lick was not sufficient to knock his
assailant down Or prevent him from
using his pistol. Bringing his weapon
into play almost instantaneously
Bruce put the muzzle against Crock
ett's right breast and fired. The bull
let, "a 32-calibre, produced only slight
flesh wound and was found afterward
in his sock having dropped down the
leg OF his trousers. One shot passed
through the front part of his coat,
another cut the end of the right coat
sleeve and powder burned the cuff,
while still another passed through
the bottom of tile vest-four shots in
all leaving their imprint OH his per-
son or clothing.
Officer Robertson was standing
close by and a little to the right of
Officer Crockett. When the first shot
was fred thinking doubtless that a
brother officer had been wounded to
his death he threw himself forward
between the two men. Bruce turned
upon him and again his pistol blazed
the hullat striEinu Mr. RnhortSon in