The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-16
SENSATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF
ONE DAY AND NIGHT IN
SHREVEPORT.
The Excitement a Reminder of the
Lynching of Jones and Hill-A
Shocking Discovery-Was an
Innocent Man Killed and
Crematedo

city, the truth when told. or the facts
when narrated as obtained, are sufficient
ly sensational. blood -curdling and abb
horrent without the indulgence in exag-
gerations or gruesome establishment.
. The excitement having been followed
by the cool, sober sense of realization
the mind in a review of the dark picture
of reality is led to inquire into the de-
gree of satisfaction which may be de-
rived from the cremation of a lifeless
body.
1t IS true that the sheriff. the mayor
and the chief of police had the body of
the supposed murderer moved beyond
the reach of those who clamored for it.
and they did not anticipate its removal
from the cemetery to the Levee, and
therefore they must be held bamelesss
for the action of the mob, who, in ere
mating dead body. removed an i'm
portant link in connection with tragedy
which appears to be shredded in the
deepest mystery. 1t was a mistake A
serious mistake.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
1t is due DR.. Coty, coroner, to say that
he contributed his best effort and long
experience in trying to unravel the hor-
rlble crime, and to assist him he had as
jurors five gentlemen, Zach Howell, J.
nett and H. A. Fetzer, who rank with
H. Prescott, James Keeney, Albert Bar
the best and most reliable Of the COM
munity, men of judgment, conscientious,
conservative, fair and impartial men. 1t
could not be possible to have obtained a
better jury. These gentlemen deliberated
long and earnestly, and on Sunday af-
ternoon they reached the conclusion
that Mrs. Alice Matthews had died from
wounds inflicted by person unknown to
them and urged thorough investiga-
ton by the grand jury. This conclusion
is remarkable and is doubtless without
a precedent in Caddo parish and is
striking in tile face of the SENSATIONAL re-
ports given in public print and in the
face of the fact that a man claimed to
have been the murderer had been shot
and killed. The doubt of the jury is sig
nihcant and still more direct when they
urge thorough investigation by the
grand jury.
WAS AN INNOCENT MAN KILLED
AND CREMATED?
The horror of Saturday is intensified
by the report that the man shot and
killed Saturday afternoon and whose
body was burned on pyre after midi
night Saturday had no connection what
ever with the murder of Mrs. Matthews
On the authority of Mr.. Cal Vance
and Mr.. Stinson, most reputable and
reliable citizens of .Bossier, it appears
that Albert Washington, the negro
killed, was innocent Both of these gen.
tlemen stated positively and without re-
servation that =, Albert Washington
worked on their place all day Friday;
that he was on their plantation Fri
day night and Saturday morning
that he, with some other negroes,
got on the Cotton Belt train at 10
o'clock Saturday morning, and that after
reaching Shreveport on this train Satur-
day, he went to the hospital, where he
expected to find his wife who had been
sick, and on being told she had gone to
DeSota parish, he announced that he
would walk over to, see her, and
bidding his companions goodbye, he
started on his journey. It was while
journeying to DeSoto that he got on
the Kansas City Southern track, and
it was while he was in a cut on
the K C.. S.. road that he was halted by
the police, and running away instead of
stopping, was shot and killed. Both Mr..
Vance and Mr.. Stinson stated that sew
eral OF the negroes working on the plan
tation and who were in this city on hear
ing that dead negro had been taken to
Willis,s. the undertaken, called there to
see the body, and that these negroes
identified the body as that of Albert
who got on the train with
them at about 10 o'clock and reached
with him on the same train
that day. These statements are startling,
but they are forceful with truth which
can not and must not be rlinimized
TIE. STATEMENT DISCREDITED.
Monday afternoon when these state
ments of Mr.. Vance and Mr. Stinson
were under discussion certain officials
whom it IS unnecessary to name grinned
and stamped almost at one
breath the whole story with discredit,
giving in words the assurance that the
right man had been killed, and there
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