The Palatka news and advertiser., 1903-04-03
MURDEROUs ASSAULT.
James Wood, Tampa Labor Or
ganiZer, the Victim.

ganizer, the Victim.
James Wood of Cincinnati, Ohio,
an official organizer, regularly en-
plOycd by the International Cigar
Makers Union, was attacked by two
men while strolling on the Heights
near the water works standpipe last
Monday afternoon. In the struggle
that ensued Wood was shot through
the upper left arm, and another ball
struck his watch which was carried
in his lower left vest pocket. This
ball, evidently of 3S calibre, did not
pass through the watch but is en-
bedded in it. Had it not been for
the watch Wood would probably
have received his death wound.
Nothing is known of the shooting
except what Wood has told. This is
his story:
am James Wood of Cincinnati,
an organizer for the International
Cigar Makers Union, a position I
have held for several years. ar
rived in Palatka at an early hour on
Monday morning over the A. 9.
Line from Tampa. On my arrival
here | went to the Arlington Hotel
and had breakfast, then to my room
and had nap. My purpose in stop"
ping over in Palatka was to visit
some of our members, who are en-
ployed in Flynn's shop, to talk and
advise with them and to learn of
their general condition. / left the
shop probably a little after 2 in the
afternoon, and as was not to leave
the city till 8 or 6 o'clock / took
walk to the outskirts of the town to
see the orange groves. When going
up the hill beyond the railway cross
ing | was SUDDENLY accosted by two
men "a white man and negro), one
of whom called out, Hello, Wood !
when you going back to Tampa?"
stopped and told the men that I
was through with my work in Tampa
and that | was on my way north
The men then joined me in my walk.
They asked me where / was going,
and | told them | was just walking
out to kill time and see an orange
: grove. They said they would 80
with me. Told me they We're out Of
work, and asked if l knew where
they could get it. l told them of
| present trade conditions and of places
| where help was needed.
= They then directed me to a path,
t saying it was the best way to the or
, ange grove, and we turned in. When
t a short distance from the main road
t | was suddenly seized by both men,
one grabbing me by the throat and
( another by the arm. was strug-
| Cling with them when was shot by
= one of them through the left arm.
D., Another shot hit my watch. In the
t meantime / had gotten loose from
0 the grasp of the negro and had sue
= ceeded in getting my revolver out of
>. my pocket. With this | fired four
0 times at the white man at close range.
!, He fell and | ran like deer.
1 Through it all / was scared. The
l., men were not large, and had it not
been that they pulled revolvers !
o could have whipped them.
Ag coOp I orot n tha in Ctrapt
| saw hack, got in it and drove to
the hotel, where / sent for a doctor
q | was as near done as it is possible
o for man to be and not suffer entire
o collapse.
e This is Mr.. Woods story. DR.
. Steen, who attended him and dressed
i, his wound, corroborated his story Of
II fright and almost entire collapse
q He says that Wood, who is man Of
o solid build, cried as he told the story
The mans shirt was torn about the
collar and the flesh bruised about
the throat where he was held in the
grip of his assailant. He also hat
two hard Jumps on his forehead
where he had been hit with fist.
The sheriff was notified immedi.
- ately and went to the scene of the
u disturbance, but found no one. Ht
has description of the men, as
Il nearly as Wood could give it, ant
this he has sent to the sheriff in
= Tampa at his request.
. Wood says he has been in Tamps
since November; that he has effect.
ed an organization of all the cigal
makers into union in affilIatior
. with the international organization
. That such a union does away with
foolish strikes. His work has beer
u largely of an educational nature, anC
the warning factions among the cigal
makers in Tampa have by his eff.
forts been merged into one harmo'
nious body.
During his stay in Tampa Wood
received three threatening letters or
: dering him to leave the city anc
: never return under penalty of chas.
u tisement. BY advice of his attorney
S he armed himself.
Il Who were the assailants? No one
knows. If Wood knew he would moi
o tell. He says he did not know them
e From his description they are evi.
a IDENTIFY not Palatkans. The theory
: of Sheriff Howell is that they fol