The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-28
BATTLE IN CHOCTAW
WHITES AND BLACKS IN DEsPER-
 ATE ENCOUNTER.
Two Negro Desperadoes Are Riddled With Bullets and Another is Landed in Jail-Ends
 Reign of Terror.

Meridian. Miss, Dec. 27.--In a regu- lar pitched battle between the whites and three negro desperadoes at Williams Cross Roads, Choctaw County, Ala, yesterday evening, two negroes were ridd1ed with bullets, one placed in jail and the neighborhood rid of lawless element that has terrorized the people for the past ten days. Kid George, alias John Weaver, and Bob Berry. alias Shine" are dead, and Joe John son Is in the county jail at Butler. George is said to have murdered a white man on the Gulf and ship Island Railroad some time ago. and Berry and Johnson are believed to have been es- capped convicts from the Alabama mines.
 Ten days ago the negroes entered the vicinity and immediately estab- lished a reign of terror, robbing the whites and blacks and committing a series of more or less serious crimes. Friday night the three men. heavily armed, swooped down on a big party of negro dancers, stopped the dance and robbed the participants in true Western manner, two keeping the negroes cov- cred with weapons while the third went through them. In leaving after getting considerable money, jewelry and clothes, they threatened death to anyone who told of the robbery. Satur- day the negro men who were robbed went to York, Ala, and told tho officers and white people. and a posse was or- ganized to kill or capture the des- peradoes. J. F. Woods, a prominent merchant of the neighborhood. offered $100 reward, and Jake Wabbington was sent as lone scout to locate the ne- groes. His experience was thrilling.
 Wabbington entered a negro cabin kept by an old negro woman. where the three had taken refuge. He pre- tended to be drunk. saving his life on several occasions by the splendid act ing of the part He promised to return on the following day with jug of whiskey for the old hag h leaving, Johnson attempted to shoot him in the back, but was prevented on account of the promise to bring whiskey.
 Late Christmas day he reached York again, told of the location of the men, and the small cavalry squad started out. About noon yesterday the cabin was reached, the men hid in the woods the house, and Wabbington again went into the cabin with the susDense became intolerable and the whites were preparing for q grand rush when the door oponed and Wab- bington backed out. accompanied by three negroes, each carrying all the arms in his possession. It developed tndt Hdu SuSBSSlGO Il game of craps. he having supplied himself with considerable money for the pur- pose.
 Wabbington and the negroes cleaned off spot near the house and began the game, the whites creeping slowly around the little party. When close enough the whites showed themselves and called on the negroes to surrender. Caught in trap. the negroes fought like demons, grabbing their weapons and opening fire at close range. Over one hundred shots were exchanged. Berry fell dead at the first volley and George was badly wounded.
 Bleeding from many wounds. George pulled himself to an upright position against tree, propping himself in that position and worked both hands in shooting at the whites. Several vol- levs were fired into the negro, his body being a mass of lead, but he gamely fought as long as he was able to lift a finger. With his body full of lead, he lived until late in the evening, de- liant even in his dying minutes.
 Johnson quickly surI endered when he saw the force he was contending with, and was lodged in jail. None of the white men were wounded, although all of them were badly powder burned, the fighting having taken place at close range. The local police department was called on and sent two men to the scene last night, but quiet had been re- stored, and none of tho dead negroes were wanted criminals by Meridian. All have long criminal records, how ever.