The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-05-05
KILLED NEGRO WITH AN AK
JOHN ANDERSON Stays FELLOW WORK
KAN. JOHN P. HILL.
Force Of the Blow Cleft HiIl's skull and
he Died in AbOu Twenty Minutes
Anderson Gave Himself Up and
Held for Trial.

Trouble between two negro coal
beavers, John Anderson and John P.
Hill, ended in a tragedy Saturday,
shortly after u O'Clock. Anderson
used an Ak on his fellow laborer, cleav-
ing his skull. He died in twenty min
utes.
Dr.. Gulick was called and hastened
to give medical aid, but there was nc
use. The large pools of blood on the
floor of the bunk car where the fatal
assault occurred was evidence enough
that a man couldn't lose that much
blood and live.
Immediately after Anderson had
struck Hill down, he came up town
and gave himself up to Sheriff Bradley,
saying that he had killed a man.
Coroner Quick held an inquest IN
Bowers undertaking rooms Saturday
afternoon and a number Of negrOs sum
mOned as witnesses examined. Little
was ascertained from them as they said
they didn't see the fight and didn't
know. The cOroner's jury, however,
brought in a verdict that John P. Hill
came to his death by a blow from an
ak in the hands of John Anderson, and
recommended that Anderson be held
for preliminary trial.
Anderson was arraigned for a hear
| ing before Justice Floyd Monday, but
/ a continuance was granted the defend
ant until Friday, May 5, to allow him
/ time to secure counsel.
The body of Hill was taken from the
car to Bowers undertaking rooms and
was examined by the jurors at the in
/ quest. The negro labOTers were mott
/ fed that the funeral would be held at
/ that place Sunday afternoon at three
O'Clock, but as none Of them came,
| services were dispensed with and the
body buried in the GOOdland cemetery.
What the trouble was about preced-
/ ing the killing, IS a matter of much
! confusion Of different reports, and will
not be definitely known until revealed
/ by the preliminary trial Friday, and
maybe not then, as all Of the coal chute
gang have quit their Jobs and left the
/ town, save one, Sam Matthews, and
whether he was an eye witness remains
/ TO be seen.
One report of the cause of the TRACE dy
/ is, that the men got angry over a
| heated discussion about the RussO-Jap-
anese war, Hill siding with Japan and
Anderson with Russia, but that must
| be dismissed with a word, as Anderson
| says that was not the cause, and when
/ first preached with this report displayed
! ignorance of what was meant.
1t would not be fair to quote the pris-
Oner unless he should have made q
| clear declaration of the matter, and this
l he has not done. Another report is,
/ however, to the effect that Hill had
/ threatened to kill Anderson. At the
noon hour Saturday, Hill, who worked
/ on the night shift, was asleep in the
I bunk Anderson, of the day force
had come to dinner and struck up {
] song which awakened Hill, whereupon
I the latter IS quoted to have said: 81
would kill you, you black bastard fol
less than that and then started to get
/ his knife, advanced toward Anderson
who made him step back by the show
/ Of an ak There was quiet for a little
while, and then Hill came at him again
and IN the encounter Hill received the
blow that killed him.
Anderson has been in torment evel
since the killing. For the first three
\ days he ate nothing and takes only {
I little food now. He continually walks
I the floor of the jail. He requested tC
\ see a minister, and Wednesday Rev
Park called and prayed with him. The
negro was much affected and cried fol
| two hours after the minister left.
! AndersOn's folks live in Virginia
\ He was here about a year ago, and
/ left, returning only two weeks ago.
I Hill had been here about month