Evening journal., 1905-04-10
NEGROES HELD UP
ON TROLLEY CAR
Police Believing That They
Carried Concealed Weap-
ons Searched Them
FREQUENT DISORDER THE CAUSE

AS the elimination OF many scenes
of disorder that have been enacted by
negroes on the last car from this city,
of the Wilmington, New Castle and
Southern Railway for Delaware City
on Saturday nights a squad of police
men under command Of Sergeant
George Lyons boarded the car and
searched every male negro passenger
on last Saturday night.
When the car which leaves Fourth
and Market streets at 11.20 o'clock,
reached Fourth and Walnut streets,
four policemen boarded IT, two from
each end, and ordered the colored men
to stand up. At first the negroes, who
numbered about thirty, demurred, but
the policemen were in no mood for
trIhing and soon gave the men to un-
derstand that the order would have to
be obeyed.
As the men were searched articles
of every conceivable description We're
found but strange to relate not
weapon of any description was discov-
cred and the colored men were permit
ted to proceed on their journey 20 Del
aware City without further molesta-
tion.
DISORDER HAS BEEN FREQUENT.
For some months past employees and
passengers of the Wilmington. New
Castle and Southern Railway have
been subjected 20 much annoyance and
trouble as well as to many insults
from the negro element who come up
the line from below Delaware city.
In order to break this up as much
put i'm charge Of the last car out for
/ Delaware City on Saturday night two
lof their most fearless and determined
men, Conductor James Doris and Mo-
ltorman Howard Davidson. These men.
however. are practically powerless as
Fin many instances negroes get on the
car half drunk and carrying whiskey
bottles, razors and some instances re-
lvolvers, terrorizing the white passen-
ges. Oaths and vile language are oft
times indulged i'm and a word from
the conductor may bring forth a wea-
Ipon at any moment and precipitate a
riot
On Saturday night, April I, a crowd
lof negroes numbering ive or six
lboarded the car in this city and were
lboisterous on the way down until the
lroad leading to Red Lion was reached
when the men alighted. After leaving
the car guns We're pulled and a fusil-
llade of shots fired into the air followed
i Passengers were terrified expectin,
every moment to be pierced with q
bullet. on the car were Francis n
Buck, wife and daughter, who wer,
lon their way home ana it is believed
that to their presence was due tho
searching party on Saturday night.
! NEW CASTLE TO ACT SIMILARLY
1t is probable that officials of New
Castle will institute similar proceed
ings in order TO search negroes who
board the cars between this city ant
that point and at that place. II is bui
Justice to say that the colored men o
New Castle give no trouble to employees
on the road and in no instance hav,
lany OF them been arrested.
For the past few years negroes VIII,
lare employed on farms between New
Castle and Delaware city have beer
more or less troublesome. A few week.
ago four of them boarded car at New
Castle and when between that plac,
and Delaware city one Of them at
tempted to drink from a bottle Con
Iductor John Montgomery demonstrated
and the negro swore at him. The ca
was stopped and the negro put off. bu
not before he had struck Montgomer,
and torn his coat to shreds. When tn
car on which the colored men wer
searched on Saturday night reache,
p a point below New Castle burly ne
gro named Johnson living at tn
; Smith farm, became abusive and Con
ductor Doris promptly elected him.