Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-03-12
FIGHT TO THE DEATH
WITH DEMON AT BAY.
WILLIAM REESE SHOT TO PIECES
BY OFFICERS
HAD ATTEMPTED LIFE OF OFFICER MORRIS
When Surrounded By the ArreSting Posse Reese
Shot At Police Until Ills Body, Weighted With
Lead, Sank in Death---A Sunday Tragedy
in Americas.

as Charles Thompson, with string Of
aliases. He is being investigated.
Shooting Was Unprovoked.
The wanton shooting of officer Nor
ris, wholly unprovoked, aroused much
indignation. The charge against Reese
was a trivial one, and would have
amounted only to police court case
and probably S. fine, if fined at all.
Officer Morris thought to find him at
home, although he might easily have
picked him up later in the day.
Reese was reared here, He had borne
a good reputation, and officer Morris
apprehended not the slightest trouble
in arresting him.
AS evidence of this, the policeman's
own pistol was in his pocket, the most
dangerous thing held in his hands be-
ing the lighted match which made him
target for the murderer.
Hunt For Reese Begins
Late Sunday afternoon the police
received information to the effect that
Reese, well armed, was hidden in the
house of Walter Muse on Magnolia
street in a negro settlement. Imme-
diately detail of eight officers, includ-
ing Deputy Sheriff Fuller, went to
effect his capture.
The officers, well armed, carefully
surrounded the house.
Reese, upon the inside, heard the
talking without, and Immediately the
single light in the room was ex
tinguished. Then came the tragedy.
Police Rush The House.
officer Willis and Deputy Sheriff
Fuller rushed the door and Reese met
them, pistol in hand, firing as he came.
The maddened negro fired twice at
Willis, one bullet going through the
officers left hand, while two shots
were fired at Fuller as well, both
bullets missing nm.
The other officers rapidly closed in
on Reese, using shotgun and pistols,
and dozen bullets were pumped into
his body.
The sight of a shotgun upon the bed
in the room he occupied came near
who, it was supposed, had furnished
Reese the weapon. Injury however
causing trouble for other inmates also
was not done them there, although
their attitude in the case will be fully
investigated.
Reese, undoubtedly, had been furn-
ished ammunition by someone.
officer Willis, the only one of the ar
resting posse hurt, received bullet
through the thick portion of his hand
at the base of the thumb, and will be
incapacitated for day or two perhaps.
Body Viewed BY Hundreds.
Tho off arc loodod +La I,o1x, oc ID oozo
into a wagon and brought it at once to
the barracks, where hundreds of excit-
ed citizens viewed it before it was turn
ed over to the undertaken. The body
was badly shot up, and with the blood
saturated clothing presented a CHASTITY
spectacle indeed.
Yesterday morning the BODY was
| turned over to Dennis Barnum, the col
ored undertaken, for burial The fun
eral services in the afternoon were at
| tended by hundreds of colored people.
The tragedy, of course, is most re-
gretable, but was wholly brought about
| by the negro Reese who, in mad fury,
precipitated the trouble which cost him
his life. Reese had hitherto borne an
excellent reputation. He was a young
negro, about twenty five years of age
and was for six years employed by Mr.
I'll. l.. Mize as porter in his grocery
store on Cotton avenue. There was nc
reason for his rash act.
The terrible tragedy was the first O.
the kind occurring in Americas since
the riot started at Magnolia dell by
Macon negro picknickers several years
ago, wherein one of them was killed
1 and two nolica officers sariousIv r.ronrd