The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-24
WHITE MAN SHOOTS
NEGRO IN SALOON
GOSSETT EXPLAINS THAT HE
WANTED TO SHOW NEGROES
THAT THEY WERE NOT SUCH
BAD MEN AS THEY THOUGHT.

fTalladega, February 23.-The white
Elephant" saloon, on the southside of the
public square, is divided by a partition
for the accommodation of whites and
blacks. The entrance nearest the street
is devoted to cigar stand. and used
as a bar for white customers. The rear
end has also bar and a stove. The
buildings is not more than eighty feet
in length.
Yesterday evening just at nightfall, Otto
Gossett, stranger from Admission, en-
tered the saloon and after being waited
upon he stood against the wall where
the partition divides the two bars Some
colored men were sitting around the stove
on the side devoted to negroes and were
discussing among themselves the details
of a land transaction.
Bob Cunningham and Tom Thomas. both
colored men, had that day bought a
small plat of land from Nelse Barclay.
The land in question adioined the lot
of some colored young men named Curry,
who had themselves been wanting to
buy the land. and who it was reported
to the purchasers didn't like their buying
1t, and had made threats against Bob
Cunningham and Tom Thomas.
The reputation of the Curry brothers
being bad as turbulent, desperate men,
Cunningham and Thomas had applied to
the chief of police for advice as to what
to do about the reported threats of the
Curry's, and the chief had informed them
that they had the right to defend them
selves against the Curry's; so that one
of the parties had procured a shotgun
and the other a pistol, and they were
discussing with each other and their
colored friends, the matter, around the
stove.
Otto Gossett listened awhile, then calm
ly drew "A calibre Colts pistol and
began shooting. He fired four times, two
of the balls penetrating the stomach of
Tom Thomas, and going entirely through
him-one of them afterwards being taken
out of his shoe.
Otto Gossett then fled but Officer Tom
Thompson got on his trail In a few min
utes, and overlook him at Stockdale
four miles away. Gossett was getting on
the pilot of the engine when he espied
Thompson. He sprang down and made a
motion to again draw his fatal weapon,
but few living men are quicker with
their motions than Police Officer Tom
Thompson so Gossett was knocked down
before he could get out his gun, and
promptly secured by Thompson, who land
ed MIN III tne CITY prison lew hours
later.
Gossett's sole reason for the shoot
ing, as told by himself. was that he just
wanted to show the niggers that they
wasn't such bad men as they thought
themselves. He is white man, and was
drinking slightly at the time of the shoot
ing Nothing is known of him here in
Talladega, as he had been here but a
short while. Tom Thomas, the negro who
oh nj bo wi nrolla hlx die il
hack driver, very quiet, peaceable
man, and liked by all the people here
who know him. Warrants were sworn
out this morning charging Gossett with
felonious assault, and he is in the coun-
ty jail without bail.
ID. P McDairnid the genial prescrip-
zionist at the Wright Drug store leaves
tomorrow for Baltimore. where he will
wed Miss Cook, well and favorably known
here the head of the millinery depart
ment in Ullman's store. He will be away
about ten days.