The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-02-08
Negro bad Man"sKllIed.

4
Zach Johnson, negro Hbad man"
and bully, was shot by Constable John
| Ramirez about IL O'Clock Thursday
night while attempting to eyade arrest,
and died from the effects of his inju-
ries at 2 O'Clock Friday morning
Johnson and two other notorious
blacks, Sonny Harris and KID Swift,
have been operating in this locality
for some time past, and a number of
crimes and misdeme anors are laid at
ts.sir door by the local police authos-
biss. The trio had "grudge" az ainss
jos Mitchell, q young negro employed
| al Fred. Liude's jeweiry store ID this
town, and seat word to Mitchell that
they inteuded to kill him at the first
opportunity. After having remained
away from Donaldsonvil!e for several
months, johnson and his two pals
returned Thursday morning, and
Mitchell no sooner learned OF their
presence in town than he informed
Sheriff St. Martin of the threat
against his life and asked that official
for protection. Accordingly, Sheriff
ST. Martin ordered the arrest of the
unsavory trio, and at 1890 O'Clock
Thursday night Chief Of Police H.
Schaff, ST., Officer Albert Gauthreaux,
Constable John Ramirez and Deputy
Sheriff Lucien Acosta proceeded to
the Tea aud Pea saloon in Church
vile, opposite the Texas and Pacific
freight depot, for the purpose of tax
ing the negroes into custody, having
previously been informed that the men
they were alter could be found at the
above place. Upon arriving at their
Estimation, Chief Schaff and Officers
Gauthreaux aud Acosta entered the
saloon and called upon Johnson and
his companions to surrender, Con-
stable Ramirez remaining On guard
outside. AT the appearance Of the Of
hcers, Zach Johnson and Sonny Harris
fed through back door, Harris jump
ing over fence and disappearing,
while johnson ran around the build
ing to the street. Here he encountered
Constable Ramirez, who ordered him
to halt and surrender. johnson paid
no attention to this command, where
upon the officer, who was armed with
double-barr shotgun loaded with
bnckshot, fred upon the fleeing negro
and, failing to stop him with the first
barrel, pulled trigger a second time,
aiming at the fugitive's legs. AL
though badly injured, Johnson jumped
over several line fences and disap-
peared, and it was nearly an hour
later before the officers discovered him |
lying in an adiacentsey ard bleeding |
profusely from a.wound in each leg. |
The prisoner was picked up and car
ried to the office of Coroner E. K. |
Sims, who found that bullets from
Constable Ramirez's shotgun had |
severed the main arteries in both legs,
and that considerable blood had es-
capped. The wounds were dressed and |
johnson was conveyed to the parish
prison, where he died about 2 o'clock
a. N. Friday. The third member of
the gang, Kid Swift, made no attempt
to escape ard surrendered to Chief
:5oslaf, who turned him over 10 O1iear
Gau,hseauS and Deputy Ac.gsta l<,a
lrearee" atton in The parish jai Cau
3 : ole E4uireE surrendered 10 Sheriff
ST. Aartii. yesterday niorHir9 and vas
immediately released, the sheriff aud
D1s:ries Attorney G. 4. Goadran
holding that he shooting vas eaa-
aently i3stifiab BE. johnson vas i
'bad egg" in syer5 sense Of tie term,
aud is sad to have beer wanted on
various charges in Nnitecastle, Il
aud other places.
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