The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-06-06
Constable Conger Mortally Shot
by Negro Whom He Had
Under Arrest
SHOT WITH HIS OWN GUN
The Officer Is Overpowered by the
Fiiend Who Secured Possession
OF the Weapon. - Four
Shots Were Fired.

The little town of Red Oak was
thrown into feverish excitement this
morning when information reached
there that Constable Tom Conger,
one of the county's most popular
peace officers, had been shot and
mortally wounded by a negro brute
whose name is supposed to be Nell
son Golden and who is known by the
nickname of Big Boy"
The first reports of the affair We're
rather vague and indefinite. The ne
gro was working on the Henry
Batchler farm near Ferris, and it
seems he had gone there from the
Red Oak precinct leaving an unpaid
fine in the justice court there. Con-
stable Conger went to the Batchler
farm early this morning, placed the
negro under arrest and was convey
ing him back to Red Oak in a bug
gy. According to information reach
ing here the officer had proceeded
nearly to Henry when he was over
! powered by the negro who took pos
session of his gun. The weapon was
then turned on the defenseless Off
Ger and it said four shots were fired,
| two of them taking effect. The first
news reaching Red Oak stated in
! substance that Conger had been in
stantly killed, but it was later
learned that he was alive with all
the chances against his recovery.
Constable Conger was universally
esteemed by the people of his pre-
cinct and when news of the tragedy
aroused. Citizens of the town armed
| themselves with whatever weapons
could be procured and started in
search of the negro. Citizens of Fer
ris community have also joined in
| the man hunt and it is said that
every, possible avenue of escape is
being guarded. The negro is report
| ed to have taken refuge in Bear
creek bottom, where his capture is
i almost inevitable. Sheriff Forbes and
Constable McCalpin left Waxahachie
for the scene of the trouble immedi-
ately after news of the shooting
reached this city. The fate of the ne
feet his capture. If the officers reach
him first an effort will be made to
elude the mob and convey him to a
place of1safety. If the angry citizens
who are searching for the brute get
hold of him before the officers do
summary justice will be dealt out to
him in short order
! Constable Conger was probably
between 35 and 40 years old. He is
unmarried and had lived in the Red
Oak neighborhood several years
| Two years ago he was elected con-
stable and is looked upon as be-
ing one of the best officers in the
county. He is man whose charac-
ter is unimpeachable and is
highly esteemed by all who know
him.
A telephone message from a mer-
chant at Henry to this paper at IL
o'clock said that Constable Conger
was alive, but that little hope for
his recovery was entertained. Imme-
diately after the shooting the wound
ed officer was removed to the home
of John House, farmer living about
mile from Henry, where physicians
were hurriedly summoned to render
medical attention. OF the four shots
fired by the negro it Is said only two
took effect, one passing through the
officers body and the other breaking
one of his arms. The Henry mer-
chant said the negro had been sur
rounded in Bear creek bottom by be-
tween seventy-five and one hundred
determined men who did not propose
to let him get away. AS soon as his
capture is effected lynching bee is
almost sure to follow
DR.. Pierce of Ferris was one of the
physicians called to attend Constabl
Conger. He reported to the sheriff's
once between II and IL o'clock that
| Conger was wounded three times.