The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-08-31
WADE'S RECORD
Owned Property in Pine Bluf-Hc Was
Quiet and Peaceable Negro Except
When Drinking

| Monroe, it was said that he was actual
ed by revenge and that he was one Of
some secret society of negroes by whom
lie had been instigated to this deed in
retaliation for the killing of two ne
groes by the police of Monroe. AL
| though distant from Monroe and hav
| ing only meagre details, the Caucasian
| from its general knowledge and appre
ciation of the negro character believed
that Wade was either crazy from the
use of some drug or had been stimu-
lated into a daredevil spirit from the
effect of some intoxicants Had Wade's
mind been in normal state he would
never have attempted the shooting of
citizens who had done him no harm and
against whom he could have no griev-
ance.
1t may be recalled that when the ne
gro Charles wounded the policeman in
| New Dreams he was drunk, and he was
intoxicated when he resisted the officers
of the law with a winchester rifle. In
deed, it may be asserted that ninety-five
per cent of the crimes of negroes, ex-
cepting larceny and petty offenses, may
be traced to some intoxicant. The ne
gro, as a rule, when sober, will never
attempt strife, especially with white
man, as he realizes the result of such
controversy, but when intoxicated he
may be reckless to the greatest extrem
ty and then he must be killed. That
| this was Wade's condition is indicated
by the clip from the Pine Bluff Com
mercial:
There now seems to be little doubt
| but that the negro killed in Monroe,
La, last Tuesday, was Stephen w.
Wade of this city, as letters from that
city strengthen other evidence that he is
the man. Wade for many years held a
contract as city scavenger and had ac-
quired considerable property in this
city lie was quiet and peaceful ne
gro except when drinking, when he was
more or less brutal. 1t is believed that
he either got drunk or became crazed
with cocaine shortly after he reached
Monroe and his wild escapade and
death followed.
at has been learned that the negro
went to the Pine Bluff Trust Company
Monday morning, where he always kept
money on deposit, and drew $780, and
is supposed to have left or the morn
, ing train for Monroe. He probably
arrived there Monday night and hi:
sensational death occurred the follow
} ing morning. The negro went to hard.
ware store where he purchased shot
: gun and shells, and a mistake of the
D clerk in giving him bird shot insteac
: of buck shot he called for probabl,
saved the life of many of those he shot
Wade was a member of severa
k lodges and carried life insurance pol
s icy in one of the old line companies
His family will secure this if they cal
: establish his death. The negro was
It money-maker and often went to othe
|. towns where he secured contracts
He recently held a contract at Fordyc
T. and made considerable money. Recent
e " he had been conferring with d.
Bell with a view to leasing the land o
n the north side of the river for pasture
re This land belongs to the North Pin
Bluff Lumber Company, which is rel
resented by Mr.. Bell. He was also am
ious to secure contract for cutting til
ID cottonwood timber on this land whic
st was to be used in making excelsior.
~ "Since the tragic affair in Monroe a
a, escapade in which Wade figured in Pr
be Bluff several years ago is recalled, whic
ne shows that when aroused he was vi
1t ious negro. He and Fred Havis, Il
ne well known negro of this city, had qua
al relied over settlement for some Ian
he and Havis had badly injured him
ne striking him over the head with sor
zy missile. Later Wade secured shotg1
n and after lying in wait for Havis ne
I'm Fourth and Main streets tried to k
er- him. Havis was warned in time a
is ran down the street, but Wade walk
Id into the street and fred at him in bro
at daylight.
"The negro probably became insa
after reaching Monroe, and the rep
: that he was member of some lod
which advocated such actions is
oat founded and not believed by any of
rt white people
ve- In the Monroe News-Star of Aug
any 7e is published this statement
WILD NEGRO WELL-TO-DO.
ort Pine Bluff, Aug. 2o--While there
,ble some doubt as to the identity of the
tv gro who was burned in the puI
square at Monroe, La, several days
7. after he ran amuck in the streets OF
Au- city and wounded twenty nine wi
om- people, there is no doubt that he
cot none other than Samuel w. Wade,