The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-09-12
Negroes Murderously Assault Dep
uty Sheriff and Make Their
Escape Into Woods.
POSSES in PURSUIT
Officer Lies at Point of Death
Big Reward for Escapes,
Dead or Alive.

"A. EDWARDS, IN the dlScharge OF his
usual duties about the Parish Jail, was
murderously attacked by three of its
colored inmates, who made their escape,
leaving him lying on the Jail floor,
in his own blood.
About $3.50 in the afternoon, as is his
custom, Mr.. Edwards went to the Jail
for the purpose of giving its inmates
water and to take the tins down stairs
for the food supply for the following
day. Prisoners are confined only in the
upper story of the Jail, and the two cells
outside the main lookup are reserved
for female prisoners. Inside the main
lookup there is steel cage divided into
four cells. This is surrounded by mar
row floor space known as the run
around. In thisAwer two white men
Messrs. Oscar and Walter Majors, BROTH
ers, against whom rest charges of a
lesser crime. Those charged with more
grave offenses were confined in the cells,
though having free access within. In
GLIDING the two women, both in one cell
without, the two white men and three in
terdicts Zone an escape from Pineville)
there were eleven confined in the Jail,
four being able-bodied negro men in
generated for sundry crimes.
Mr.. Edwards entered as usual and,
after unlocking the main doors, handed
the cell door key to Mr.. Walter Majors,
asking him to pass out the tins and sit
the water within. AS the latter was
STOPPING in the half open door and in the
act of carrying out this request, the
three negroes bolted, running over Mr..
Majors, which threw him sprawling on
the floor.
Mr.. Edwards was standing at ease just
without the main door with his left hand
resting on its casing. He was evidently
not expecting mutiny and the outbreak
must have come as a great surprise.
Before he could prepare for attack they
were upon him. The first negro to reach
him was Silas Immersion, who felled
him with two blows across the head with
a section of metal piping more than two
feet in length. He was followed by
Mood Burks, who dealt the unfortunate
young man another blow with like
piece of piping as he made an effort to
rise. Jim Hurd followed at his heels,
barehanded, so the general impression
exists, though some think that he had
secured billet of wood with which he
dealt Mr.. Edwards one blow.
This all happened very quickly, as
related by the women mentioned above,
and the Majors brothers, from whom the
story was learned in detail.
Mr.. Walter Majors then ran to Mr.
Edwards. He searched for his pistol
hoping to be able to kill one or more
Of the fugitives before they could make
good their escape. He could not at once
find the weapon and appealed to his
brother Oscar for advice. "Look again
he surely must be armed" was the reply
Upon second search the weapon was
found where it had slipped back under
his shirt. Mr.. Majors then fired one
shot out the window as an alarm and rar
down stairs to give pursuit, while his
brother Oscar fastened to the Cour
House to further spread the alarm ane
report the deputy's precarious condition
Mr.. Walter Majors continued in pur.
suit of the three negroes, firing severa
shots, and it is thought that one fount
it's mark. His poor craftsmanship wa
partially attributable to the fact tina
upon entering the light he was to SOM
extent blinded, the interior of the jai
being dark.
The Majors brothers, if our impress
impression is correct, and we believe
to be, were all the time active in the in
terest of justice and were doing every
thing in their power to assist MI
Edwards, who was not more taken b
surprise than themselves. They ha
heard an unusual noise within the Gag
when the piping was wrenched from tn
floor, but upon making inquiry were toll
that it was the crazy white man slam
ming a cell door, which story they &C
cepted as true. In addition, it must b
borne in mind that this plot and attac
were we'll planned and executed, with n
delay. AS Mr.. Walter Majors ran
Mr.. Edwards to lift his head and spea
to him his brother seized one of tn
pieces of piping and thus armed blocke
the way of escape to the insane whit
man and the remaining negro man (tt
one charged with crime) and the otht
two, also insane. AS he was thus er
gagged, and in locking the door, b
brother Walter noticed Jim Hurd paus
on the steps and start back, perhaps
search for the officers weapon. Seiz;n
brick bat he hurled it at him vii
such force that he broke the top off {
ornamental oak post at the turn Of Il
stairway. The negro, seeing that Il
two brothers in so short a time had b.