Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-23
PISTOL bATTL
CLIMAX To RIOT
ON STREET CAR
White Men and Negroes in Fierce
Fight Over Claim to Seats,
Passengers in Panic.
GUN DUEL AT MIDNIGHT
Squad of Police Round Up Com
batants as Women HuddIe in
Terror-0fficers Fired On.

More than 100 people, including a
number of women, witnessed a bat
tie between negroes and white men
at Piedmont avenue and Pine streets
shortly before midnight Saturday
night, in which a score of shots were
exchanged, following riot on a
street car.
H. K Foster, travelling salesman,
fought pistol duel with VIII Brown,
while half dozen white men and as
many negroes engaged in a terrific
battle on the platforms of the car.
Foster and the negro emptied their re-
volvers, but as far as Is known none
Of the shots took effect.
Six motorcycle policemen and an
automobile load of detectives were
rushed to the scene of the riot by
Night Chief of Police Jet, and four
negroes were arrested while they
battled with the white men on the
street car. Will Brown, the negro
who did the shooting, was arrested
fifteen minutes later after chase of
FIVE blocks, in which he constantly
threatened to shoot the officers. The
policemen fired several shots at the
fleeing black.
Tells Story of Riot.
The trouble, according to w. J.
Hendon, of No 1913 East Pine street,
one of the men on the street car,
started at Five Points when a negro
woman entered the car and sat down
beside a white youth. The boy rose
to his feet.
You can't sit down by me-" he
said. s4ssse
'If you don't like It," said the ne
gro woman. move up in front"
A dozen negroes and half as many
white men had gotten on the car at
the same time, and the white men
were grouped behind the boy in the
seat. The negroes were behind the
white men, and the forward part of
the car was filed with passengers.
One of the white men stepped up
and placed his hand on the boys
shoulder.
Go to 1t, boy" he said. Were
with you"
Both Open Fire.
The boy got up and moved to the
front of the car.
When the car reached Piedmont
avenue, according to Hendon's story,
Foster was standing Just behind the
young white boy. A big negro walk
ed up and placed his hand on Fos-
ter's shoulder and jerked him around.
You're nothing but white trash"
he exclaimed.
The negro then turned and leaped
from the car, with Foster in pursuit
Foster stopped at the rear platform,
where Hendon says the conductor
handed him revolver Foster then
leaped off the car, and as he did so
Brown, the negro, jumped out from
behind tree and began shooting
Foster returned his fire and the pair
moved down the street, both shooting
rapidly and reloading their pistols as
they ran.
Battle Royal on Car.
Meanwhile battle royal had start
ed on the street car that threw the
passengers into panic. The six
white men who were in the crowd
with Foster grabbed the negroes
when the latter started to go to
Browns assistance. Fists and boots
were used freely.
Many residents Of the section where
the fighting occurred ran out of their
homes clad in their nightclothing
when the shooting began.
P Reynolds, a white man, who
lives on East Pine street, was one of
the men who battled with the blacks.
and he declared that the negro,
Brown, called Foster a vile name. J..
Byers went to Fosters aid, though he
was unarmed, and was fired on. r.
G. Carroll, No. 81 Robins street, the
conductor of the street car, told the
police that he tried ~ intercept the
negro and the black turned upon him
and fired several shots at him before