The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-09-30


town was quiet. No more trouble is
feared.
START OF SHOOTING.
The shooting was started in the
negro quarter by Walter Jones, aged
20, when a negro woman and Thad
Grayson were shot and killed. Walter
then went to the home of his mother
and aroused his brother, 1S years
old. Together they proceeded
through the main street OF the little
town, firing at every one in sight.
Citizens aroused by the shots peered
out of the windows and then hastened
to cover believing, they said today,
that riots OF more serious proportions
had broken otu.
The two boys went to the home of
former Constable Frank Keinsley,
and when he replied to their call,
Walter Jones shot him through the
head. Death was instantaneous.
Keinsley's son, William, when he saw
his father fall, reached for a gun but
before he could fire, received a bull
let in one Of his hands.
The Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
depot is near the Keinsley home and
the two negroes went in that direc-
ton. A train had arrived from
Natchez just few moments before
and Conductor F. B. Appleby was
standing at the station talking to
Flagman w. c. Bond Without
warning the two negroes fired on
them and both fell. The negroes
then directed fire on Claude Free
man. who was waiting for a train to
take him to his home at Fayette,
Miss. He was instantly killed. The
negroes then fired into the train,
terrorizing the passengers.
ATTACK SLEEPING CAR.
A sleeping car from Natchez is left
every night at Harriston until the
through train from Memphis to New
Orleans arrives After the train
from Natchez left, this car stood
alone at the track and was a target
for the fire of the two negroes. While
many windows were broken no one
In the car was hurt.
The two negroes then made their
way to a cottonseed house nearby.
1t is believed they then realized that
this wholesale killing could not long
continue without opposition and de-
termined to make their last stand.
Citizens by this time telephoned
Sheriff Hammett at Fayette. Sum
mOning former Sheriff Gillis to aC-
company him Hammett started for
Harriston on horseback, arriving
about o'clock A small crowd of
men were firing into the seed house
but no one had ventured into the
place. Taking a few men with him,
Sheriff Hammett started towards the
seed house. Seeing this, 1t is be-
lieved Walter Jones hid in the tall
grass nearby and as Hammett ap-
preached the negro fired, instantly
killing the officer. A shot from the
seed house brought down Gillis.
CALL FOR TROOPS.
BY this time the countryside was
aroused and farmers came from
every direction. Everyone began
firing at the seed house. A call was
sent to Governor Brewer for troops.
Finding his hiding place too pre-
carious, VIII Jones started to run
towards a coal chute nearby, but had
gone only a few steps when a bullet
ended his life A rope was placed
around the body, It was strung up or
a telegraph pole near the station and
riddled with bullets.
Soon after Will was killed, his
brother, Walter. picked off Tom
weeks, a negro who was on the coal
chute.
NATCHEZ GUARDS ARRIVE.
Not long after Weeks was killed
the special train bearing the Natchez
guardsmen arrived. AS they were
detraining the crowd rushed'the seed
house. Not a shot greeted them and
the surviving negro was found COM
pletely unnerved but not injured.