The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1914-07-07
Two Injured in Attack Of Negro
Brakeman and Two Other
Trainmen. i
cNE Is SHOT THROUGH HAND
OTHER IS BADLY BRUISED
Fettle Occurs on Moving Freight
Train Not Far From East
Cairo.

A negro known as jim" was
shot aud kilIsi. another. Fred
Thompson, 81 years old was shot
through the right hand, probably
Lec' ssita;ing .he amputation of one
Uf his fingers and third whose
name is unknown was badly crt
aud bruised about the head in
tight with three .trainmen on q
north bound freight train short
distance from East Cairo early yes
terday morniug. The negroes were
beating their way in lumber car
and were attacked by the traiDmen,
all three of whom were armed with
revolvers They claimed they gave
he brakeman fifty-fve cents to al
low them to ride anmolested.
Thompson. who lives In Jamaica,
Wes; Indies. was ON his way north
! from Now Orleans. lie rode as far
as Fulton, Ny, In passcn ger
train. intending to go to Paducat.
At Fulton he met Jim and the other
negro who persuaded him to Join
them IN their trip north, aud all
three boarded the lumber car un-
seen.
l;arly Yesterday morning. when
they had ridden quite a distance
from Fulton they were discovered
by the negro brakeman. Tfe was
going to put them off but finally de-
clared that he would let them ride
for dollar. according to Themp.
son. The three negroes replied that
they had no dollar. but managed to
scrare together fifty-ave cents
which he accepted, and agreed to
! let them ride as far as Cairo.
After while he again came to.
ward the car accompanied by two
other trainmcn. All three sat on
a pile of lumber in the car convers-
T, ing in low voice. when suddenly
the brakeman shouted Come on
Each of them lcyelad a pisto, at
| the head OF each of the negroes.
| commanding them to throw up
their hands 1t was SO dark that
the negroes could not distinguish
the features Of the trainmen.
There was shot ard the un-
known negro fell forward on his
face. Thompson complied with the
order Of hands up but Jim tried To
nverDower his assailant. Thompson
| hacked away 20 leap to the ground
| and received a bullet which pene.
trated his right hand as he held 10
up to protect himself from the shot.
He leared from the car and tumbleI
down \ small emhankment, where
he aid unconscious for ten min
| utes. The unknown negro, who hal
fallen IN the floor as a ruse. also
lesped from the car, sustaining bad
| bruises about the head when ne
jumped. Jim was overpowered by
his opponent and was shot, dying
almost instantly. The other two
wandered around until morning.
when they were finally directed TO
Cairo, and after crossing the rive-
in gasoline launch, they proceeded
to the Eondurant hospital where
they were treated and sent to po.
lice headquarters. Thompson was
sent on to st. Mary's Intirmary
where his wound was dressed
Thompson was later called 20
Eass Cairo where he identified tho
dead body OF the negro.
Thompson Is a well-educated ne
gro and speaks with refinement He
protests that the other two negroes
| coaxed him to beat his way with
them on freight train, thing he
had never done before He will be
I.incapicitated as q result OF his I'm
jury. r'olcc are searching for the
threa trainmen.