The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-06-22
THE SHOOTING AT EAsTLAKE

The Star hasn't nad mucn 70 Sdy
about the shooting of the negro, Will
Bryan, at Eastlake one night last
week, because it hasn't been able to
obtain the information absolutely
needed on which to express an opin-
ion. II isn't good policy for news
paper to be too ready to criticise Of
ficers of the law, who are our main
dependence in preserving public
peace. They receive a good deal of
undeserved criticism, and when they
deserve it, they can't get away; so 1t
is never necessary to take snap judg-
ment on them.
The sheriff of Marion county Is a
gentleman we have warm personal
friendship for, and we have many
times had occasion to admire his
coolheaded bravery and the discretion
with which he smoothed over little
difficulties which a narrow man would
have made foundation for serious
trouble for men who were more I'M
lucky than criminal He has always
tried and seldom failed to pick good
deputies, and we do not see that this
unfortunate affair at Eastlake was in
any way his fault.
The particulars Of the killing of
Bryan, as detailed to Star reporter
by Deputy Sheriff Calvin West are as
follows:
On being informed that gambling
was going on among the negroes at
Eastlake, Deputy Sheriffs West, Os-
teen and Johns, accompanied by ne
gro left Ocala for Eastlake Thursday
night in an auto. The gambling was
going on among the workmen of the
Coast Line construction crew, in one
of their shanty cars, which stood on a
sidetrack under the bluff near the
station. The three officers slipped up
on the car, West at one end, Osteen
on one side and Johns on the other.
About that time the negroes found
they were being raided and some
made a break for liberty. Osteen en-
tered the car from the bluff side and
ordered the negroes to surrender.
Some did so, and some jumped out
on the lake side, which Johns was
guarding. At this instant, West who
was at the end of the car heard shots.
Coming around on the lake side, he
found Bryan lying on the ground,
while the other darzies who had tried
to escape, were running to the north.
Mr.. West fired shot over their heads
and turned his attention to Bryan. He
asked the man if he was hurt, and he
! said he was. At that instant Osteen
was in the car guarding his prisoners,
in which he was joined by Johns.
West tried to obtain doctor for the
wounded negro, but he died in about
fifteen minutes.
Bryan was shot in the left leg and
the ball ranged up into. his stomach
very peculiar wound.
Mr.. West says he did not shoot the
negro, and does not know who did.
Mr.. Osteen refused to give any ac-
count of the shooting, beyond saying
emphatically that he did not shoot.
The Star has not been able to in
terview Mr.. Johns. but would like to
hear his side of the story.
1t is possible, of course, that one OF
the negroes who escaped fired at the
officers and shot Bryan. Mr.. West
says no arms were found on the pris-
oners or in the car. It is not improb-
able, however, that one or more of
those who escaped were armed.
The people of Eastlake are much
stirred up over the occurrence, and
the feeling has spread to Ocala, where
some of our best citizens denounee
the affair in decided terms.
The matter should be probed to the
bottom. If the negro was killed by
one of his comrades, the slayer should
be hunted down and brought to jus
tice, for his act was no less than muir
der in the first degree.
If, on the other hand the fatal shot
was fired by one of the officers, he
deserves a penitentiary sentence.
An officer has no right to shoot a
man who is running away, unless
that man is guilty of a grave crime.
This is not the Stars opinion only. 1t
is the law
The custom prevalent in this state,
and so far as the Star can learn, more
prevalent in other counties than this,
of rounding up parties of colored men,
who are playing cards for small
stakes, but not breaking the peace or
causing annoyance to other people
should be stopped. 1t is oppression
of the negroes and an uniustifable
annoyance to their employers.
Gambling is an evil in any shape OF
form. But white men gamble unmo-
Tested simply because they have
homes, Offices, club or hotel rooms &c
gamble in, which the officers cannot
enter without warrants, and in which
they can find no evidence when they
do enter.
The poor negroes on the other hand
either homeless or far from home
gathering around rough tables, OF
down on the floors, in rude shanty
or box car, to have the only amuse.