Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-13
MOB KILLS NEGRO
WHO SHOT OFFICER
Five Other Danvillc Men and a
Woman Wounded by Black
While at Bay.
FIRE AND DYNAMITE USED
Murderer Driven From Refuge
and Riddled With Bullets by
Encircling Gordon.
FIRE AND DYNAMITE USED
Especial to The Times-Dispa tch. !


DANVILLE. VA. October l2.-walter
Clark. negro ne'cr- -do-welI. killed a
Policeman, wounded six other men and
himself was shot 10 death by armed
citizens carly this afternoon as he was
driven out from his refuge in the rear
Of Wilson Street by flames started for
that purpose.
For two hours, while thousands Of
people gathered on roofs and nearby
vantage points, the negro defied citi-
zens. whol learning that two of tho
most popular officers of the police
force had been seriously wounded. de-
termincd TO capture him dead or alive.
Clamor for the body after it had
been dragged. bullet-riddcn and half
burned. from the house. was suhdued
by the authorities. who threw the
corpse on fire wagon, which was
driven by circuitous route TO a negro
undertaking establishment
The body was inferred in less than
an hour.
The casualty list is:
William II. McCray, policeman. dead
William Writ Boisseau, deputy SER
geant. probably fatally wounded.
Police Sergeant J. II. Martin. slightly
wounded in the face.
Policeman II. a. Perkinson. wounded
in the face with buckshot
Policeman J. c. Lewis, wounded IN
the hip.
John Wells. carpenter, wounded in
the face.
Fanny Evans. colored. wounded in
OFFICER McCRAY KILLED
WHILE MAKING ARREST
McCray was killed when he went to
arrest Clark. who was charged with
shooting the negress. He was shot
through the throat.
Boisseau. who received the next call
was bending over the body OF McCray
when load OF shot was poured into
the small OF his back from n window
f. G. Moselev. president OF the Vir-
sinia Press Association. was twelve
feet from the gun muzzle when it was
fred.
For an hour the bodies of the two
men lay In plain view, the negro dis
putting approach to the building. For
an hour or more there was fussilade
OF bullets poured into the negro's
house citizens with guns of every type
coming from all quarters. Dynamite.
resorted to, failed to wreck the build
ing. though two efforts were made.
Once. the negro appeared at a win
dow and fired twice. wounding two po-
lice oTcers and John Wells. a carpcn-
ter. This SO angcred the crowd that
hemiaed il, the negro that II was de-
cided 10 hUrn him out. Ten gallons OF
gasoline were thrown into one window
Of the house, and in n few minutes the
building WAS roaring. Suddenly. the
negro appeared in the doorway on
which the peads of 200 gins were
trained His hand was upraised rs
though to ward off the storm OF bull
lets which Immediately sank into his
body.
BODY DRAGGED BY HEELS
FROM BURNING BUILDING
Seeing him fall and his hair and
clothing on fire. the crowd ran forward
and caught the negro by the heels.
dragging his body into the street. The
fire department. put out the flames
There was an ugly moment after tho
body had been dragged to the street.
a negro undertaken mounted the fire
wagon to convey message to a police
man. This was interpreted by the irate
citizens to be an effort on the part of
the negro to save the remains They
IN obbed the man, who fed headlonE be-
fore crowd of pursuers. Finally he
sank under rain OF blows. His coat
was cut. but he was protected from
further violence by the police.
The scene was p most remarkable
one. The circle of armed citizens,
which hemmed in the series Of out
houses. was almost in the heart of the
town, and II pail of smoke from rat
Ting rifie-hre hung over the scene.
Business was at a standstill virtually
the rest OF the afternoon 'All is quiet
and normal tonight.
Boisseau is reported. by his attend
ing physician. to have been fatally
shot lie has a rugged constitution,
however, and some hope is entertained
for his recovery.
Roisseau's condition. shortly before
midnight was reported 10 be unchanged.
The gunshot made bad hole in his
back, injuring vital organs and lacer-
ating lung. He has been deputy
sheriff for fourteen years His rela-
tives in Dinwiddie, where Boisseau was
born. have been summoned by J.. II.
Boisscan. sergeant of Danvilie, hut not
related to the wounded man.
Officer McCray was sixty-;wo years
OF age and a native OF AIamance
County. y. G.. He had been with the
police and fire departments for twenty
six years. He leaves wife, but no
children