The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-26
Negro Labor Unionist Backed
By White Agitators Causes
Trouble
THREE KILLED AND
SEVERAL ARE WOUNDED
Posse Of Special Deputies Charge
Garage Which Was Held By
Agitators

Bogalusa, La, Nov 22.-Three
white men were shot to death and
two wounded in a pitched battle at
a garageshere today in which a small
band OF men attempted to prevent
forty five special police deputies from
arresting a negro labor leader, sus-
pected Of if1citing negroes, and two
white men who had carried shotguns
to protect him while parading him
down the, main street Of the city. in
which is the worlds largest sawmiii.
The dead are:
l.. e. Williams, president. of the
Allied Trades Council of iBogalusa
and owner of the. garage; j. P. Bou-
ch:Hon ana Thomas Gaines, carpen-
ters. They were shot by the. officers.
The wounded. are: :,
S. J. 0'RouEke, carpenter. one OF
the men. for whom a warrant had
been sworn, and Jules Leblanc. 2
special policeman and former cap
tain in the. United States army. !:
Saul Dechus, the negro who had
been sought by the officers. and who
is president Of the negro union, es-
capped frszn the garage with four
white men, during the Shooting. Jas.
williams, brother of the slain leaI-
er, was arrested and charged with
assault with intent to kill.
BogaIiasa eis quiet tonight. and the
special Sofhesrs rty-Gye I'm n1mber
who are members OF the Self -Preser-
vation and Lsoya1tys Leagpe,, and who
made a. determined. adyance on the
barricaded garage despite the fire
from shptg1ns Gzand pistols are max
ing every effort to main tain order:
Z Tn fight. az the garage IS. a result
Of the ,parah ing :ef the negro theTofs
ficers: had baen, seafehing Tor since
last night. They boarded q passeng-
train last night Just as. it.. entered
the city But could not ind him or. any my
suspected radicals. To-day. the officers
said. Bouchillon and o'Rourke. armed
wits,. s.1otStps. marched sDcchus. the
negro for. whom warrant had been
sworn. down the street, to Williams
garage.
The chief of police had sworn in
the forty-fiye special officers and they
quickly formed to make the arrest. W.
c.. MaGee and Jules. Leblanc. with
warrants for O'Rourke., Bouchillon
and Decbus, started toward the build
ing. but, as they entered c gate lead
ing to the gnrage were fred upon. he-
Blanc was hit in the arm.
Williams, the labor leader. then
stepped into the doorway. officers say
he refused to give the men up and
made an attempt 10 carry his shotgun
to his shoulder. Tie was instantly
shot to death.
The. pitched battle then ensuea.
Boucnillon was. Killed when his gun
failed to fire while he was standing
at a window.
The garage was rushed by the de-
termined officers and only the body
OF Gaines, with q pistol with dis
charged cartridges in it and shot
gun atshis side. and James Williams
were found. BoHchillon fell in the
center Of the garage,
In the last few days the: Loyal
League. which includes several mem
bers OF the American Legion. has
been active in attempting to stamp
out radicalisn,. wednesday thirteen
members, all. Of whom were Of the
American Legion, escorted out of town
Edward O'Hrien. a white man re-
ported of approving the shooting OF
former soldiers in an Armistice Day
parade. at Cantralia, Washington. by
!. w. VS..
The same. men served a warning
on Dechus.. the negro suspected Of be-
ing an agitator. to leave Bogalusa
yesterday. Afiday;ts charging Jules
Leblanc and eleven other members
Of the committee who escorted
o,Brien to the train with unlawfully
wearing: the United States army uni
forms. were sworn out here yesterday
by William L. Donnells, general or
ganizersof the United brotherhood OF
Carpentars and Joiners before the