Rockingham post-dispatch., 1921-05-05


The men moved slowly, always
careful to avoid breaking twig
that might alarm the negroes, or
warn the guards, which were sus-
pected of being out around the place.
The work at the still continued, the
operators having mo thought of be-
ing taken by surprise. Dawn be-
gan to break by the time the officers
were within a hundred yards of the
plant 1t was decided TO move down
swiftly and overpower the negroes
before they could offer resistance.
Half dozen Winchester rifles
barked out behind the officers, and
bullets whistled past their heads.
Realizing that they had passed the
guards in the dark, Gulley gave the
order to storm the still, without re-
gard to the fire from the rear. The
officers rushed, but before they had
gone ten steps the negroes at the
still opened fire.
Officers Open Fired.
Officers in the group opened fire
as they ran, concentrating upon the
negroes clearly visible in the glow
of the furnaces of the stills. Three
men dropped with the first volley,
others yelled as if they had been
,hit. The officers emptied their guns
the negroes had emptied their guns,
and in the lull, the men at the still
decided to retreat. Recovering the
guns that had been dropped by the
three who were shot, down, the re-
manning seven disappeared. z 2
y One of the Baldwin negroes paus-
cd in his flight, took deliberate aim
at Mr., Gulley and fired. The bullet
missed the officer, and the nine men
opened up on the fleeing negro, but
without definite result. The firing
behind ceased, and the battle was
over. Looking around, the officers
took stock of the situation. One of
the negroes was still alive and leav-
ing the other members of the party
to guard the plant, Mr.. Gulley went
for doctor. The negro died within
an hour.
Pursuit Is Started
Pursuit of the negroes was insti.
tuted. The officers caught sight oil
one of the Baldwin negroes driving
away from the neighborhood at a
terrific speed. He had six negroes
with him. Coming upon another oi
the party, still carrying his gun, the
officers ordered him to halt. He
turned to run and they fired, shoot
ing off his arm. He dropped his gun
and took to the woods, and was
lost, Careful search failed to discov
er him. No captures were made.
News of the battle spread over
that entire country and soon hun
dreds of people were on the scene
News came of doctors who had beer
Summoned to a negro house to at
tend six wounded negroes. The doc
tors had examined the negroes, some
of whom were severely, pfobabl,
fatally wounded, bMt all of them hat
been carried away by the Baldwin,
in theiI automobiles. Apparentl,
the crowd was thoroughly scatter
ed and the officers turned their at
Etention to the destruction of tn
property that had been seized.
Three modern stills, one 2O0-gal
Ion, one 150-gallon, and one 125
gallon, all solid copper, were chop
ped to pieces. One hundred am
fifty gallons of an apparently spler
did grade of liquor were poured on
in the little creek that ras by tn
still; 22,500 gallons of beer wer
poured out; twenty fermentors G
1900 gallon capacity each wer
burned together with vast quaint
ty Of lesser paraphernalia, valued
$500. The figures are said to b
very conservative as to values.
! Coroner C. B. Hendriks was sun
mOned. the jury empanneled declal