Evening star., 1923-01-05
FIVE DIE IN RACE
CLASH; TOWN FIRED
Fl Negroes Escape Barri-
Caded Hut Surrounded by
Florida Mob.
RIOTS FOLLOW ATTACK
Two White Men Slain Before Be.
sieging Party's Ammuni-
tion Gives Out.
RIOTS FOLLOW ATTACK
n .Aa A..o.I.tnd Press

By the Associated Press.
OTTER CREEK, Fla, January o.
Two white men. two negro women
and one negro man are known to be
dead, while il is believed there are
many other casualties as result of
race trouble last night and early to-
day at Rosewood, twelve miles from
here With the exception of three
buildings, the entire village was
burned by a mob shortly after day
break, according to available reports
here.
A party Of citizens of Sumner went
to Rosewood late last night to in
vestigate reports that two negroes
sought in connection with an attack
upon a young white woman at Sum-
ner Monday we're concealed in a
house there. Upon the approach OF
the party the negroes without warn
ing opened fire, killing outright two
persons and wounding four. one of
them probably fatally.
Twenty-One Behind Barricade.
It later developed that twenty-one
heavily armed negroes were in the
house and citizens Immediately estab-
lish a Gordon around 1t and opened
fire with every conceivable kind OF
firearm.
At 1 o'clock this morning, according
to information here, the ammunition
Of the attackers became exhausted
and the departure of many. for fresh
supplies gave the besieged negroes an
opportunity to escape.
Their departure was discovered at
daylight. The vacated house con-
stained the bodies of two negro wom-
killed by bullets which penetrated
the walls or entered the place through
windows.
Blood stains indicated that several
of those who escaped were wounded.
Immediately afterward, according to
word received from the scene, the
mob began firing the buildings in the
village and every structure except
the grocery store, the residence Of
the grocer and the residence of an
other white man was destroyed.
While the village was in flames, it is
said, members of the mob fired upon
the negroes fleeing from their homes.
The result was not known here.
About twenty families resided in
Rosewood, many, If not the majority
The known dead are: Polly wilkin-
son of Sumner. forty-five years old, a
merchant; Henry Andrews, forty
three, Of otter creek, superintendent
of lumber company; Sylvester Car
rier, forty two, negro; Bertha Carrier,
negro woman, mother of Sylvester
The injured white men are: Manning
Hudson, scalp wound; NJ. L Sturde-
vile, shot through arm; Odom, Otter
creek, shot through neck.
The negro house was burned to the
ground shortly after daylight.
Ordered to Stay I'm Homes.
Sheriff Walker at Sumner ordered
negro mill workers to remain in their
homes. Wilkinson and Andrews
were shot to death when they at
tempted to- enter the negro house
late last night in search of Sylvester
Carrier.
Negroes barricaded in the place at
that time opened fire on the white
men. The bodies of the two men lay
where they fell throughout the night
The dead negro is brother of the
man in Jail in connection with as
sault upon a young white woman sew
eral days ago. Jesse Hunter. an es-
capped negro convict, who Is believed
to have committed the crime is still
at, large.