The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-05
BLACK MAGIC
FANATICS WAR
WITH POLICE
One Officer, One Gunman
Killed in Raid on
VoodOo Temple.
WORSHIP AFRICAN GOD
Squad Breaks In on Weird
Rites and Savage
Fray Follows.
BIZ United Press


NEWARK, N. j., March 5.--A
score of converts to the ancient
black magic of Africa and a raid
ing squad of the Newark police de-
partment battled in a temple of VOC
dooiSm on Barclay street at dawn
today leaving the third floor of the
building cluttered with dead and
wounded.
A policeman and a Negro gunman
we're killed, one other patrolman
and at least one more member Of
the cult were wounded.
Sergeant Robert Anderson. who
led the raiders up the creaking
stairs to the third floor, where the
weird ritual was being conducted,
was shot to death five minutes after
ne broke into the inner room.
Shot Nine Times
A Negro member of the voodoo
band known only as Cokey Joe.
was killed as he attempted to
escape.
AudIey Billups, another member Of
the band who was reused to fanati-
cal pitch by the voodoo chant, took
nine bullets in his body and went
down in a corner still battling with
his fists. He was still alive when
taken to Newark city hospital.
Before he collapsed, Billups hard
still was steady enough to wound
Marion Thigpen, the only Negro
patrolman on the Newark force,
who had followed Anderson up the
stairs.
Anderson was informed by the
patrolman on the beat that uncanny
noises were coming from the house.
Anderson went to the house, accom-
panied by patrolmen Charles Wit
tick, William Meyers, Frank Wyca-
lex and Thigpen. Wittick and Mey-
ers were station at the rear Of the
house: Anderson and Thigpen en-
tered and Wycalek remained at the
front door.
Creep Up Stairs
The sergeant and the Negro pa
trolman walked quietly through the
deserted halls on the first floor,
crept up the stairs and found the
second story also deserted. Then
from the third floor came the rise
and fall of a chant, broken OCCASION
ally by a strident voice offering in
vocGtion to an African god. The
ceiling shook to the rhythmical
swing of bodies.
Anderson and Thigpen tiptoed
to the third floor and listened out
side the door. Suddenly the chant
was interrupted and high-pitched
voice Shrilled:
There amt no such thing as
law. Every man makes his own law
according to the light God gives
him"
Amen" came the rumbling
chorus from the rest of the band.
Anderson and Thigpen put their
shoulders to the door and crashed
into the room. The medium-sized
room, formerly a kitchen, was
crowded with prancing Negroes, 60
ing through the frenzies Of their
voodoo cult. Smoke hung heavily
and the first streaks Of dawn threw
enormous shadows across the walls.
The floor was Uttered with gin bot
ties.
Hands up, everybody" shouted
Anderson.
The score or more Of Negroes did
not hear him, so excited we're they
in their rhythmical dance around
the room
Dashes to Door
Hands up the ser7oGnt yelled
again, taking out his pistol.
The dance stopped, ana suddenly
BillupS dashed for the door. An
derson fired three times. Billups
quivered as the bullets struck him,
but apparently felt no pain. Draw.
ing pistol, the Negro sent bullet
burrowing into Anderson's chest.
The policeman fell back across the
table, firing three more bullets, all
Of which struck the Negro.
Thigpen grabbed Billupsss pistol,
and they exchanged shots at arms
length. Billups was Jared back on
his heels by three more bullets and
shot grazed Thigpens cheek.
Finally, Billups was driven into a
corner where Thigpen crashed his
nightstick repeatedly against the
Negroes skull. Billups still was fight
ing when "Cokey Joe" attempted to
run from the room just in time to
have patrolman Wycalek. who came
running up from the ground floor,