The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-12-20
TROOPS HALT RACE
|RIOTINC MARKED. BY
death, DESTRUCTION
Two Killed, Seven Wounded in
Fight With Troops Over
intended Victim
COURTHOUSE BURNED DOWN
Judge Declares Mistrial to Pre-.
vent Further Violence In
Riot Torn Town
Copyright, 1894, BY The Associated
Press)
COURTHOUSE BURNED DOWN
Copyright, 1894, BY The Associated
pre4S)

Shelbyville. Tenn, Dec. 20.-{F-
Six hundred national guardsmen
marched into town Thursday after
disorders Of the last ~ hours in
which the courthouse was burned and
two men were killed in Z racial out
break.
The troops were ordered here by
Governor Hill McAlister after mob
ran wild Wednesday on the scent Of q
lynching. fighting to carry off
Negro whose trial on q charge Of at
lacking q young white girl was in
terrupted as the sullen, raging group
stormed the courthouse.
Four hours after the guardsmen's
bullets had stopped the assault
against the courthouse, the building
was burned down. at loss estimated
at $4,000.
Threats still ran through the town
Thursday. Dr.. James l.. Morton.
county health officer. said he was
informed the mob intended to fire the
Bedford county jail, after Offering
respite to let him remove the 20-odd
prisoners. DR.. Morton said he would
take advantage Of the offer.
Negro Disguised % Guard
The mob first set the hour Of I
O'Clock Thursday morning for the fir
ing Of the Jail. but this came ard
passed without the threat being car
ried out. The crowd, partly dispersed,
was still In q menacing mood, &C.
casional shots being heard.
Four trucks Of an original detach-
ment Of Ill national guardsmen, who
brought the mob's quarry here for
trial Wednesday, were overturned and
burned.
e. K. Harris, 22-year-old Negro. was
on trial for assault Of . l4-year-old
white girl. Disguised as q guardsman
and wearing gas mask. he was led
through the milling crowd from the
courtroom to q waiting automobile.
An escort Of militia sped him to
Nashville for safekeeping. Only after
their car pulled away from the court
house did the mob sense the ruse.
Cheated Of their prey. the enraged
men turned upon the national guard
as it filed from the besieged court
house and marched out Of town. They
hurled stones and yelled insults At the
militiamen.
Threaten vandalism
The troops, ordered out by Cover.
nor Hill McAlister, found the center
Of the town little more than sham
bles, with the cries Of the 800 to 500
maddened men still sounding on the
outskirts.
Reported threats Of vandalism on
the city water plant caused . police
guard to Be thrown around 1t, ana
there were sporadic small blazes, al
Of them extinsuished.
OF the seven wounded, two were In
such serious condition that physicians
said they could not live.
The dead were Raleigh Edwards,
3O-year-old painter, who was shot and
bayoneted. and IN unidentified white
man.
Rough treatment was accorded any
Negro who dared appear upon the
streets and threats Of an invasion Of
the Negro quarters were rife, but no
damage or casualties were reported
from that section.
A small Negro hotel was set afire,
but the blaze was extinguished quick.
~.
Early Wednesday evening fire broke
out in the left wing Of the courthouse.
A policeman said he was watching at
the time and . slight explosion pre-
ceded the first blaze. This he be-
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