Single Copy 5 Coots
POLICEMAN
MS
A RECKLESS NEGRO PULLS HIS PISTOL
AND FIRES UPON THE OFFICER--A
DEATH BLOW -THE BULLET
STRIKES HIS HEART.
His Wife Reaches Him Shortly After His
Death Two Negroes In JailThe Third
One Escapes A Wife, Child and Mother
Left A Member of the Jr, O. IT. M,
The Funeral Services--A Mob
Visits the Jail But Sup
, pressed By Deputies.
On account of, a reckless, un
lawful and partly intoxicated ne
gro the life of Mr. Will J. Kerns,
who for some time - has been
serving as a special policeman
and since the first of the month
had been put on duty on account
of Chief Harris leaving, was
brought suddenly to an end when
he was making an effort to en
force the law and preserve peace.
On last Saturday night after
returning from his work at the
depot ne stopped at ms- nome,
which is the second house on
this side of the depot, on the
north side of West Depot street,
and ate his lunch. After getting
but a few steps away from the
house coming up town he met
three negroes, Will Edwards,
Tom Carr and Robert Richard
son. As to the conflict that fol
lowed we have to depend on the
story told by the negroes. Ac-
My XT
and passed them. Will Edwards
had .been cursing along down
street and Mr. Kerns informed
him that unless this ceased' he
would have to be taken up town.
To this;Hhe negro, Will Ed
wards, tolpl the officer to go on
r, -,,- J' A. 1 i-l. . 1, 4 1,
away clUU ilOU UULI1B1 mm ctt Ht5
was doing nothing. As to the
moments between this time and
the shooting the two negroes,
Carr and Richardson, can not
tell, but both" say that Richard
son pulled his pistol and fired
first, but they know not whether
the first shot struck the officer.
Both say that Mr, Kerns shot j
three times. One says that Ld
wards, he thinks, only shot once
while the other says five or six
shots were fired. Edwards hur
riedly got away and has not since
noon crrt-i M'h A AT h AT" T ttta ti n
groes went on towards the depot
but returned .soon afterward.
But it was over now and a shot
tired by one of the negroes,
whichever! one it was, entered
the breast of the officer, striking
the heart and killing him almost I
instantly. Both negroes say that
they heard Mr. Kerns exclaim,
"Lord have mercy." Mrs. Kerns,
who of course heard the shooting
soon ran to her husband but too
late to find him living. The life
of Mr. Kerns was ended. This
took place almost in front of Mr,
Turner's home and it was about
ten minutes before 12 o'clock.
As above stated, two of the ne
groes, Richardson and Carr, re-
I
KILLED.
turned and viewed the dead body
of the officer,1 who lay upon the
street with his club at one hand
and his pistol in the other.
The sad news was quickly
spread through that part of town
and between midnight and day
break these m two negroes were
found sleeping in a house at the
depot. The house was entered
and the negroes put in jail. An
effort was made yet that night to
capture Edwards but in vain. A
large posse was out Sunday
morning searching the homes of
negroes beyond the depot, de
spite the refusal of some of the
negroes to allow it. No definite
news could be obtained as to
what direction he took .. after
passing the depot. Numbers
think that he boarded a freight
train which passed soon after
wards. THE FUNERAL. CONDUCTED.
The body of Mr. Kerns was
taken to the home that night and
the funeral conducted Sunday af
ternoon at Rooky Ridge by Rev.
T W Smith. Mr. Kerns was a
member of Cannoville Council
No. 25 of the I Junior Order of
TT : I 1 A X'U Ar.lr.
which OounciUIn a body attended
the funeral and took part. Mr.
Kerns was a young man of
25
years, of fine appearance, and
wasproving an efficient officer,
He was reared only a few miles
beoond the depot 'and has not
here scarcely a year. He mar-j Peck were struck by some one,
ried Miss Alice Yates, daughter though not badly hurt. 'Some
of Mr, Thad Yates, of Cannon- one of the 'mob during this
ville, who with one child now trouble was nourishing a pistol
lives heart-broken over the loss about while attempting to release
of a kind and forbearing hus-j his friend from Mr. Coble and
band. Mr. Kerns had made Sheriff Peck. After the jnil
numbers of friends here whole yard was cleared a line was
whole in service and sad were the j formed by the deputies; and with
faces Sunday when, the' news of honor to them, the crowd was
i.,v, iV w..,c cri-n Hp nlsrvsent through the streets By
ha'd" a mother living with him
who .has now seen her husband
and son precede her to the grave,
. , . . , . i-x
It is sad to tnmK oi me mo ui
one, like this man being cut off on
j account of the disregard of our
laws by a reckless negro, and to
think of the. grief stricken and
sadhearted life companion whose
face is buried in tears for her
loved one. .
ATTEMPTED A LYNCHING.
On Sunday afternoon shortly
before dark the streets held num-
" "V
bers of persons who only were
inquiring as to the capture of
the third negro wMe there were
others on the Streets who were ,
planning with their crowd to I
A 1 i.1 1 - i-l-
lano me law m iuir uwu, uauua
that night and end the life of
ui uum. ui tixo uogiwB
who were arrested the night be-
tore. The situation was realized
by our officers and men were
deputized to l be in readiness in
case ; any trouble might -arise,
The trouble did arise. The 1
crowd kept hovering about the
jail yard and a repetition of the, Mr. Ernest B Taylor, of Sal
night of the 29th of May, '98 , isbury, is here today.
seemed' to be
coming.
But to
I
, ,
end the life ol these two negroes,
who may or may not have
committed the crime and thus
cut off all evidence which will
be needful for the trial of Will
Edwards, the third negro, in
case he is caught, should not be
done and men, who are equally
n ci r vi vi xn r 4-V r - I no f Vi oViMilrl T r
OIO UUA1UUO U UUOj LJL.L Lti-VX
meted out to the murderer of
Mr Kerns formed themselves,
at the Tail norch and were de-
.
termined that this mob should
not lynch the negroes. The;
i- ' -v i- -
mob could be easily discerned m I
the jail yard as there was con-;
siderable space between it and the
I
jail fence and when the -leaders
of the intended work would call
for more help to take the jail by
force the outsiders would show
their disapproval of such an act
and would stand perfectly still.
Mayor Means plead briefly but
pointedly to the mob citing to
them the efforts that are. being
made to capture the third" one
at different points in North and
South Carolina, also pleading to
them to spare the lives of the
two jailed ones that their evi
dence may be used to find the
guilty person. Mr. W G Means
also made a few remarks. The
mob would not move away and
made threats that they would
have their men. At last, seeing
that some other means were
necessary, the lawful one in
formed the mob that lives wouM
be lost before the jail was enter
ed, and at once made a rush into
the crowd commanding them to
disperse. The mob gave back
! and the deputies continued to
order them out
until the jail
j yard was cleared. In mis rusn
j while attempting to take a
j prominent member of the mob
'out Mr. R F Coble and Sheriff f
j this time a crowd was equipped
with shot guns and a guard was
'formed and stationed indifferent
rjarts of town. It was a success-
. .
ful dispersion of the mob and ho
more tain ui iy uvmiig mii nigiiu
was heard.
THE NEGROES BEING TRIED.
As we go to- press this after
noon, a preliminary trial is be
ing held in the court house of
Robert Richardson and Tom
Carr, the two negroes who were
jailed Saturday night. Quite a
number of witnesses were sum
moned for the trial, and it will
very probably take a good!
amunt Qf time, but will aid
j much; in the settling of prevalent
? reports:
Has Returned from the Hospital,
Mr. Jno. A Cline returned
I ri -i m. 1
nuuie ounaay moraine: alter
spending nearly six weeks inthe
ixu&piLai in r-nuaueipma wnere
he went to be cured of an attack
of neuritis m his arm and
shoulder. He is still unable to
return to his work but his arm
and shoulder has been relieved
PERSONAL -POINTERS.
vxuiraiiie is spec
afternoon in Charlotte. ,
D B Coltrane is spending the
Miss Kate Nicholson spent
yesterday out at Mr. S W
White's. .
Mrs. Jas. Deaton and chil
dren' returned to Charlotte this
morning.
Morrison Fetzer returned
1 llOFflO
ville.
this morning from Ashe-
Ja HarriS) of the Sav.
n l i . , .
mgs DanK, is on roaay ax nis
home near Harrisburg. t -
TTT , ,
Mr- W E MacCarter, of the
sew York World, is registered
at the St. Cloud hotel today.
T
Mice H.rmn. I ,rTtrc nnri m nf hor
f Lowesviiie, arrived here this
morningr.
They are
visiting at
Mr. Will Bingham's.
Mr. R Lee Carr, of Rock
Hill, spent yesterday here at Mr.
M E Castor's. He and his fam
ily returned home this morning.
Mr. Jno. B Sherrill spent
this: morning in Salisbury. He
accompanied his niece, T Ollie
Sherrill, that far on her return
to Newton.
A tell iiie .
OF
IfawcyI
1 CAKES I
AT
I 1 li'vinV
I
I
i
1
The Slimmer is Ended,
The Harvest is Past.
THE TIME TO
y BUY
FURNITURE
Everybody and their kinsfolk know that
BELL, HARRIS & CO.
is the place to buy it and don't you forget it. Car lots,, spot cash:
and the best factories in the United States at our command gives
us a long lead in LOW PRICES. We have bought to sell we sell,
see if we don't. Have you seen our line of Pictures just innoth
ing like it ever showhin Concord. Prices range from 25c to $2.50.
fn-r "RnVlal. Rirthdav or anv
JLUU U J-UIOO lxj. o ' . v -pj. .
other kind of Presents. New line of moulding just in. Picture
; Frames made on short notice.
We Are Strictly in it for Business
' ' , -
XTlT T TT II TlTITO 9r n AMTl l ?T7
U U I I H U K H I fl ' IV till W I " if
ULiLlUf lllllllllW VL J Villi llil A t
Punished for His Action.
On Sunday night when the
- - - - .
lvnnhinp' nrowH tc vainrv
jpersed by the deputies and when
tne streets were bem cleared a
man of our town refused to keep
going and to Mayor Means com
mand to move he respended that
he would not move until he got
ready. But his refusal caused
his arrest and he was lodged . in
jail. Next morning he was tried
and his actions, resisting the
means taken by our law-abiding
men to keep peace, to let justice
be meted 'out and to relieve doubt
! as to the guilty person, cost him
7.85.. Another one was taken
up but not confined to jail. At
this time he has not boon dealt
with by the law.
Mack Boger Sends Word.
We have received a note over
the supposed signature "of Mack
i Soger, the negro who some time
ao-n cVnf Tnoon y-.f . uu
ago shot Jesse Koontz (col.) with
some kind of excuse for shoot
ing Jesse. We have found by
comparison that this note is not
Mack's handwriting and if he
has any exsuses to make let him
seek other sources to prove his
innocence.
THE BEST PRESCRIPTION FOR
CHILLS
and fever is a bottle zi Grovel Taste
less Ohill Tonic. Never fails to cure;
Then why experiment with Worthless
imitations? Price 50 cenis. Tour
money back if it failp to cure.
; Thinks fill's Figures Too High.
Col. J R Ashe, secretary and
treasurer of York Cotton Mill, it
is said, is not a gambler, but Ls
willing to bet $1,000 that Statisti-
cian Neill is mistaken in his es
timate of the cotton crop by at
least 1,000,000 bales, and that
there will not be 11,000,000 bales
raised in the South this season.
GLORIOUS NEWS
Comes from Dr. D, B. Carile of
Washita, I T. He mtes: "Four bot
tles of Electric Bitters h is cured Mrs.
Brerer of scrofula, whi.h had caused
her great suffering for years. Terrible
sores would break out on her head and
face, and the best doctors could give no
help; but her cure is coTilett and her
health is excellent." This shows that
thousands have proved, -that Electric
Bitters is the best blf M nnrtr known.
It's the suprepje remedy for eczema,
tetter, salt rheum, ui -pu1 run
ning sores. It &timu as?. hciv kidneys
and bowels, eipeJs p -lous. Leip diges-
I tion, builds up the fir'"nsrth. Unly
j cents. Sold at t etzerV in i atore.
IS NOW AT
-HAND..