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--Lively Times
Shooting Scrape Between a Darkey and a White Man.
On
Saturday last a negro named Abram Hooks made his appearance in
Justice Ezzard’s court, and swore out a warrant against another
darkey named Thomas Evans, charging him with assault with intent to
murder. Hooks said he had been out to where Evans lived about four
miles from town the day before, and had become involved in a
dispute. The latter had leveled his pistol at him, threatening his
life, and had run him off. Constable Thompson was sick, and
duputized his son, Mr. Green Thompson, a man about 35 years of age,
to execute the warrant. Early yesterday morning Mr. Thompson, with
Hooks as his guide went to a negro settlememt four miles from the
city near Mr. Dave Plaster’s place. After searching around for some
time, Evans was found in one of the houses, but a negro woman had
given him the alarm before the arrest could be effected. He jumped
out of the door, and when Thompson advanced upon him telling him to
surrender, he drew his pistol, and commenced to fire.
Two
shots were fired at Mr. Thompson, and then he in turn began to use
his pistol, firing six shots at the negro as rapidly as he could.
When he had exhausted his weapon, Thompson still continued to
advance, and the negro desperado, with a good many oaths, picked up
a large rock, and hurled it at him with all his strength.
Fortunately the rock missed its destination, and Evans did not wait
to gather another but took to his heels. Mr. Thompson says he ran
with the rapidity of lightning, and after pursuing him a short
distance he had to give up the chase.
Although eight shots were fired, neither party were struck, but one
of the balls passed within a few inches of Mr. Thompson’s head.
Efforts will be again made to arrest the negro as soon as his
whereabouts can ne ascertained. [The Constitution (Atlanta,
Georgia) November 16, 1875]
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--John Wood’s Troubles.
He
Tries to Catch a Runaway Wife and Gets in Jail for Assault With
Intent to Murder.
John
Wood is one of the few darkies in our city whose troubles originate
from his being in possession of a wife. Most of the darkeys have
wives, but they can manage them. John got his wife easily enougj,
but has had a hard time trying to keep her. The husband lives in the
city and earns a mdoest sustenance cleaning out stores. The wife is
named Amanda Wood, and although she is the mother of several
children, that fact does not appear to have modified her propensity
for running away, and John has on divers occasions lost much
valuation in catching her and bringing her back.
Her
last performance in this line has come very near involving the
husband in serious trouble. It seems that on last Saturday she was
enticed away by a negro man named Johnson who lives some six or
seven miles in the country near East Point. She left her home during
her husband’s absence taking everything portable with her except the
children. The husband was absent at his work and was very much
astounded when he got home to find no one there to receive him. He
set to work, however trying to ascertain the whereabouts of his
runaway wife, and by the following day had succeeded in getting on
her tracks. Monday evening he started off in pursuit and carried a
West End bailiff with him to assist in getting her home. When the
pursuers reached Johnson’s house he refused to let the woman come
home and strange to say his wife sided with him. The result was that
a triangular fight was only prevented by the active interference of
the bailiff. At last Wood got his better half and returned to the
city. The next day Johnson had him arrested and put in jail for
assault with intent to murder, alleging that he had drawn a pistol
on hm during the row. Wood remained in jail until yesterday when he
was brought out before Justice Wright and as no prosecutor appeared
he was discharged. He had scarcely reached home before the
unfortunate man was again arrested. This time by Sheriff Parkerson
and on a warrant sworn out by his wife. She charged him with assault
and battery. Yesterday afternoon his attorneys, Mears, Moore and
Hooks sued out a writ of habeas corpus in his behalf before Judge
Pittman. They alleged that the second arrest was illegal. The case
was argued and decision reserved until this morning. [The
Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) October 21, 1876]
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