John Herring was Slain

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Birmingham News

Publication Place

Birmingham, AL

Publication Date

04/20/1899

Transcript

JOHN HERRING WAS SLAIN, In combat with Taylor Collins at Woodstock, in a row about the rent, the Negro owed. Collins shot by Herring's brother. There is considerable talk of lynching. AND GREAT EXCITEMENT PREVAILS. At Woodstock there is much excitement over the killing of John Herring, one of the prominent merchants of the place, and the serious shooting of Taylor Collins, a negro said to be a worthless sort of fellow, at the place this morning. It is said that a riot almost occurred and the negro is likely to be lynched before the night. It seems that John Herring and his brother, Pink Herring, went to the Collin's house, which belongs to the Herring brothers and a fuss started over the negro attempting to move out his things for the purpose, so alleged, of getting off without paying his rent. Collins was in the town a little previous from all accounts, and had a gun with him, but this was taken away from him. When he returned to his home, however, he seems to have gotten another gun and when the fuss started between him and the white men he commenced firing first. John Herring fell with a bullet in his neck, he lived only five minutes. Pink Herring is said to have shot the negro after the brother had fired once. John Herring's bullet hit the negro in the chin, while Pink Herring's bullet struck the negro in the right shoulder. In a few moments there was a great excitement. The shooting was heard and a large crowd of excited men collected, so a report from that point goes. There were negros and whites getting together in a few moments a riot was anticipated. The arrival of Justice of the Peace Pendleton is said to have allayed the excitement to a great extend and at 2 o'clock this afternoon there had been no further trouble, though at any moment a mob is likely to go after the negro, not withstanding he is in the hands of the law. Justice Pendleton this afternoon was forming a jury and will hold an inquest over the remains of Herring and the blame for the entire matter will be located. It is feared that if the verdict should be against the negro he will have to be removed for safety. There is much excitement over the affair according to the reports which come from the scene of the shooting as Mr. Herring was well known and had a family. He owned property in the neighborhood and was in business at Woodstock. The shooting is said to have happened about 10 o'clock in the morning. The crows that collected at the scene was large and much talk was indulged in.

Sources for

See all items with this value Taylor Collins