Desperate Negro Murders Two Men, Defies Pursuing Posse, and Escapes into Swamp

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Tuscaloosa News

Publication Place

Tuscaloosa, AL

Publication Date

10/23/1911

Transcript

Desperate Negro Murders Two Men, Defies Pursuing Posse, and Escapes into Swamp. Entire County is Stirred By the Most Desperate Crime of Recent Years. HUNDREDS OF ARMED MEN COMPOSE DETERMINED POSSE After Killing Tom Cooper at Northport Sunday, Frank Richardson Ambushes His Pursuers and Kills Brown Horton-Still at Large. After killing Tom Cooper at Northport, about noon Sunday then making his escape, and killing Brown Horton. a member of the pursuing posse just before daybreak Monday morning. Frank Richardson, a negro is still at large supposedly in a canebrake bottom on the Warrior river, ten miles below Tuscaloosa, heavily armed and defying arrest. Richardson's murder of Cooper, his escape, his murder of Horton, and his second escape constitute one of the most desperate crimes in the history of the county, and the whole district is stirred by the tragedy. This afternoon over a hundred armed men are in the vicinity of the killing of Horton. Some are worn out with their all-night search, others are just arriving on the scene, still more are preparing to join in the search and the whole county is anxiously awaiting some clue as to the whereabouts of the criminal. The news of the crime has spread over the entire county, and has been flashed to other towns and cities, but up to the time The News goes to press, no information has been received. The pursuing posse is determined but orderly, no race feeling is apparent, and there is no talk of lynching, but Richardson will never be captured alive. He is armed with revolvers, a 44-40 Winchester rifle, and has the reputation of being a good shot and possessed of unusual physical courage. His murder of Horton demonstrated that he is not only defying the posse, but is making an aggressive fight on them. The murder of Cooper occurred, about ten o'clock Sunday morning. He had sent a negro boy to Richardson's house to borrow a saddle, and when the boy returned with an impudent message from the negro, Mr. Cooper rode up to the house. He is said to have asked Richardson, what he meant by sending such a message, but instead of replying the negro opened fire. Cooper is said to have called to the negro not to shoot, telling him that he himself was unarmed. The negro fired the ball entering the right breast. Mr. Cooper was conscious several hours, during which time he told of the crime. His account is said to correspond with that of the negro boy. The boy this morning, however, had disappeared as had most of the other negroes concerned in any way with the crime. Immediately after the shooting, Richardson made good his escape. The sheriff's office was notified and the pursuit begun immediately. Bloodhounds were received from Ensley at 6.20 o'clock in charge of Mr., D. A. Echols, and the posse, increased by a number of citizens of Tuscaloosa and Northport renewed the search. First Trace. Policeman Foster King, Deputy, Sheriff Foster Clemens and Mr. Cecil King went in a buggy down the Sanders Ferry Road. About midnight, they came across a negro on the road two miles below Floyd's saw mill, and about eight miles from town. They questioned him about the road, but before they had recognized him, he had levelled his gun and snapped twice, the cartridges failing to explode. He then dashed off, with the, officers behind him. A report was sent to the sheriff's office and a message dispatched to the posse at, Northport. Murder of Horton. There were eleven men in the party that reached the scene, arriving there about 2:30 o'clock this morning All of the members of the, posse, except Brown Horton and, Fletcher Powers, were with the dogs, attempting to start them on the, trail. These two were on the exact spot where Richardson had met the officers a few hours before about 150 yards behind the posse. They, heard some one approaching through the bushes in their rear. Both wheeled around and prepared to fire. Three shots rang out in quick succession and Horton fell dead. The rifle ball entering his cheek and piercing the brain. Quick and Shrewd. The negro seems to be quick and shrewd. He fired with the gun supported on his elbow and made his escape noiselessly through the thickets in the dense darkness. Powers fired with his revolver once, but without sight of the negro. He saw Horton staggering back but at first thought he was backing out of the smoke. He reached him just in time to catch him as the fell. The remainder of the posse returned to the point where Horton and Powers had been left and attempted to take up the trail, but without success. One of the empty shells from his gun was found about a hundred yards distant in the direction of the river. Dogs Fail To Take Trail. The dogs failed to take the trail, apparently baffled by cayuene pepper or turpentine in the shoes of the fugitive, and the officers were unable to make any headway until daybreak. It is believed that after making his escape from Northport and crossing the river Richardson remained near the point where he was first met by the officers. It was in the exact spot that he was first seen by Foster and King that he later killed Brown Horton, and it is believed that he was more than once in the midst of the posse and doubtless overheard their conversation.Richardson is believed to have gone in the direction of Sanders Ferry because of the fact that he had relatives in that neighborhood. A fruitless search was made of the houses in the vicinity, and the negroes questioned, but no information secured. No arrests have been made. Richardson's Plans. Richardson is believed to be still in the thickets near where the second murder occurred and will wait until night to make his escape. It is thought that if he has not already done so he will cross the river. He is an expert riverman and will have that advantage in eluding the officers. The thickets in the swamp are almost impassable and in the night the pursuit is extremely difficult. The search was practically abandoned for a few hours this morning. The dogs were called off to feed and rest for several hours and the officers were worn out with their chase, Sheriff Palmer returned to the city about nine o'clock. A fresh start will be made this afternoon and every effort will be made to apprehend the negro before dark. Posse Resting. About 2 hundred men were in the neighborhood of Floyd's saw mill and the fork of the road two miles below where Horton was killed this morning but they were following no organized search after the sheriff returned to the city, and while the dogs were resting. A number of trips were made from the city to the scene of the trouble this morning carrying men, provisions, guns and ammunition. If Richardson is found he will make a desperate resistance and the officers are taking every possible precaution. No Motive Assigned. No motive can be assigned for the acts of Richardson. He is said to have been an industrious farmer and was not a notorious character. His murder of Cooper was unprovoked, the latter being unarmed and supposedly on friendly terms with the negro. The reply of the negro to Mr. Cooper's request for the loan of a saddle contained a vile epithet, and when Mr. Cooper approached the house, the negro fired on him from close range without replying to his questions. Neither can a motive be assigned for his attack on the posse when he murdered Mr. Horton. He had deliberately remained for several hours within easy range of the officers and was preparing to attack the party when discovered by Horton and Powers. Both Men Popular. Both Cooper and Horton were exceptionally popular throughout the county, and their murder has spread profound sorrow over the entire district. Mr. Cooper was about thirty years of age and is survived by his widow, and one child. He was formerly connected with the sheriff's office and is widely known in the county. His funeral occurred at three o'clock and the interment was in Williamson cemetery at Northport. Mr. Horton was twenty-eight years of age and was highly esteemed as a capable workman, a good business man and a clever gentleman. He has conducted with success a plumbing, and supply business and was identified with a number of organizations in the city. He was a prominent member of the Woodmen of the World and other fraternal organizations. He is survived by his mother and three sisters, Mrs. Irene Boone and Mrs. Eugene Beatty of this city, and Mrs. G. W. Head of Indianapolis, Ind. The funeral services will be conducted from the First Methodist church Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock the Rev. W. G. Henry officiating assisted by the Rev. B. M. Boyd of the First Presbyterian church.

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