Everyone loves an interesting story and Bryan County history is filled with them. Each month we'll share one from our newspaper archives. Remember to check your family tree and see if your ancestor  might have read about or participated in the event, trial, or tragedy reported. 

            

The Caddo Herald

August 10, 1910

Negro Killed

Will Johnson Wounded While Resisting Arrest, Killed by Accomplices

Within the last ten days several thefts of horses and other articles have taken place in the vicinity and Sunday night the horse of Ben Collins was taken from his place across Blue. The next day Mr. Collins and several others followed the trail of the thief and having discovered his whereabouts, sent to this place for an officer. That evening Mr. Parker and a number of others went out to help make the capture. Joined by them and arriving at the Mrs. Collins home near the river, discovered Will Johnson, a tall black negro who they had reason to believe was guilty of at least some of the thefts and quickly surrounded the house. Mr. Parker started toward the door and when about ten feet away the negro opened the door and fired at Parker with a 38 Winchester, the ball just passing over his head. Mr. Parker and Mr. Ben Collins fired at the negro at the same time, one of the shots striking the negro in the left arm. The negro jumped back into the house and officers waited.

In about ten minutes the negro made a dash from the house, shooting once at Mr. Parker. The officers gave chase, firing as they went, two shots taking effect, one in both legs, the other in the left side. They finally caught the negro and brought him to Caddo about ten o’clock that night and placed him in a cabin on the east side of the railroad in the north part of town, which was occupied by a family of negroes. No guards was placed because the negro was hurt badly enough to prevent his escape.

Medical attention was given him and Tuesday he was doing nicely. Efforts were made by officers to get him to tell who were his accomplices, but little would he tell.

Tuesday night between twelve and one o’clock some unknown party came to the window on the east side of the house near which the wounded negro lay and fired two loads from a shotgun into him, all the shot taking effect just under the right arm, killing him instantly, though when the negro who was sleeping in the next room came he found him writhing like “a chicken with his head cut off”.

Officers Jackson and Parker were immediately notified, but they could get no clue. The most plausible theory is that the accomplices of the wounded negro feared he would tell on them so they thought their safety lay in his being dead, so some one of them killed him. Whoever did the shooting knew their ground well. A man on a horse was seen by parties in the neighborhood riding south at a breakneck speed.

The meat which was stolen from Mr. Cariker last week was found in the house in which the negro was first found, but was stolen again before the parties in charge of it could bring it to town.

Tuesday night the smokehouse of Mr. Mike O’Dea was robbed of four hundred pounds of meat, thus proving that the dead negro was not the only one of the gang.

 The officers are making a diligent search for the murderers and for the band of thieves. It is hoped they will be successful.

Our Collections page will tell you about the many newspapers that are available for your research. You might be surprised by the stories YOU find.