A NEGRO DESPERADO.

Southland Times, Issue 973, 22 June 1868, Page 3

A NEGRO DESPERADO.

The City of Helena, Arkansas, says an American correspondent, was thrown into a feverish state of excitement, by a fearful tragedy. It appears that a coloured desperado who some time since killed a coloured man on the Pillowplace, and also, in a personal brawl shot another on the Sawyer-place, ventured into the town. Turner, the popular and efficient sheriff had been carrying a warrant for him for several days, but had not got sight of him. The coloured man was known as a fatal shot, and as a desperate character. The sheriff accordingly gathered a posse and, mounting upon a mule, led them after the murderer, who was then upon Main-street. He ran round a building to avoid them. They rushed after him, and, as he showed no signs of surrendering, the sheriff, now close to him, opened fire upon him with the intention of intimidating, rather than of killing him, as the shots did not take effect. The coloured man coolly turned round upon his pursuers, and, taking deliberate aim, shot the sheriff through the body. The posse were ao frightened by his desperation and boldness that they put themselves beyond pistol range, and allowed him to mount the mule from which the sheriff had fallen and ride out of town towards the hills. They watched his course, and a mounted force was at once started after him. They succeeded in surrounding and getting him at bay among the hills to the west of the city. Here one of the bolder men of the squad — a Mr Sebastin — advanced upon him within pistolrange to capture him, and ' the desperado shot him through the fleshy part of the arm. The party again retired i beyond range, but kept him surrounded at bay until soldiera with rifles reached I the scene. He refused to surrender, and warned them to keep their distance. They at length fired upon him, and brought him to the ground, shot through the body. Fatally wounded, he allowed himself to be taken and brought to the city.