Killed the Officer: Four Wounds End the Life of Policeman Austin
April 16, 1898
Summary
President McKinley proposes a war tax, angering African American citizens since they have little money as it is.
Transcription
A morning tragedy
Arrested Suspicious Characters
Escaped from the city—the woods searched—deadly fire with a revolver.
Another tragedy took place here on last Monday morning between the hours of five and six o’clock on Broad street, corner of Fifth street.
A police officer Robert D. Austin, attired in citizens clothes walked in between two colored men and attempted to arrest the one of light-complexion. They had committed no crime so far as the officer knew, but their actions were suspicious, and he determined to place them behind the bars of the Second Police Station.
They went with him only a few steps. Resistance followed. Wholly unprepared for such an attack, when the man he had accosted emptied three bullets into his body one after the other, he had no opportunity to draw his own deadly weapon and return the fire at once.
He grappled with the man and in the struggle, fell on top of him. Even then he did not give up, but held to the coat, out of which the wily colored youth slipped, leaving his hat and disappearing down 5th street in a northerly direction closely followed by his companion.
That he did not know that Mr. Austin was an officer of the law goes to show that he was not a resident of this city.
Steadying himself, the dying police officer drew his revolver and fired upon the men who had so suddenly hastened him to his death.
The cause of this unusual vigilance on the part of the Second District has been due to the series of robberies which have been committed on Broad St. recently. Searching parties have been organized to hunt for the fleeing culprits.
Lynching is not thought of and if caught, the law will take its course.
The men are thought to be from North Carolina. The Coroner’s inquest was held Monday afternoon four o’clock at the Second Police Station. Gloom pervaded the somber confines of this building. On the railing of the enclosure surrounding Sergeant Cosby’s desk was a checked coat, comparatively new. Above it was a snuff colored fedora hat, blood stained. It was the mute witness of the tragedy.
The coroner’s jury repaired to the inner room and the following testimony was submitted:
Hattie Jenkins, colored, was sworn and deposed: “I live at 311 N. 5th St. I saw the shooting. I was at my window when the trouble began early this morning before 6 o’clock. I saw a policeman with two colored men having to hold one of them, one of them a light skin man by the arm.
Both were on the same side of him. The other man was walking along. I cannot recollect which side they were on.
Just as they got to the corner, they stopped and one of the men pulled away. The light-skin man took out a pistol and shot the officer. He fired five times. The light-skin man did not have on any hat or any coat. He was a real light man.
The dark-skin man who was with them had on his coat. I did not notice how they dressed. At the corner, the light-skin man shot him. I did not see him pull out his pistol. I just saw him shoot three times.
Just as quick as the men shot, I got away from the window, as I was undressed. The dark-skin man did not do anything. He was along with him. They ran down 5th St. Just as the third shot was fired I left the window and saw no more. I heard two shots afterwards.”
Robert Winston, colored, said: “I live at No. 6 West Leigh St. This morning between 5:35 and 5:40 o’clock I was on my way to Allen & Ginter Branch going along 5th Street, when I got to St. James Church 5th and Marshall Streets I heard firing on 5th and Broad St. I heard pistol fire three times. Then I looked up and I saw a scramble on the pavement. In this I saw a boy between 18 and 20 years old, brown-skin so near about orange-color.
He seems to have made his escape and ran diagonally towards the dyeing establishment. He was bare-headed and in his shirt sleeves. After he struck the pavement, he ran up 5th street to Clay and then I lost sight of him. The other colored boy broke away from Mr. Austin when the other boy reached the pavement. He came down 5th street towards me.
Mr. Austin fired seven times. The balls whistled by me. I had to run in the street. This boy ran until he got to Clay street but turned up Clay. The other boy had run down Clay. The dark skin boy seemed to be between 16 and 18 years of age. He was a little stouter than the other boy.
Mr. Austin seemed to be firing more at the dark=skin boy than at the bright-skin boy.
The dark-skin boy had on an old dark slouch-hat, wore a ragged jacket. When the dark-skin boy passed me, I asked him what was the matter up there, and he said, “ ’liceman! ‘liceman!” I went up and saw them place Mr. Austin in a cab. I am certain the three first shots were fired by one of the boys.”
John Billups said: “I live at No. 1 W. Canal St. I was coming up Broad St., at about 25 minutes to 6, when I saw this policeman watching these two fellows on Broad street near 5th street. One of them had a chisel in his hand. They were walking along. I saw Mr. Austin walking between them. He made a grab at this bright-skin fellow when he shot. One was a dark-skin fellow and the other was a light-skin. The bright-skin boy had the chisel. He was the one who shot three times.
He took his coat off just before he got to 5th St. He had it on his arm when he commenced firing. He ran out 5th street towards Clay. The dark-skin man ran in the same direction. The light-skin man dropped his coat and hat and chisel when he shot Mr. Austin. I did not see the dark-skin boy do anything but run. I did not see him shoot. He looked to be about 17 or 18 years of age.
I saw the policeman fire twice. The light-skin boy did all of his firing close to the policeman. He did not fire while he was running away. The boys had reached Marshall Street before Mr. Austin fell.”
William Ruthven Evans, white, said: “I live at 120 South 4th St. This morning as I was coming to market I saw Mr. Austin at 5th and Broad Streets on the south side. He crossed over to the letter box. He was watching two colred men. They were on the south side. After a while I saw the two men cross over at 4th street and go on the side.
Mr. Austin walked up to them just as though he was going to pass btween them, and grabbed the inside one, which was the light-skin man. Mr. Austin said something to him when grabbed him. I did not understand it as I was too far off. Mr. Austin was facing down Broad and the nigger turned and faced up Broad St. Then the nigger fired. The dark-skin man walked around the corner and started to run.
He heard the two shorts and turned around and fired once. Then the light-skin one and Mr. Austin struggled until he slipped out of his coat. Then Mr. Austin grabbed him and Mr. Austin fell on stop of him. Then the other nigger turned him over and both got up and they struggled a while longer.
Then they broke away and ran. Then Mr. Austin grasped the telegraph pole and fired several times. This was the first time he had fired. Then I was standing on the N. E. corner of 5th and Broad Sts. The Mr. Austin walked across the street where I was and then went back and picked up the coat and hat. The officer Forster came up and said, “Who in the world has shot you, Bob?” Then Mr. Austin couldn’t speak. Then Mr. Foster asked him which way did they go.
He pointed with his hand down 5th St. Then Mr. Foster called a wagon. The wagon stopped. He did not put him in the wagon, but he called a cab and put him in it and took him away. Then me and another man picked up a pipe, pistol, and chisel. We found the chisel on 5th street in front of the furniture store. We brought them to the station house. The other things were found on the corner of 5th and Broad Sts.
Mr. Cariden Nelson Wood, who lives at No. 5 East Leigh, was then called up on to testify. He heard the shooting while he was at his place of business, No. 504 East Marshall St. I heard eight or nine shots, and ran out to my door to see that it was. A colored man ran right by window, and then turned suddenly and went up as far as Fifth street and kept out that street. The Negro, as he turned, exclaimed: “Feet help the body.””
The witness said that he was almost positive that the Negro had a pistol in his hand. He wore a red-flannel shirt with both sleeves torn open. Mr. Wood described the Negro as being rather dark skinned and about 25 years of age. Mr. I. G. Bernstein, who lives at No. 306 N. Fifth street, was the next witness. He said: “This morning while I was washing myself I hard three pistol shots.
I opened the window and heard two more shots, and saw a colored man running up north Fifth St. The man was in his shirt sleeves, and did not wear a hat. I saw Mr. Austin staggering on the corner of Fifth and Broad Sts.”
Arrested Suspicious Characters
Escaped from the city—the woods searched—deadly fire with a revolver.
Another tragedy took place here on last Monday morning between the hours of five and six o’clock on Broad street, corner of Fifth street.
A police officer Robert D. Austin, attired in citizens clothes walked in between two colored men and attempted to arrest the one of light-complexion. They had committed no crime so far as the officer knew, but their actions were suspicious, and he determined to place them behind the bars of the Second Police Station.
They went with him only a few steps. Resistance followed. Wholly unprepared for such an attack, when the man he had accosted emptied three bullets into his body one after the other, he had no opportunity to draw his own deadly weapon and return the fire at once.
He grappled with the man and in the struggle, fell on top of him. Even then he did not give up, but held to the coat, out of which the wily colored youth slipped, leaving his hat and disappearing down 5th street in a northerly direction closely followed by his companion.
That he did not know that Mr. Austin was an officer of the law goes to show that he was not a resident of this city.
Steadying himself, the dying police officer drew his revolver and fired upon the men who had so suddenly hastened him to his death.
The cause of this unusual vigilance on the part of the Second District has been due to the series of robberies which have been committed on Broad St. recently. Searching parties have been organized to hunt for the fleeing culprits.
Lynching is not thought of and if caught, the law will take its course.
The men are thought to be from North Carolina. The Coroner’s inquest was held Monday afternoon four o’clock at the Second Police Station. Gloom pervaded the somber confines of this building. On the railing of the enclosure surrounding Sergeant Cosby’s desk was a checked coat, comparatively new. Above it was a snuff colored fedora hat, blood stained. It was the mute witness of the tragedy.
The coroner’s jury repaired to the inner room and the following testimony was submitted:
Hattie Jenkins, colored, was sworn and deposed: “I live at 311 N. 5th St. I saw the shooting. I was at my window when the trouble began early this morning before 6 o’clock. I saw a policeman with two colored men having to hold one of them, one of them a light skin man by the arm.
Both were on the same side of him. The other man was walking along. I cannot recollect which side they were on.
Just as they got to the corner, they stopped and one of the men pulled away. The light-skin man took out a pistol and shot the officer. He fired five times. The light-skin man did not have on any hat or any coat. He was a real light man.
The dark-skin man who was with them had on his coat. I did not notice how they dressed. At the corner, the light-skin man shot him. I did not see him pull out his pistol. I just saw him shoot three times.
Just as quick as the men shot, I got away from the window, as I was undressed. The dark-skin man did not do anything. He was along with him. They ran down 5th St. Just as the third shot was fired I left the window and saw no more. I heard two shots afterwards.”
Robert Winston, colored, said: “I live at No. 6 West Leigh St. This morning between 5:35 and 5:40 o’clock I was on my way to Allen & Ginter Branch going along 5th Street, when I got to St. James Church 5th and Marshall Streets I heard firing on 5th and Broad St. I heard pistol fire three times. Then I looked up and I saw a scramble on the pavement. In this I saw a boy between 18 and 20 years old, brown-skin so near about orange-color.
He seems to have made his escape and ran diagonally towards the dyeing establishment. He was bare-headed and in his shirt sleeves. After he struck the pavement, he ran up 5th street to Clay and then I lost sight of him. The other colored boy broke away from Mr. Austin when the other boy reached the pavement. He came down 5th street towards me.
Mr. Austin fired seven times. The balls whistled by me. I had to run in the street. This boy ran until he got to Clay street but turned up Clay. The other boy had run down Clay. The dark skin boy seemed to be between 16 and 18 years of age. He was a little stouter than the other boy.
Mr. Austin seemed to be firing more at the dark=skin boy than at the bright-skin boy.
The dark-skin boy had on an old dark slouch-hat, wore a ragged jacket. When the dark-skin boy passed me, I asked him what was the matter up there, and he said, “ ’liceman! ‘liceman!” I went up and saw them place Mr. Austin in a cab. I am certain the three first shots were fired by one of the boys.”
John Billups said: “I live at No. 1 W. Canal St. I was coming up Broad St., at about 25 minutes to 6, when I saw this policeman watching these two fellows on Broad street near 5th street. One of them had a chisel in his hand. They were walking along. I saw Mr. Austin walking between them. He made a grab at this bright-skin fellow when he shot. One was a dark-skin fellow and the other was a light-skin. The bright-skin boy had the chisel. He was the one who shot three times.
He took his coat off just before he got to 5th St. He had it on his arm when he commenced firing. He ran out 5th street towards Clay. The dark-skin man ran in the same direction. The light-skin man dropped his coat and hat and chisel when he shot Mr. Austin. I did not see the dark-skin boy do anything but run. I did not see him shoot. He looked to be about 17 or 18 years of age.
I saw the policeman fire twice. The light-skin boy did all of his firing close to the policeman. He did not fire while he was running away. The boys had reached Marshall Street before Mr. Austin fell.”
William Ruthven Evans, white, said: “I live at 120 South 4th St. This morning as I was coming to market I saw Mr. Austin at 5th and Broad Streets on the south side. He crossed over to the letter box. He was watching two colred men. They were on the south side. After a while I saw the two men cross over at 4th street and go on the side.
Mr. Austin walked up to them just as though he was going to pass btween them, and grabbed the inside one, which was the light-skin man. Mr. Austin said something to him when grabbed him. I did not understand it as I was too far off. Mr. Austin was facing down Broad and the nigger turned and faced up Broad St. Then the nigger fired. The dark-skin man walked around the corner and started to run.
He heard the two shorts and turned around and fired once. Then the light-skin one and Mr. Austin struggled until he slipped out of his coat. Then Mr. Austin grabbed him and Mr. Austin fell on stop of him. Then the other nigger turned him over and both got up and they struggled a while longer.
Then they broke away and ran. Then Mr. Austin grasped the telegraph pole and fired several times. This was the first time he had fired. Then I was standing on the N. E. corner of 5th and Broad Sts. The Mr. Austin walked across the street where I was and then went back and picked up the coat and hat. The officer Forster came up and said, “Who in the world has shot you, Bob?” Then Mr. Austin couldn’t speak. Then Mr. Foster asked him which way did they go.
He pointed with his hand down 5th St. Then Mr. Foster called a wagon. The wagon stopped. He did not put him in the wagon, but he called a cab and put him in it and took him away. Then me and another man picked up a pipe, pistol, and chisel. We found the chisel on 5th street in front of the furniture store. We brought them to the station house. The other things were found on the corner of 5th and Broad Sts.
Mr. Cariden Nelson Wood, who lives at No. 5 East Leigh, was then called up on to testify. He heard the shooting while he was at his place of business, No. 504 East Marshall St. I heard eight or nine shots, and ran out to my door to see that it was. A colored man ran right by window, and then turned suddenly and went up as far as Fifth street and kept out that street. The Negro, as he turned, exclaimed: “Feet help the body.””
The witness said that he was almost positive that the Negro had a pistol in his hand. He wore a red-flannel shirt with both sleeves torn open. Mr. Wood described the Negro as being rather dark skinned and about 25 years of age. Mr. I. G. Bernstein, who lives at No. 306 N. Fifth street, was the next witness. He said: “This morning while I was washing myself I hard three pistol shots.
I opened the window and heard two more shots, and saw a colored man running up north Fifth St. The man was in his shirt sleeves, and did not wear a hat. I saw Mr. Austin staggering on the corner of Fifth and Broad Sts.”
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Cali Hughes
Citation
“Killed the Officer: Four Wounds End the Life of Policeman Austin,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1372.