A Brutal Murder
November 28, 1903
Summary
A black man is “brutally murdered by a gang of white hoodlums” in New Orleans.
Transcription
A Brutal Murder.
Mr. Banks Shot Down a New Orleans Tragedy.
The Murderer Confesses the Crime—The Outcome of the Trial
New Orleans, Nov. 22nd, 1903.
Mr. Editor:
I wish to inform the many readers of the Planet of one of the most brutal and cold-blooded murders New Orleans has known in a long while.
On Friday evening, Nov. 6th, between 8 and 9 o’clock Robert E. Banks, a lad 18 years old, a brother-in-law of R. E. Dandridge, who resides on Moore street in your city, was brutally murdered by a gang of white hoodlums on Josephine Street, near Howard.
He had been to a nearby drug-store to purchase some medicine for his sister, who was ill, and was met on returning from the drugstore by a gang of boys and men, who began throwing stones at him, so he began to run, when one of them cried, “Kill the S—of a B--, don’t let him get away.”
Shots Rang Out.
Two shots rang out in quick succession. He staggered and fell, but managed to regain his feet and walked one block to his sister’s, and within twenty minutes died from a bullet wound. The bullet passed through his left lung.
Three white boys were arrested and are now awaiting trial, which will come up next Tuesday, Nov. 24th. In the meantime, new developments have come about. On Friday morning, a white man named Gus Drews gave himself into the custody of the officers, claiming that it was he who killed Robert Banks, and that he did so in self defense…
Mr. Banks Shot Down a New Orleans Tragedy.
The Murderer Confesses the Crime—The Outcome of the Trial
New Orleans, Nov. 22nd, 1903.
Mr. Editor:
I wish to inform the many readers of the Planet of one of the most brutal and cold-blooded murders New Orleans has known in a long while.
On Friday evening, Nov. 6th, between 8 and 9 o’clock Robert E. Banks, a lad 18 years old, a brother-in-law of R. E. Dandridge, who resides on Moore street in your city, was brutally murdered by a gang of white hoodlums on Josephine Street, near Howard.
He had been to a nearby drug-store to purchase some medicine for his sister, who was ill, and was met on returning from the drugstore by a gang of boys and men, who began throwing stones at him, so he began to run, when one of them cried, “Kill the S—of a B--, don’t let him get away.”
Shots Rang Out.
Two shots rang out in quick succession. He staggered and fell, but managed to regain his feet and walked one block to his sister’s, and within twenty minutes died from a bullet wound. The bullet passed through his left lung.
Three white boys were arrested and are now awaiting trial, which will come up next Tuesday, Nov. 24th. In the meantime, new developments have come about. On Friday morning, a white man named Gus Drews gave himself into the custody of the officers, claiming that it was he who killed Robert Banks, and that he did so in self defense…
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Rose Williams
Citation
“A Brutal Murder,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1578.