Anderson Shooting 1900

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		Anderson Shooting 1900

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Information shared by Vanessa Burzynski. This shooting occured in Anderson on November 7, 1900. Three men were killed and buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery in Anderson.

Anderson Riot NY Times article Article and tombstone pictures shared by Vanessa Burzynski.

Houston Daily Post November 9, 1900

Anderson Full of Armed Men
They are there to prevent any further trouble.
The three victims of Wednesday’s Tragedy were Laid to Rest at Anderson

Navasota, Texas, November 8 – Information from Anderson this afternoon says that the scene of yesterday’s bloody battle is now perfectly quiet, but practically in the hands of rural citizens gathered from all parts of the county. Their avowed purpose is to preserve the peace, and they are doing it. It appears now that Mr. Scott’s wounds only amount to an ugly bullet hole through the fleshy part of one thigh. Deep scenes of sorrow marked the bearing away of the dead today and all three were laid to rest in the Odd Fellows’ cemetery by those who loved them living and reverenced them dead.

John J. Bradley Jr. was buried at 10:30 under auspices of the Odd Fellows. Yound McDonald was also a member of this order, but the Navasota gentlemen arrived too late to participate in his obsequities. The body of Emmett Scott was laid away shortly after 12 o’clock. Both Bradley and McDonald were to have been married shortly. Bradley was shot in the region of the heart by Scott and was so close as to be powder burned. He ran into his store when the shooting began. McDonald shot Scott after he (Mcdonald) had first been knocked down and shot.

Houston Daily Post Saturday, November 10, 1900

A State of War in Grimes
Sheriff Scott and Followers are Beseiged in the Jail at Anderson

Navasota, Texas, November 9 – Wild reports of the commencement of a battle between Sheriff Scott and his party in the jail and citizens in the court house and surrounding houses in Anderson reached Navasota at 11 o’clock today. This afternoon all is quiet at the “city on the hills”. It is said that the first shot this morning came from the jail, and was promptly replied to from the court house. All told there were five or six shots fired, but no one was hurt. And all remains quiet and lonely, patiently awaiting what the next moment may bring forth. The sheriff and his party of some ten or fifteen men, some women and some prisoners, are in the jail; a company of between fifty and 100 armed citizens are at the court house and on the street. All business in Anderson is suspended. The stores opened for a little while this morning, but soon closed. The saloons were promptly closed immediately after the shooting of Wednesday afternoon. The people are cool, sober and resolved. Any overt act is sure to be fraught with tragic consequences.

In a telephonic talk with Senator Neal this afternoon, Governor Sayers at Austin stated that he had advices from Grimes county today, and intimated that he would send General Scurry or Captain McDonald to the scene tomorrow for a personal investigation of the impossible stories that have been set afloat by Dame rumor. Late this afternoon Sheriff G. L. Scott sent out from the jail to the citizens a proposition signed by himself and indorsed by his father, J. N. Scott, in which he asked that in consideration of the citizens allowing himself, father, brothers, sisters and brothers-in-law to leave the county unmolested, he will immediately leave the county, never again to return to it. He to amicably settle all past differences with citizens and persecute no citizen for any act him or his.

The citizens straightway met and considered the proposition. They discussed it thoroughly and decided to answer that so far as they were concerned the conditions would be granted, but that they could not answer for others and guarantee him safety through the county. This leaves the matter for the State authorities to unravel. They are expected here tomorrow.

Scurry going to Galveston

Austin, Texas November 9 – Adjutant General Scurry left for Anderson, Grimes County, tonight to which point he was ordered by the governor who has received several applications for protection from parties claiming to have been ordered from their homes in that county. General Scurry goes to the scene of the reported trouble to ascertain the particulars thereof and act as he may deem necessary.

Houston Daily Post Monday November 12, 1900

Scott Brought to Houston
Arrived Last Night Escorted by the Light Guard
Turned over to Friends at the Grand Central Depot and Taken Out to Jourdeville.

The Houston Light Guard returned from Anderson yesterday evening on the 7 o’clock Central train, accompanying Sheriff Garrett Scott of Grimes County, who was wounded Tuesday at Anderson by unknown parties. The company was ordered to Navasota Saturday night by Adjutant General Scurry, who had already gone to Anderson to investigate the condition of affairs at that place as detailed in The Post. The boys, forty of them, under command of Captain George McCormick and Lieutenants Hutcheson and Hoover, left Houston at 10:40 Saturday night and arrived at Navasota, reporting to Colonel Gordon Boone for further instructions. At about 6:30 Sunday morning they started in wagons for Anderson, which is about 10 miles in the interior from Navasota. The company arrived there about 11 o’clock and was met by Adjutant General Scurry. Dinner was prepared and partaken of and the company proceeded to the jail, where Scott and his family were.

On account of the wound received by Scott not having received proper surgical attention, it was in pretty bad condition, and he was put into a spring wagon and hauled away from the jail. He was not taken directly by the court house, where armed citizens had esconsed themselves it being feared that such action would cause someone to lose his head and shoot.

On reaching Navasota Scott was placed on a stretcher and aboard the regular train and brought to Houston. At the Grand Central depot he was turned over to friends, who loaded him onto one of the ambulances of the Westheimer undertaking establishment and had him driven out to Jourdeville or to some point in the Fifth Ward near that suburb.

Members of the Light Guard say they found things far more peaceable at Anderson than they expected and that the only time they consider that danger threatened was when they were removing Scott from the jail. The citizens the boys say appeared somewhat excited then, and were peering from every window in the vicinity.

Scott has Left Grimes

Under Military Escort the Party was put Aboard a Train

Navasota, November 11 (1900) – In accordance with telegraphic orders issued yesterday evening by Adjutant General Scurry, Captain George McCormick arrived here on the 1 o’clock train last night with forty men of the Houston Light Guard and other military organizations of Houston. They were met at the depot by Colonel Gordon Boone and taken to the Shaw Rifle’s armory for the night.

At an early hour this morning they departed for Anderson, ten miles away, in wagons. The boys were received there with due courtesy and treated to a good dinner, after which they repaired to the jail and stationing sentinels about in every direction as a matter of precaution, placed Sheriff Scott in the bed of a spring wagon, one of his nieces on either side and a cordon of troops closely around the vehicle; the four or five other members of the sheriff’s party were seated in buggies and wagons and the remaining troops were thrown out ahead and to the rear of the procession. In this matter the relieving force came on to this city. Within the city limits they wound around the suburbs until the south side was reached, then down the track they went to await the evening train and in an hour all were speeding toward Houston.

A large crowd of interested, orderly citizens witnessed the departure from Anderson and another viewed the march through Navasota. With a little jeering of a sentinel who made himself obnoxious at Anderson, there was no ill feeling manifested and no friction between the citizens and the officers commanding.