preempted his land, a white man made a demand of $100 upon him for
services in showing him the land and making the sale. Biscoe denied the
service and refused to pay the demand. The white man, however, brought
suit, obtained judgment for the hundred dollars and Biscoe's farm was sold
to pay the judgment.

The suit, judgment and subsequent legal proceedings appear to have driven
Biscoe almost crazy and brooding over his wrongs he grew to be a confirmed
imbecile. He would allow but few men, white or colored, to come upon his
place, as he suspected every stranger to be planning to steal his farm. A
week preceding the tragedy, a white man named Venable, whose farm adjoined
Biscoe's, let down the fence and proceeded to drive through Biscoe's
field. The latter saw him; grew very excited, cursed him and drove him
from his farm with bitter oaths and violent threats. Venable went away and
secured a warrant for Biscoe's arrest. This warrant was placed in the
hands of a constable named John Ford, who took a colored deputy and two
white men out to Biscoe's farm to make the arrest. When they arrived at
the house Biscoe refused to be arrested and warned them he would shoot if
they persisted in their attempt to arrest him. The warning was unheeded by
Ford, who entered upon the premises, when Biscoe, true to his word, fired
upon him. The load tore a part of his clothes from his body, one shot
going through his arm and entering his breast. After he had fallen, Ford
drew his revolver and shot Biscoe in the head and his wife through the
arm. The Negro deputy then began firing and struck Biscoe in the small of
the back. Ford's wound was not dangerous and in a few days he was able to
be around again. Biscoe, however, was so severely shot that he was unable
to stand after the firing was over.

Two other white men hearing the exchange of shots went to the rescue of
the officers, forced open the door of Biscoe's cabin and arrested him, his