The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-27
Murder and Plil.ge at chico.. Arkansas

Murder and Pillago at Chicot, Arkansas
A Memphis despatch, under date ol
! the 2Oth, contains the following details
OF the negro insurrection at Ohicot,
Arkansas, previously alluded to in our
telegraphio oolumns:
Reports previously sent in these de.
spatohes, regarding the killing OF three
white men by negroes, at Ohicot, Ark. /,
and the evacuation Of that town by all
it's inhabitants, is fully confirmed to.
night by the arrival of some fifteen or
twenty refugees from that place-men,
women and children, many OF whom
ded without change of clothing or
food. 30 great was their terror. They
report that the negroes, to tho number
OF 300, took possession Of tho town,
patroled the streets, pillaged the stores
and dwellings, and set fire to several
The citizens say that the sheriff is power
less, and, although Republican, dare
not venture out. A letter from him,
brought to the authorities here by one of
the refugees, confirms that portion OF the
statement In several instances the
savages had resorted to repine, and
under no consideration would they per-
nit the bulial of the three men killed,
and to-day their bodies are probably
lying in the woods. prey for buzzards.
Those who arrived here walked fifteen
miles through the woods at night, to
escape the negroes, and are without the
necessities OF life. A subscription liz
now being raised, and they will be cared
for. One of them states that at the
time the negroes attacked the town, as
high as 300 were offered for skiffs with
which to get away. Governor Hadley.
OF Arkansas, has been fully notified Of
this, but whether he has taken. any ac-
zion or not, is not known. Further par
ticulars are anxiously looked for.
LATRR.-A messenger has just arrived
from Chioot, Ark, with letters from
prominent representative citizens and
the sheriff to the authorities at Wash
ington, begging assistance. The mes
senger states that those who were unable
to get away are now compelled to re-
main in town by negroes, ell of whom
are armed. One boat that contained a
family escaping for refuge was fred into
oy negroes. and one person killed. The
negroes then ordered the boat to return
to the shore, which it did. reign of
terror exists.
M1DNraHT.-It now appears, from the
statement of passenger who just ar
-:Vsa peg steamer from below, that the
plot to release and hang the three white
men at Chicot, Arkansas, had been COM
inundated to the negroes living in Mis-
sissippi, and that number of them
aided in the cold-blooded murders al
laded to in the previous dispatches. It
also appears that the origin of the diff
Guilty was a discussion between G.. W.
Wynn and John Fl. Saunders, the for
mer negro lawyer recently from
washington. as to the vote of the Coun-
" subscribing money to railroads-one
defending and the other opposing the
vote-resulting in the killing of Wynn,
as previously mentioned. Saunders
and t~o friends we're confined in Jail
until the 10Th, when 100 armed negroes
rode into town, and. on pain of instant
death. demanded tho keys from the she
rltf, which he delivered, and the prison
ers were taken out, us before stated. and
killed.
It seems from tho information re-.
ceIved tonight, that the negroes have O
majority OF over five to one, and that
they are controlled by Republican Office
holders, whom Governor Hatlley would
rather not interfere with. Hence, the
application made tonight to President
Grant to send II regiment Of troops there
to qnell the disturbance and force the
negroes to return to their homes It is
further stated that all negroes within
radius OF fifty milea on both sides of the
Mississippi River have collected at
Chicot, and defy the State aa we'll ns the
National Government, threatening to
burn, kill and ravish. if an attempt is
made to arrest or punish them.