The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-04-09

About one hundred negroes from Arkansas
arrived in New York city last week, on tbeil
way to Liberia. They said that ten thousand
or more negroes will leave Arkansas during the
coming summer, some for Liberia and some
for the northern states. They all told the
same story as 10 the cause OF the exodus-be-
cause there Is 10 protection for life, liberty
property, or political or civil rights for colored
people in the south Mr.. Newton, one OF the
leaders Of the party, made the following state
ment, which the others corroborated:
Alter The white bull-dozels at Helena had
exhausted every other means OF keeping them
there. they sent the sheriff down TO the land
ing and forced them TO pay from - so TO 80
apiece for taxes. Many of them had already
PAID these taxes before, and had receipts show
ing that they had done so, but the sheriff was
memorable, and SAID they must pay or stay.
Newton CONSULTED Republican aud Democrat
lawyers, who told them that the exaction was a
monstrous one, and was clearly illegal, but ad-
yIseo them to pay il they could possibly raise
the money, az a lawsuit would only make their
phght worse. They dubbed together and
satisfied the sherff's demands, those who had
money paying for those who haG not. Women
were taxed - and 80 80 head and every
person having a piece OF baggage with his or
her name on 1t had TO pay something to the
Democratic sheriff, Bart Turner, before ne
was allowed to go. Iu some cases the original
poll-tax OF IL 80 a head-which had already
been paid-was raised to 50 so.
Richard Newton, Rufus Patton, Ephraim
Holmes and other beads Of families describe
the suffering and swindlng which they have
endured at the hands OF the exrebel land
owners and stol ekeepers as being worse than
any possible amount OF suffering. they could
undergo at the north or IN Liberia Their
crops were always morteaged beforehand to
the storekeepers, and, struggle as they would,
they could not get out Of debt. Some OF the
landlords made them give up one half the cot
ton they raised for rent others took one bale
out Of TIN ee Out Of the two-thirds that were
left they had TO pay the cost OF planting, har-
yestlng and the storekeeper's bills, which were
always swollen in proportion to their crop.
No matter how hard they worked, or how big
the crop, tie storekeeper's bill Tor advances Of
provisions and clothing swamped it. Bills were
''raised" from $3.50 to $500 and $3.50 at a stroke
Of the pen, and il the unfortunate negro pro-
tested he was terrified into paying by threats
and abuse Ephralm Holmes SAID he had seen
a colored man knocked down and beaten in DR..
Jacks store, in Helena, because be refused to
take - worth of purchases and II 80 IN change
for a SO bill. Others we're raded by night
riders, and had their barns burned and their
crops destroyed out Of pure deviltry. One old
woman had her hay-rick fired and her house
burned over her head because she sheltered
some radical niggers" about election time. /
Girls and married women were violated b.
drunken white rufiians and If their husbands /
d. fathers sought redress they were "ralded "
~ the might riders Women who defended |
themselves against attempts at violation, were J
lrst outraged and then nailed by their ears to /
rees. The local authorities, VINO were all
Democrats and ex-rebes, were not only power
ess to prevent this state OF things, but often
ynked at 1t. None OF the papers dared to take
Up the black mans case, and in the greater
lumber OF instances the outrages were either
lushed up or palhated by lying stories set ahoat
II election time in 1873 the country was over
un with armed military companies and night
lders; and the negroes were told TO vote the
outrage IL they did otherwise.