The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-31
THE RACE WAR,
Which Has Been Agitating an
Arkansas County.
The Return of One of the Refugees Re-
news the Excitement-A Col
ored Leader Talks.

MARION, Ark, July 22-[Special. Tho
Crittenden county trouble took on new phase
today When the noon train arrived from
Memphis Dr. n. j. Stith stepped off. Stith
is one OF the colored men who was put in a
wagon and carted to the Mississippi by q de-
tachment of white men carrying Winchesters,
directed to go on board q boat, and never re-
turn to the county agaiu.
Stth's return was a great surprise. 1t was
not expected that any of the banished would
be seen here again. While little was said
about the penalty of coming back, there
was clear understanding what
it would be to many. Therefore
Stith's appearance this noon, looked like do
ing abe worse. A letter was received here
this morning by the mother-in-law of d. w.
Lewis, the banished county judge, saying
that he would be in today. No confidence was
put in it, but at the same time provision was
made to meet the unexpected emergency.
There were men at the depot when the train
arrived to take care of Lewis if he came. He
did not come, but Stith got off. Deputy Con-
stable Tom Adams, u colored man, immedi-
ately stepped forward, told Stith he was
prisoner, took him to the county Jail and
locked him up. Adams stated later
mat he dld not know the charge against Stith,
but had arrested him under order. He imme-
dlately made a trip to Sheriff Werner, who
lives several miles from Marion, and reported
the arrest. Stith had not been here an hour
before he realized
WHAT A RISK HE HAD TAKEN
in coming back III face of the notice given
him by the white mems organization. He
had been writing to parties here, among them
County Treasurer Ferguson, begging the privi-
lege of returning long enough to settle his
business. But he had come without waiting
for the answer. His explanation was that his
nephew, who lived in his house here, had
written him that Mrs. Stith was sick, and
that it would be all right to come and see her.
Presuming that the boy had authority from
the white men for what he wrote Stith says
he got on the train and came without any sus-
picion of danger.
He refers to County Judge Lewis County
Clerk Ferguson, Editor Fleming and the 9TH
ers as the ring" and says that since
the Punishment he had kept aloof from them
in Memphis. This letter was produced after
Stith's arrest today, and it was big point in
his favor. His previous character was also
taken into consideration.
TWAS well for Lewis that he did not come,
for there would have been little hesitation in
his case. Stith spent the afternoon in Jail, not
knowing what was to become of him. While
the leading white citizens were considering
the situation, Stith's wife, for whose sake he
had taken the dangerous step, sat in the door
OF the jail crying. They were but recently
married in Nashville. She is a teacher in one
OF the Crittenden county schools. Some of the
younger white men were for taking prompt
action in Stith's case. There were those in
favor Of hanging him. The older men protested
against this, land insisted that the law be allowed
to take its course. An explanations of the
grounds on which Stith had been arrested
helped to allay the sentiment that favored
lynching. The papers in his case showed that
one of the indictments returned last night was
against him. He is charged with being one of
those
WHO coNsPIRED AGAINST THE WHITE PEOPLE
Il n1s.,1A e Al.
anonymous notes to white citizens to leave tho
county within five days. Stith insists that he
had cut loose entirely from the Others but it is
claimed that there was evidence before the
grand jury to convict him with them. The
evidence was given by colored men who, it
is said, admitted with great reluctance the ex-
istence of the conspiracy, and gave names and
plan.
WILL STAY IN JAIL.
Court adjourned yesterday for the semi-an-
nual term, and will not meet again until Janu-
airy. AS there is a decided indisposition to give
bail for Stith he will likely remain in
custody six months. The arrest of Stith
had the affect to arouse the white people. The
excitement was dying out Pickets and
patrols had been discontinued, but now the
feeling is intense again.
AN APPEAL FOR PEACE.
AT the Pleasant Grove Baptist church, the
largest colored church in Arkansas, Elder Rob-
inson had a large CONGREGATION. He made his
entire discourse and appealed to his people to
keep at peace with the white folks. "Go home
and be at peace" he said. 81 told you last
Sunday let us go home and be quiet. / told
you there was no race war in Crittenden
county. A few men can't make race war.
They tell me you people all got excited. Some
left the fields and their work. / have never
heard OF anybody trying to deprive you of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
There has not been white man to come here
to interfere with you, has there? (Cres of
no, no. You have met here at all hours and
had your meetings and gone home without be-
ing molested, haven't you? (Cries of yes,
Dress de Lawd.) tell you the only impose
ment ever had in this place was from my
own race. Somebody is trying to get up eX-
element, and IL they do they will be the first
to run"
A Reign of Terror.
ST, LOUIS, July 24.-The Crittenden race
war has broken out again. A special to the
Post-Dispatch says that one of the negro county
officials was lynched by mob at Marion last
night. A terrible state of affairs prevails.
A special from Springfield Mo-, says:
Travelling Auditor Townsend, Of the Gulf
road, arrived here from the south tonight and
verified the report of one negro county official
having been lynched by mob of white men.
Townsend says it is difficult matter to ret
any details at Marion which is under guard of
armed men, with great state of excitement
prevailing Neither couriers or messengers
are allowed in or out, and the telegraph opera
tor is confined to handling OF train orders.
The victim was one of the county officers and
one of the banished eighteen. The mob seized
him while he was endeavoring to gain entrance
to the court house, dragged him to the woods
and after desperate struggle, strung him up.
1t is claimed that the governor has been
called upon for protection, and if this is true,
details must be forthcoming. 1t is also said
that an armed force has gone to Marion to aid
the whites, who look for serious uprising of
negroes.
4,
Sarsaparilla do not be induced to take any
other. Hoods Sarsaparilla is peculiar med
ieine, possessing by virtue Of its peculiar COM
binatiOn, proportion and PREPARATION, curative
power superior to any other article Of the kind
A MONSTER JUBILEE
OF One Hundred Days and Nights.