Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-18
DOUBLE MURDER AT PERKINS, o. T.,
MAY LEAD TO TROUBLE.
WHITES THOROUGHLY AROUSED
NEGROES ARMED AND READY TO
DEFEND THEMSELVES.
No LynchinE Yet, but One May BE At
tempted-NeRro Murders Another
at Florence, kas.-StatiOn
Agent Held Up and Shot
Other Crimes.

Guthrie, o. T, Dec. 17.-(Special.) There
is still great excitement in the vicinity of
Perkins over the fiendish double murder
committed there yesterday morning and
the town is full of indignant and deter
mined farmers who would not hesitate to
promptly lynch the guilty parties should
they be apprehended. Sheriff Gebke, of
Lincoln county, and Sheriff Atherton, of
Payne county, are both present with
posses, however, and though it looked for
a time last night as though the people
would take the law in their own hands
and a few hot headed ones advocated the
open warfare upon a certain negro element
which would have precipitated a bloody
race war. matters have quieted down some
what and it is not thought there will be
any further trouble. The coroner's jury is
in session, thoroughly investigating and
followed up every clue and has sum-
moned many more witnesses for to-mor-
row.
The victims were Freeman Morrow, a
widower, aged Al, and his 12-year-oId
daughter, Ada, formerly of Illinois, who
were en- route from their home in Pawnee
county to visit brother, William Morrow,
girl is still alive. but has never been con-
scious and can not live.
They We're sleeping in a wagon when at
tackled and the man was robbed of some
thing over 81 The girls clothing is badly
torn and it is believed that the fiend who
committed the crime attempted to assault
her after killing the father.
The road where the wagon stood runs on
the county line and it is not known whether
the crime WAS committed in Lincoln or
Payne county. Lou Lighton, Il negro, liv-
ing south of Laugston, who was first ar
rested last night. has been turned loose,
there being no evidence whatever against
him. Thomas Laughln, another negro,
living near Lighton, who came very near
being lynched when first arrested, was TAX
eli to saltwater to Jail early this morning.
There seems to be no direct evidence
against him and the arrest was made be-
cause of his general bad reputation and
his being unable to give any satisfactory
account of himself on the night of the MUIR
der. Several other parties are suspected
and there are likely to be more arrests be-
fore morning
There has been strong feeling between
the negroes and whites in that section for
some time and it is greatly feared that an
open warfare will result from the excite
ment over the killing, though there has
been no real attempt at violence as vet.
The citizens about the scene of the murder
are men who will give everybody a fair
hearing, but once convinced that the right
man has been found they will surely lynch
him, even if they have to tear down Jail
and fight the officers. Many negroes are
armed and threaten to defend any mem
ber of their race from mob violence The
testimony of several witnesses this even
ing that they saw a negro along that road
with an ak few hours before the murder
makes it almost certain that he committed
the crime, but they are not able to identify
him.
telephone message from Perkins at
midnight says matters are quieting down,
and there will likely be no further trouble,
at least until the coroner's jury reports.