The age-herald., 1898-01-29
Negroes Frequently AssassT = Ith-
 out the Law Being En- '.
PROTECT YOUR HOMES WITH LrFn
Is the Counsel Given By 8 Prominent Negro Long Conference With Governor Jones Further Developments Expect
 ed at Any Moment.

Little Rock, Ark, Jan. 2S.-Trouble has broken out again between the blacks and
 the whites in Lonoke county and a race
 was is threatened, which. when once started, may outrival anything of the kind witnessed In the south in years The trouble has been brewing for some time, and the feeling between the races is so
 bitter that the first spark will cause an explosion. The center is the town of l. Lonoke, a place of some 2,000 inhabitants,
 about one-half of whom are negroes. A portion of the people of that town
 have been trying to rid the place of ne-
 groes, and clashes have been frequent in the past. Several negroes have been killed by whites and others have been driven out of town There has been little resistance
 on the part of the blacks up to this time, but they are now organizing for the pur- l pose of mutual protection, and the next 1 clash is almost certain to produce serious 1 results. This clash is expected to take place within the next week or two, mo-
 tice having been served on the negroes that they must leave the county within
 
 following written notice, bearing date of Jan. 23, has been tackled on the door of nearly every negro in the town of Lonoke and on many cabins in the surrounding country:
 Must Leave in Thirty Days. "You are hereby notified that you and
 every other negro in Lonoke county must leave in thirty days and never come back again. If you don't go you will be hung
 to the limb of a tree and your black car-
 casses filled with lead"
 The notices are not signed but are adorned with a skull and cross bones. Nos tices have also been posted on the doors of negro schools warning the teachers to close the schools and get out of the coun- ty without delay. Many of the negroes have taken their families and all of their belongings and moved out of the county. and schools have been closed. But a large number have avowed their purpose of re- maining in their homes and defending them at the cost of their lives if necessary.
 One prominent colored man in an open letter to his race advised the colored men of Lonoke to supply themselves with arms and be prepared to protect themselves Law Offers No Protection.
 
 the negroes of Lonoke must look out for | themselves. The law offers them no pro- lection. Negroes have been shot down and | their white murderers go unpunished. The 1 law is in the hands of the men who per- petrate these crimes Arm yourselves and protect your lives and your homes. When the negroes of Lonoke county kill about twenty-five of these lawless white men the outrages against the negro race will stop, and not until then.'
 Last summer a cobored normal school, while in session at Lonoke, was broken up | by a mob and one of the instructors beaten A few months later the dead body l of the teacher was found perforated with bullets Just before Christmas @ negro merchant at Lonolue was fogged by mob of masked men who told him that they were going to lynch him. The negro broke | away and escaped after being shot and beaten.
 Governor Offers Reward. reward of $50 was offered by Governor Jones for the arrest and conviction of
 members of this mob, but no arrests were
 made. few days ago the governor in-
 creased the reward to s100 A white man l of Lonoke shot and instantly killed negro and was promptly acquitted by Jusmce l of the peace These outrages have ex- l cited some of the negroes into desperation l and they are detrm.ned to resist to the ! bitter end the attempt 10 drive them out
 of tileir homes, and should the threat conA | tained in the posted notices be carried out
 a general uprising of blacks is believed | to be imminent Tho situation is regarded | as critical. A prominent citizen of Lonoke | was in Little Rock in consultation with | the governor today. What took place in | thia interview has not been given out.