The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-28

Killed wherever Found-The Names
of Others known-Armed Parties
Securing tine Country for Them
Texarkana, Ark, March 23.-The
widest excitement prevails among the
negroes OF Little River county, seven
negro men having been lynched by the
citizens of that section.
Among those who have fallen vic
Tins to the wrath of the whites are
Edward Goodwin, Dan King, Joe Jones,
Ben Jones, Moses Jones and another
whose name could not be obtained.
The disturbances grew out Of the
lynching of a negro named General
Duckett near Richmond in that county
or Tuesday.
Last Saturday a prominent planter
at his home near Rocky Comfort by
Duckett. The negro escaped at the
time, but after remaining in hiding in
the swamps until Tuesday he surren-
dered, saying he had had nothing to
eat since his fight. He was taken TO
Rocky Comfort and soon after his ar
rival there Sheriff Johnson and depu-
ties started with him for Richmond.
They were overtaken by 200 armed
men, who demanded the prisoner.
Duckett was taken to the place where
he had killed Stockton and, after max
ing a confession, was lynched.
After the lynching it was learned
that Duckett had frequently tried to
get the negroes in the county to join
him in a race war against the whites.
A few hours after he had killed Stock
ton, he passed several negroes at a
farmhouse, n told them he had kiln
ed n white man and if they would
follow him he would kill more.
The Jones brothers We're intimate
with the assassin of Stockton, and it
was discovered that they were leading
a scheme to revenge their comrades
death. The assault was provoked by
the u~nearthing of plots that the follow
ers of General Duckett had concocted
and when the revelation was made a
band of citizens began their search for
the principals.
Through friendly negroes who had
originally told Stockton of Ducketts
threat, the facts against the present
victims were learned. These inform
ers had been warned under the penalty
Of death not to communicate the plans
of the outlaws to the whites.
All the victims that have fallen be-
fore the whites were pursued singly
over the country and me their fate at
different times and in different locali-
ties. Ed. Goodwin was shot down on
Mud creek e Rocky Comfort, and
his body was thrown into the stream
The Jones had fled in different direc-
tions when they learned of their pur-
suit and were run down and lynched
one at a time.
TeXarkana, March pa race war
is On in Little River county and during
the last forty-eight hours an indef-
mite number of negroes have met their
death at the hands Of an Infatuated
white population. Seven are known
to have been lynched and the work is
not yet done.
The bodies of the victims Of the
mob's vengeance are hanging to the
| limbs of trees in various parts of the
| county, strung up wherever overtaken.
The county is in a state of intense ex-
element. White men are collecting
in mobs heavily armed and determin-
ed; negroes are fleeing for their lives
and the communityis in an uproar.
The exact number Of negroes who have
been sunmarily dealt with or those who
may yet fall into the hands of the mob
before order is restored may never be
known.
Seven bodies have been found and
other victims are being hunted and will
meet a similar fate when run TO earth.
Joe King and John Johnson were
also taken in hand by mobs and whip
ped. They were afterward turned
looose and have disappeared.
, Little River county is in the extreme
southwest corner Of the state bordered
on the west by the Indian territory and
on the south by Texas. The negro
population is large and has for a long
time proved very troublesome to the
whites. Frequent murders have oc-
CURED and thefts and fights become
common affairs.
One or two negroes have previously
bNSA FNAS NSAN VAIL "ACA tAC nv
pie found it necessary to take the Law
into their own hand, but it was not un.
til Tuesday that the trouble took on q
serious aspect. 1t then developed thai
carefully laid plans had been made by
"a number of negroes TO precipitate Z
race war and that many white men ha6
been marked for victims. It is learne(
that twenty-three negroes were impii
Gated in this plot and the whites are
now bent on melting out summary pun
ishment to the entire coterie Of con
spirators. Seven have been killed a
the work of wiping out the entire lis
continues without relaxation. All impli
Gated in the plot are known and par
ties of white men varying in number
from twenty-five to fifty are ~scourini
the country for them. Wherever one !
found he is quickly strung up and hi
body perforated with bullets. The worl
of dispatching the first two or thre
was an easy matter; but the news 500
spread among the negroes, who, In
stead of making the resistance and OF