The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-25
IT'S A GRUES0ME JOKE
Coroner's Verdict on the Arkan-
sas Lynchjngs.
WERE FROZEN TO DEATH
Impossible to Get at the Real Facts,
Whites Are Rsticsnt-It Is Assert
ed That a Dozsn Negroes
Were Hanged.

TeXarkana, Ark, March PA CORE
spondent visited Little River county to-
day and endeavored to get the facts in
regard to the trouble between the
whites and blacks there. but found il
a very difficult undertaking. The white
citizens are very reticent and are an
parently not willing to give any news
for publication. The part of the coun-
try in which the correspondent travelled
was quiet to-day and there was no out
ward indication of any further trouble
1t was impossible to learn how many
negroes had really been lynched as
nearly all the colored populat iCn had
left the neighborhood. Red river bot
toms. where most of the lynchings are
said to have occurred, was not visited,
put four negroes are known TO have
1allen victims to the mob'S wrath. The
rev remaining negroes in that part of
the country travelled through by the
correspondent are still in a state of
great excitement and fear more trouble,
Ihey talk excitedly of the occurrences
of the past few days and assert that a
dozen or more men have been killed in
the Red river bottoms, mentioning
names of negroes who have disappear
ed since the lynching of Duckstt to
substantlate their statement Wagon
loads of blacks arrived in Texarkana
to-day from Little River county.
Details of the wholesale lynchings
reported to have occurred in Little Riy-
er county. Ark. are slow in coming
in. Three more dead negroes have been
found in the Red river bottoms near
ROCKY Comfort. Ark. Two of them
Joe King and Moses Jones, We're hang
ed and shot to death. The third body
was stripped entirely naked when
found.
A justice of the peace held an in
quest over these bodies to-day. and a
verdict was rendered by the Jury de-
claring the men came to their deaths
from natural causes or We're frozen to
death. The verdict is regarded as
a sruesome joke.
There is some doubt as to where
these lynchings occurred, it being near
the state line, and was either in Little
River county, Ark. or in Bowie coun-
ty. Texas. The inquest was held by a
Texas justice of the peace.
Joe King was one of the negroes who
was whipped by crowd of whites on
wednesday near Comfort Just after
the lynching of Duckett constable
went to King and told him Duckett had
been lynched for the assassination of
that he knew all about the Stockton
killing, and said the farmer ought to
nave been killed sooner and also inti-
mated that others would be killed be-
fore the matter was settled A crowd
of indignant whites had him in charge
and took him to the woods. where he
was thoroughly whipped and released,
1t is not known where or by whom he
afterwards was strung up, but he no
doubt fell into the hands of one of the
lFnching parties that We're organized
after the plots of negroes to start the
race war was unearthed.
Many sensational reports are reach
ing here to-day from the scene of the
disturbance. but very little authentic
informal ton is gathered. One report
states that the whites are still out in
organized posses hunting the leaders of
the revolutionary plot with the avowed !
intention of stringing them up wher- |
ever found. Another report states that |
the negroes are recovering from the |
panicky terror and are securing arms |
and threaten vengeance on the whites. |
If this proves true serious trouble may |
result.
A colored man who arrived here to- |
day from Winton says every negro in |
the neighborhood of Rocky Comfort
and Richmond has left home and is
afraid to return.