The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-24
White Men Cunning i'm Every Direc-
ton and the Panic-Stricken Ne
grocs Fleeing for Their Lives.
AN ALLEGED CONSPIRACY
COLORED MEN CHARGED WITH PLOT
TING A WAR On WHITES.
Twcnty-Threc Said to BE Implicated
and All Marked for Death-Threc
Shot on Mississippi River.

TEXARKANA, Ark, March 23.-A race
war is on in Little River county, and dur
ing the past forty-eight hours an indefinite
number of negroes have met their death at
the hands of an infuriated white population.
Seven are known to have been lynched shot
to death or slain in some manner. and the
work is not yet dcne. The bodies of the
victims of the mob's vengeance are hang
ing to the limbs of trees in various parts
of the county, strung up wherever over
taken. while that of another who was shot
to death while trying TO escape was thrown
into a creek and left there.
The country is in a state of most iuterse
excitement. White men are collecting in
mobs heavily armed and determined, negroes
arc fleeing for their lives and the commun-
ity is in an uproar. The exact number of
negroes who have been summarily 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. The known dead to date are:
GENERAL DUCKETT.
EDWIN GOODWIN.
ADAM KING.
JOSEPH JONES.
BENJAMIN JONES.
MOSES JONES.
UNKNOWN MAN.
Joe King and John Johnson were also
taken in hand by mobs and whipped. They
were afterward turned loose and have dis
appeared.
MURDERS FREQUENT.
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 long time proved
very troublesome TO the whites. Frequent
murders have occurred, and thefts and
fights have become common affairs. One or
two negroes have previously been severely
dealt with when the people found it neces-
sary to take the law into their own hands,
but it was not until Tuesday that the trou-
bic took on very serious aspect. 1t then
developed that carefully laid plans had been
made by number of negroes to precipitate
a race war. and that many white men had
Detn iudfheu 1OT Victims.
1t is learned that twenty-three negroes
were implicated in this plot. and the whites
are now bent on melting out summary pun
ishment to the entire coterie of conspirators
Seven have been killed, and the work of
wiping out the entire list continues without
relaxation of determination. All implicated
in the plot are known, and small parties of
white men, varying in numbers from twen-
h.
for them. Wherever one is found he is
quickly strung up, his body perforated with
leaden missills to make sure of their work,
and the mob hastens on i'm quest of its next
victim. Some of the men were found near
Richmond. and the work of dispatching the
first two or three was easy matter. But
who. instead of making the resistance and
offering the battle that they had threatened,
became panic stricken. and began getting
cut of the community as quickly as possible.
Two, whose names were on the list of con-
spirators. got good start of the mob,
which was detailed to look after them, and
they succeeded in reaching the Texas State
line before being captured. However, they
did not escape. They were overtaken, out
of breath and exhausted, and swung up
without ceremony.
THE ALLEGED CAUSE.
The trouble arose over the killing of James
Stockton by Duckstt. Just prior to the
lynching of Ducl1ett the negroes had plan
ned the Inauguration Of a race war Duck
ett was the leader and at his death the
negroes let the matter out and the citizens
became greatly enraged. Another negro
named Joe King remarked that Stockton
should have been murdered sooner. He was
taken to the woods and whipped, as was
also John Johnson Other negroes made
threats. but nothing occurred until yester-
day, when the dead body of Goodwin was
found hanging TO a tree just across Red
river from the Stockton farm I'm Bowie
county. Texas. He formerly worked for
Stockton and was chased across Mud creek.
The place where the trouble occurred is
several miles from any town of communi-
cation and ii is difficult to obtain details
as the people are very reluctant about Civ
ing out the news A justice of the peace
went to where Goodwin was hanged.
Advices from New Boston, Tex. tonight
are TO the effect that across the river sew
eral negroes have been lynched. This morn
ing Benjamin Jones was found dead on
Hurricane Bend and from New Boston ii is
learned that Joe King and Moses Jones
were found hanging 10 trees at Horseshoe
Curve to-day. Another Jones is missing. In
the gang that was plotting for a race war
were twenty-three negroes and II is likely
that the entire number have been strung VI
in the thickets. The negroes are fleeing
from the district. To-day three wagons full
| arrived at Texarkana, having crossed Red
river AT Index at midnight last night. They
We're greatly frightened. The citizens OF
Little River county have suffered much re-
| Gently from 'iawlessness. Some months ago
tie two races clashed at Allene at saw.