The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1903-12-04
MURDERED by A NEGRO
PROMINENT YOUNG PLANTER
KILLED in TUNlcA COUNTY.
;RMED MEN AFTER THE FUGITIVE
Herbert Clifton is Shot to Death With
out Provocation- by 2 Negro, Who
Then Made His Escape-De-
scription Of the Murderer
People In Pursuit.

RobinsOnville, Miss, Nov. %
Bodies Of armed and Infatuated men
from nearly every hamlet in Tunica
and DeSoto counties are securing the
country tonight in search of George
Jenkins, a fiendish negro, who ruth
lessly shot to death Herbert Clifton,
prominent. young planter, at Banks,
station on the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley railroad thirty miles south of
Memphis and four miles west of this
town, shortly after o'clock this even
ing. The murderer, II caught, I'M
doubtedly will be summarily put to
death. Tonight posse of forty men,
heavily armed and with bloodhounds.
left Tunica, the county seat, for the
hill lands of DeSoto county, in which
direction Jenkins made his flight from
Banks. A large crowd of armed men
left Robinsonville tonight, and from
other villages to which the news of
the awful murder has reached men
have Joined in the mad pursuit Of the
murderer.
Unprovoked Murder.
The killing of Clifton occurred near
the depot at Banks shortly after the
accommodation passed, which was
about o'clock, and was one of the
worst murders ever committed in Tu-
MICA county. Clifton is sub-agelt Of
large plantation near Banks and the
negro jenkins was employed as one
of the laborers. The two met near
the depot about 6 o'clock this evening,
Clifton stopping the negro to talk over
a land matter Suddenly, and without
tho eJiohfncf y,rouooof inp Ian bins ho-
gan to use the yilest profanity, and
when Clifton told him to desist he
stepped back few feet, drew re-
volver and fired twice at Clifton, both
balls taking effect, the first entering
the leg and the second burying itself
deep in the breast Clifton was un-
armed, and SO suddenly did Jenkins |
bring his deadly weapon into play the |
former hardly had time to realize that |
he was facing death Clifton walked |
to a store near the depot and fell to
the floor, dying thirty minutes laters
Jenkins fled Immediately after the
shooting. going in the direction Of the i
hills CT DeSoto county, which joins
runica county, near Banks Station.
Description Of Negro.
George Jenkins, the murderer. is de,
scribed as being about IS or 81 years
If age, tall, black and bears a con-
'picuous scar on the back OF his head.
He has lived in this! section a long
line, and his reputation is very bad.
He has always been. considered a des-
,erate man, with prediction for u.s.
ng deadly weapons 1t is thought he
will be caught, for every foot of terri
DRY of the surrounding country will
70 searched by the pursuing posses.
Herbert Clifton, the murdered man, !.
ived at Arkabutla, Tate county, and
vas temporarily residing in Tunica
county, where he had accepted re-
ponsible position on the Banks plan
alton. His father is John Clifton,
postmaster at Senatobia. Clifton mar
led several years ago, and leaves a
wife and one child. He was of a kind
azure, not the least disposed to be
uarrelsome, and stood high both in
is native and adopted homes. He
ever had and previous trouble with
he negro Jenkins, and at the time of
the tragedy was unarmed.
If jenkins is not caught tonight
lore men will join the chase and
loodhounds from other points will be
rought here and put on the trail.
he officers~of adjoining counties have
cen notified and furnished with a
God description of the murderer.
hose capture is believed to be only
hort time off. That jenkins will be
vnched there is no doubt.
STREET DUEL AT FERNANDO.