The leader., 1903-12-05
MURDERED BY A NEGRO
PROMINENT YOUNG PLANTER
KILLED IN TUNicA COUNTY.
ARMED MEN AFTER The FUGITIVE
Herbert Clifton Is shot to Death With.
out Provocation by Negro, Who
Then Made His Escape-De-
scription Of the Murderer
People In Pursuit.

RObifisOnvill6, Miss, NOV. %
Bodies of armed and Infatuated men
from nearly every hamlet in Tunica
and DeSot1 counties are securing the
country tonight In search of George
jenkins, a fiendish negro, who ruth
1essly shot to death Herbert Clifton,
prominent young planter, at Banks,
d station on the Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley railroad thirty miles south OF
Memphis and four miles west of this
town, shortly after 6 o'clock this even
ing. The murderer, If caught, I'M
doubtedly will be summarily put to
death Tonight a 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 tho 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 6 O'Clock, and was one OF the
worst murders ever committed in Tu-
MICA county. Clifton is sub-agent of
large plantation near Banks and the
negro jenkins was employed as one
Of the laborers The two met near
the depot about o'clock this evening.
Clifton stopping the negro to talk over
a land matter. Suddenly, and without
the slightest provocation, Jenkins be-
gan to use the vilest profanity, and
when Clifton told him to desist he
stepped back a few feet, drew a 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 I'M
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 later.
Jenkins fed Immediately after the
shooting, going in the direction of the
hills of DeSoto county, which joins
Tunica county, near Banks Station.
Description Of Negro.
George Jenkins, the murderer, is de-
scribed as being about 35 or 81 years
of age, tall, black and bears a con-
spicuous scar on the back of his head.
He has lived in this section a long
time, and his reputation is very bad.
He has always been considered des-
perate man, with prediction for u.s.
ing deadly weapons. 1t is thought he
will be caught, for every foot of terri
tory of the surrounding country will
be searched by the pursuing posses.
Herbert Clifton, the murdered man,
lived at Arkabutla, Tate county, and
was temporarily residing in Tunica
county, where he had accepted a re-
sponsible position on the Banks plan
tation His father is John Clifton,
postmaster at Senatobia. Clifton mar
ried several years ago, and leaves a
wife and one child. He was of kind
nature. not the least disposed to be
quarrelsome, and stood high both in
his native and adopted homes. He
never had and previous trouble with
the negro Jenkins, and at the time of
OF the tragedy was unarmed.
If jenkins is not caught tonight
more men will join the chase and
bloodhounds from other points will be
brought here and put on the trail.
The officers of adjoining counties have
been notified and furnished with
good description of the murderer,
whose capture is believed to be only a
short time off. That jenkins will be
lvnched there is mo dOubt