The Washington herald., 1908-06-23

houston. Tex, June 22-Nire negroes
and two white men are dead and a race
riot is In progress The state Rangers
and militia have been called out. and
the whole Of East Texas IS seethlnE in
the throes Of hatred against the negro. "a
the result Of the murder OF two white
men Saturday. near Hemphll.
At midnight Sunday $50 armed
marched TO the Jail al Hemphm
after overpowering the jauer and e
took out six negroes. Five were
diately strung up to nearby trees
the sixth. attempting to escape IN
was shot down.
These negroes were Ned WI
Jerry Evans, VIII Johnson. Moss
man, CIeve Williams. and VIII NJ
The oldest was twenty-seven anc
youngest twenty-five. They had been
jailed. charged with completely IN the
murder OF Hugh a. Dean. a young white
farmer.
This afternoon Burgha Singleton, Harty
Evans. and Henry Thomas. negroes, vera
found dead on the roadside between
Hemphn and Geneva. their bodies riddled
with bullets They, too, were alleged 10
have had a hand in the plot 20 kill Dean.
Farmers Arm Themselves.
Following the disclosures this morning.
the farmers or the vicinity armed them
selves with rifles and shotguns and pistols
and started on a systematic hunt after
every negro Of known bad tendencies. At
tho same time pistols and other weapons
began 10 be seen IN the hands OF negroes.
and the county peace officers were pow
erless TO cope with the situation. Hur-
rIed appeals were made 10 the governor.
and a squad Of rangers were ordered i'm
mediately 10 the scene The Houston
Light Guards. Of this city, were advised
70 hold themselves IN readiness TO take e
special train. They viii leave tonight
This was the condition when the news
went broadcast that Aaron Johnson, an
other white farmer. had been shot down
while sitting in his gallery With his wife
and baby. ais blood being spattered over
them
His wife, crazed at the desperate act
/. Of the negro fends. gave chase. screaming
with all her might. White men. raiding
the country side for negroes. heard her
cries.
Wife Goes Insane.
When they reached her. she was sitting
beside the body Of her husband insane.
1t was then that the white avengers
went forth. and soon the crack Of their
pistols pOrtended that death has been
visited on some one. Later the bodies OF
Singleton. Evans. and Thomas were
found
Already charged with having a hand
in the death Of Dean. the three negroes
met summary vengeance when they en-
countered the white men.
Johnson's death increased the teuslty
Of the situation. The three dead negroes
were known 70 be pals OF a fourth. This
fourth was searched for, and not found.
The officers had beaten the avengers to
him.
Captured in a corn field, the negro, Perry
Price. was spirited to Augustine. after
making a confession that he had been
given s. by Robert Wright. Johnson's
brofher-in-law, 70 kill Johnson.
Wright was then arrested and Is now
in jail at Center Tex. The Jail IS guard
ed heavily, as the rumor has gone forth
that mob of white men have captured
a Houston train and Is forcing the en-
gineer 20 run 10 Center in order that they
may take Wright and hang him.
Followed Death of White Men.
The chaotic conditions of frenzisd
hatred egainst the negro came as the re-
suit OF tie shooting OF a white n N--
negroes AZ a negro dance Satur
week ago. William SlImson. a
man. attended the dance and had
ending in his being killed with
Two negroes were arrested for the
Last Saturday night Hugh Dean
Of the best known young white fal
was also shot at a negro dance.
proved that he was merely rdins %.
when drunken negroes set on him and
stabbed him TO death
Six negroes were arrested and put in
the Hemphin Jail These were the six
lyuched first. A seventh is stll at large
and a reward Of $50 is'out for him.
The flames which were stirred up By
the killing OF Stimson and Dean within
week were added 10 by the fact that
negroes grew bold and began to flourish
weapons.
SlX-shooters were prominent, and open
threats were made OF what would be
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