Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-11-28

Bill and Henry Chapman, Negroes.
The trouble started in a personal
encounter between Jim Grayson, a
young Creek Indian. and a Negro by
the name OF Deckard, at the Frisco
Depot, about $40 O'Clock this even
ing. Deckard and Grayson engaged
in a fist fight and the latter was get
ting the better of the Negro when
Deckard. picking up a rock, hit Gray
son over the head with il. Deckard
then ran, and Grayson phcned up
town for the police.
Assistant Chief of Police Henry
Klaber. in charge Of the Okmulgee
police force at the time responded to
the call and met Deckard at The cross
ing of the creek, about midway be-
tween che business center OF the city
and the Frisco depot.
Deckard opened fire on Slaber,
killing him. Deckard then took re-
fuge in a small house. where he had
evidently secreted a Winchester rifle,
and began firing upon all who ap-
preached the house a hurry call
was sent for Sheriff Edgar Robinson,
who. after summOning several depu-
ties. startsd for the scene of the
trouble.
Robinson with his deputies ap-
preached the house in which Deck
ard was barricaded In the mean
time several Negroes had congregated
and they were called upon by the
sheriff to assist him.
Deckard continued firing from the
door and windows of the house. and
one of the first TO fall was Sheriff
Robinson. Two OF the Negroes also
were killed. Two of them were
brothers named Chapman During
the melee some nine or ten Others
were wounded, including Police Chief
Dick Farr. hit in the shoulder: a
white dePty sheriff, name unknown,
shot in the shoulder. and Steve Gray
son. who viii probably die.
The sheriff commissioned Negroes
as deputies with the evident inten-
ton OF saving the lives Of white men.
In this ne was wise as the terrible
casualty list will show. Deckard Of
Oklahoma seems to have been the
equal Of Bob Brewer Of Georgia in
rifle practice. That which appeals TO
us especially IS the manner in which
he died. The report says:
When 10 was seen that it would
cost additional lives to capture Deck
ard, a small house next 10 where he
was hidden was vacated and fired
with the hope that the flames would
communicate 90 the shack in which
Deckard had taken refuge. Before
the fire reached the house tn which
Deckard was barricaded he was seen
90 roll over on the floor strike
match and set FIRE 10 his own house,
which was soon "A roaring furnace. i'm
which his body was baked.
Both houses we're burned 20 the
ground and Deckard was roasted TO a
crisp. While the fire was i'm progress
there was an incessant discharge of
cartridges. Deckard has lived I'm Ok
mulgoe about two years and was re-
Gently employed in a Negro jewelry
shop. Heretofore he has borne a
good reputation.
Gov. Haskell. az Guthrie. was no.
tihed OF the battle and of the bad
feeling between whites and Negroes
that had grown out OF e and threat
ened race riot. The governor at
once ordered the militia company az
Muskogee 10 prepare 20 go 20 Ok
muleec, and a special trian was made
ready 90 carry the troops. the govern
or remaining In his Office TO keep in
touch with the situation.
News OF the preparation to send
militia here had a good effect on the
disorderly element of both races. and
at O'Clock tonight the crowd had
dispersed and further trouble was
not expected. When 90 became
known that no other Negro had assist
ed Decka~d against the officers. the
talk OF reprisals subsidized.
The following extract explains it.
self:
During the past week District
Court has been in session at Okmul-
gee. and there has been wholesale
conviction of Negro bootIeggers.
Yesterday a protest was made be-
cause the white jury convicted the
Negroes as fast as they came up for
trial A Negro woman was to be
tried Saturday, and Judge Alexan-
der had a special jury composed Of
Negroes try her she was acquitted
This has caused a bitter race feeling.
and tomorrow an effort will be
made to quash the panel of Negro
jurors.
IL was all right for a white Jury TO
convict Negroes with but little regard
for the evidence in the cases present
ed, but it was al wrong for a colored
jury 10 acquit them upon the same
principle. That there were grounds
for the colored folks complaints was
evident, else the judge would not
have accorded the colored prisoners
trial at the hands of men of their
own race.
The moral Of it all is that some
colored people in some sections of the
Southland are getting desperate. The
repeated miscarriages of justice and
the frequent exercise of the brutal
methods of the ante-bellum period
are driving them to a condition where
they will fight TO the last ditch"
and then destroy their own lives rath
er than 10 become the sport of the
white hoOdlums and the tortDred oh