New-York tribune., 1910-07-31
FIFTY MAY BEOEAD
IN TEXAS RACE RIOTS
At Least q Negroes and 4
Whites Reported Killed in
Anderson County Fights.
TROUBLE STARTED BY NOTE
White Farmer Kills Negro Whose
Papey He Had Indorsed-Militia,
Ringers and Posses Rush
to the Scene.
IBy telegraph TO Tie Trihune. I

10y Ieiesraph TO Tie Tribune.
Palestine, Tex. July 30.-At least
oHenty-one negroes and four white men
were killed in race riots at Slocum. near
Elkhart. Anderson County fifteen miles
south Of here. late yesterday and to-
DAY. and all East Texas is aroused. Two
companies Of militia arrived from Mar
SHAH at $50 o'clock tonight and
company OF state rangers has been or
dereG from Austin by Adjutant Cen
eraI Newton. Fighting was in progress
late this afternoon between five hun
dred armed white farmers and citizens
on one side and one thousand negroes
on the other. A late unconfirmed re-
port says fifty negroes have been killed.
The race war started yesterday after
noon when James Afford. white man.
killed negro, following quarrel over
note which Afford had Endorsed for
the negro. Both were farmers The
negro failed to pay the note, and when
the white man questioned him about ii
he cursed him and said no white man
could do him. This started the trou-
ble. and the negroes organized, accord
Ing To reports. with the avowed inten-
ton Of cleaning out the community
Men Of both races procured arms.
The Dead White Men.
Il is reported that q deputy sheriff of
Houston County is among the dead.
Other dead whites are Richard Stubble-
fed. Deputy Sheriff Of Anderson
County: Samuel Wolf a constable; Z.
F. Raines q farmer and an unknown
farmer.
one fight took place in a thick woods
between Elkhart and Slocum this morn
ing. There is poor wire communication
70 those points and even this COM
munication was cut off this afternoon.
Immediately upon receipt here of the
news OF the fight. two hundred citizens
rushed to the scene
Palestine is in the midst Of the Texas
black belt and there is much enmity be
tween the two races. The city tonight
i under martial law, all SALOONS are
closed and the hardware stores are all
prohibited from selling guns. revolvers
and ammunition. Scores Of citizens were
disarmed in the streets to-day. Parties
from Jacksonville, Byron, Crockett,
Cronin. Stark and other towns organ
lied and went to the scene of the riot
in automobiles. heavily armed.
Captain Reed Fowler has assumed
charge Of the largest posse which went
from here. Another posse is headed by
Sheriff Black. Of Anderson County.
captain Fowler won fame serving un-
der Estrada in the Nicaraguan revolu-
ton. His home is in Palestine.
1000 Negroes in the County.
There are seven thousand negroes liv-
ing in Anderson County, and it is be
iieved that there are a thousand now
gathered between Elkhart and Slocum.
Elklart is on the International & Great
Northern Railroad. and Slocum is
small interior town the district between
being occupied by farmers. 1t is re-
ported that a large party of negroes
have been driven into d gully ten miles
from Elkhart. and have been ordered to
lay down their arms and surrender
The negroes in Palestine have OBJ
served warnings from white citizens to
remain quiet. and there has been no
local disturbances There is much un-
oasjness. as many women and children
are unprotected, due to the absence of.
several hundred men at Elkhart
The negroes at benson Springs three
hundred in number, have armed and
threaten TO clean out the whites Tn
less overawed by the state troops and
I-osses. fear is expressed that there will
Dee 4 general attack. The whites de-
ternined TO make no mistake. and are
waiting for reinforcements before lead
ing an attack They declare they viii
force all negroes to leave Anderson
County at the muzzIes of guns.
The arrival Of the troops with Adju-
tant General Newton at their head will
calm the whites. it is expected. and
avert a second ind bloodier battle.
Nessage from state officials at Aus
Tn say more rangers and companies of
national guard viii be sent promptly if
needed and many companies throughout
the state have been advised TO make
Preparations fer the trip here.
Scythes and Pitchforks.
The majority Of negroes are armed
with shotguns. rifles and reyolvers, and
over hundred are carrying scythes and
pitchforks
Palestine is the home Of Governor
Campbell. He viii probably come here
tonight or tomorrow TO direct the
movements Of citizens and troops.
While hardware stores are prohibited
from selling guns and ammunition, every
home in Palestine has arms tonight,
which We're given to the women and
older children to use in self-defence, if
needed Calls for aid have been sent to
Tyler, Marshall, Houston and Dallas,
and tonight every train is bringing in
citizens from those towns who viii help
protect the city and homes from riot
dangers.
The negroes AT Slocum are apparently
determined not to give up until utterly
routed. They are We'll generated by
huge black, who is shouting orders right
and left Efforts TO shoot him down
have so far failed.
Wolf and RaincS were killed IN this
mornings fight and Stubbleiield in
conflict at 3 O'Clock this afternoon
party Of TWO hundred persons left Jack
sonviile tonight to aid FOwler's posse.
The negroes planned to raid Elkhart
tonight. and whites massed 10 prevent
their approach
TWO NEGROES lYNCHED.