The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-11-21

jointist," at Boynton yesterday after
noon and soon afterward was saved
from the hands of a crowd of angry
negroes who threatened him with
death.
Frair is the preacher who came to
Muskogee a few days ago and after
purchasing a bottle of whisky at the
Regal drug store gave it to the county
attorney as evidence. The county at
torney's Office Immediately filed an in
junction against the drug store based
upon Rev. Friar's detective work
1t was also Rev. Friar who last week
led two hundred citizens of Boynton
ito Muskogee to attend a trial in the
superior court here against a ''Jointist'
of Boynton, whom he was endeavoring
to drive out of business. Each and
every one of Rev. Friar's adherents,
when they came to Muskogee, wore
white ribbons reading GIVE Us a
Clean Boynton."
Excitement at Boynton ran high inn
mediately after the shooting and ne
groes quickly gathered from all sides
The killing occurred in the negro sec
tion of the town and the blacks were
in the great majority. Shouting threats
against the evangelist they closed in
upon him and the few friends with him
/ fled under a shower of rocks and bricks
leaving him to the mercy of the mob
He was saved by the mayor of the
town. ]. H. Ogle, the mayor, T. B. SUIT
ton, justice of the peace, and Joe
Crafford, a member of the city council
rushed to the spot where the minister
was surrounded by the negroes and
urged them to let the law take its
course.
After City Marshal Dan McKeaver
had placed Rev. Friar under arrest and
clamped handouts on his wrists the
negroes seemed satisfied and dispersed.
They declared that they did not wish
to precipitate race war and would
leave the matter of his punishment to
the law.
Rev. Friar was brought to Muskogee
last night on the 7:30 o'clock Frisco
train and placed in the county Jail,
charged with murder. He will be given
a preliminary hearing before Justice
Bailey in few days.
With Rev. Frair last night there
came to Muskogee about thirty of his
give Us a Clean Boynton" adherents
and his wife.
There are two distinct versions of
the affair and two versions of Rev.
Friar's work in Boynton. His friends
have not much to say of the shooting,
but declare he has done much good in
Boynton. The anti-Friar element,
which includes many prominent citi-
zens, say that he has created nothing
but unrest and false excitement and
that he followed Alcorn, who was un-
armed, and shot him in cold blood
Friar was state law enforcement
officer Fred Coblents, who accom-
panied him to Alcorns' resort, is also
state officer Several went with the
preacher into the negro section of the
town and were present when he shot
Alcorn. Among them were the other
ministers of the gospel, G. w. Damon
and N. E. Whitehill.
j. P. White said that Belle Clemons
a negress, threw him down the stairs
of Alcorns dive and that when he
struck the bottom her son was wait
ing for him with brick in his hand
Rev. Friar organized in Boynton 8
civic league and started a crusade
against the alleged "joints" in that
town They started in by closing ur
pool room operated by E. M, Cow
herd and others, and last Friday, wher
the injunction suit came up for hear
ing in the superior court before Judge
Mccain Friar brought about two hun
dred people to Muskogee to attend the
trial. All were wearing long streamers
bearing the words, "Giye Us a Clear
Boynton"
Yesterday Judge Mccain issued al
order to have the sheriff lock the place
up and when word reached Boyntor
to the effect that the White pool room
had been closed, Rev. Friar and twt
other preachers and six members o
the civic league went out to call upoI
some of the negro jointists and war;
them to close their places ard get on
of business.
G. w. Damon, N. E. Whitoi i'll, J. 7
White, A. R. Skidmore, John Braden
Fred Coblentz, d. K, Havwood ant
Ed Honeycutt were the men who &C
companied Rev. Friar to the negro seC
tion of the town. They entered tn