New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-23
RACE WAR IN OKLAHOMA
Neurces Threaten TO Wipe Town.
CT CoWeta OF Map.
RUSHING TROOPS 70 SCENE
Mob Hangs Negro Murderer, but
Cuts Him Down Before Death,
Then Shoot Him.

Coweta. Okla, Oct 22-"Ed' suddeth' a
negro, was shot to death tonight by mon
of citizens, who ha darmed themseiye'' loi-
lowing a battle this afternoon between
blacks and whites In which Suddeth Killed
j. D. Beavers, city attorney, and wounded
Charles Oliver and Steller Thompson, white
men. Suddeth was wounded and then
strung up to a water tank but was Gu;
down before he died and locked i'm vacant
building To-nisht Deputy Sheriff FLOWERS
attempted TO take the slayer - the Was,
CneF TAIL As the negro was being litted
into an automobile the mob opened fire on
him. Probably hfty bullets entered his
body.
Large numbers u negroes were arriving
tonight from the surrounding country, ana
race war seemed inevitable. The white
men OF the town were patrolling the streets
and guarding their homes They were
afraid TO take tho women ont OF the houses
70 send them 10 Muskogee on The last train
out.
The trouble started yesterday afternoon.
4 telegraph operator named Swazer was
walking with a young woman, when ia
Ruse negro, In Passing pushed the girl
from the side walk into the mud. SWazer
struck a; tho negro, and another white
man, whose name is being kept secret
seized Rusc and SWazer beat him with his
fists.
Ruae had been walking the streets TO-
day with a long knife in his pocket seek
ing the man who held him. city Marshal
Hart ordered the negro to give up the
knife. and Ruse shot at him.
., 0eft ~ a
house across the street and opened fire,
instantly killing City Attorney Beavers and
wounding Oliver and Thompson, all OF
whom were passing and had taken no part
IN the trouble
Hanged, Cut Down and Shot.
Suddeth took refuge IN q nearby house,
which was bombarded with guns and re-
yolvers by several white men. The house
was set anre and Suddeth fed. He was
shot. but not fatally injured. He was taken
20 the water tank, q rope placed about his
neck and he was swung up. 1t was then
decided. however, that 10 kill him would
prccipitate general race war and he was
cut down Later, however. the negro was
shot to death by the Infatuated mob.
Coweta IS terrorstrckcn tonight. and
It IS feared an outbreak IS inevitable
There ere 200 persons in Coweta, one
third negroes The county is populated
, largely by negroes. and il was said that
II the blacks were organized they could
bring 1900 men into town before morning.
Negro ernssaries have hurried out TO the
surrounding settlements with the avowed
intention OF bringing enough men here to
ri, ha off They declare
they will set fire to every house. The
sherffs Of Wagner, Muskogee and Tulsa
counties have sent help 10 Coweta, and
every means possible will be used TO pre-
vent an outbreak.
one negro woman set out on foot for
Red Bird. an exclusive negro town, de-
claring she would bring every negro in the
settlement back with her. officers fol-
lowed her, but failed to catch her.
The citizens Of Coweta are poorly or
ganzed. They have shotguns and revolv-
crs. but not enough rifles. They are also
short Of ammunition. The town is without
fire protection.
MusGoc-c okla, oct. 22-While what
militia can raised tonight is being
rushed from here by special train 10 the
assistance OF the white population OF Cow
eta, large numbers Of armed negroes from
surrounding points are Fastening 10 the
town 10 assist in the battle on the whites.
Besides the killing Of the city attorney
and the lynchlng Of his SLAYER, a number
OF both races have been shot in the nights,
according 10 reports received here
The negro population is Infatuated by the
killing Of Suddetu They sent ouI runners
10 all nearby towns. several ~ which are
exclusively negro settlements, 10 call them
10 aid in lighting the whites and make good
their threats to wipe the town off the map
before morning.
Although the outbreak has been looked
FOR by the whites for some time. they are
insuficiently armed and short Of ammuni-
ton for such a conflict as is anticipated.
Grave fears are held unless troops can be
hurried to the town by daybreak. In case
the negroes should keep their promise Of
setting the town on fire, the result will
he disastrous, as Coweta has little fire
protection.
\ telephone message tonight from the
Sheriffs office at Wagner says that a
large body of negroes, heavily armed. is
marching from Red Bird Okla, upon the
town OF Coweta. They are swearing
vengeance, and further trouble is believed
certain.
There are rumors OF other deaths at
Coweta. but these cannot be confirmed.
Citizens of Muskogee are being armed by
the Sheriff and are hurrying to Coweta,
twenty-five miles from here.