The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-11-08
100 NEGROES
Being TRIED
FOR RIOTING
Arrested For Alleged Plotting
Against Planters. Claimed
Organization Responsible for
Troubles.

Helena, Ark, Nov. 6.-The case oi
Frank Hicks, Negro, charged with
the killing of Clinton Lee. was the
first to come up in the Phillips coun'
ty circuit court here today where
the court met to try cases growing
out of race disturbances near Elaine
small town in the southern par
Of the county, the first week in
October.
Selection of a jury took less thar
half an hour and was followed by
a brief statement of the case against
Hicks by p. r. Andrews, appointed
by the court as a prosecutor in the
case. The prosecution swore in its
witnesses and the defense announced
it had none. The court then adjourn
ed until afternoon in respect to Judge
P. O. Thweatt,' Oldest member of the
local bar, whose son was being bur-
led here today.
In his statement of the case Mr.
Andrews said that in the spring OF
1919 the Progressive Farmers and
Household Union of America was or
ganized and that Hicks became a
member Of the Elaine post. He stat
ed the principle of this organization
was to kill planters if they failed
to meet the demands of the Negroes
when settlement for the years crops
were made this fall.
Tells of Meeting.
He told Of the meeting in a church
near Elaine the night Of September
30, at which place the disturbances
originated with the killing of w. A.
Adkins, railroad special agent and
the wounding of Charles Pratt, a
deputy sheriff. The prosecution stat
ed it would prove that Hicks knew
of the killing of Adkins and then
went to the home of another Negro
near Elaine, who was alleged to be
leader of the Elaine squad" In
dictments have been returned by a
grand jury against IL persons, mostly
Negroes, in connection with the race
disturbances. It is expected that
most of the cases will be heard at
the present term of court.
In addition to the cases against
the Negroes, two attorneys, o. s..
Bratton and G. B. Casey, face charg-
es of barratryin connection with
the disturbances, which have been
officially characterized as an armed
uprising and which resulted in the
killing of five white persons, score
Of Negroes and the dispatch of fed
eral troops to the scene. The cases
against the attorneys, it was said
today, probably will not be reached
until later in the term.
The Elaine disorders broke out
the night Of September 80 when a
posse sent by the sheriff to arrest a
white man stopped to repair their
motor car near country church
where armed Negroes were meeting
secretely. Apparently believing men,
bers OF the posse were eavesdropping
the Negroes opened fire. One deputy
was killed and another wounded.
Firing then became general between
the Negroes and posse members.
When word of the affair reached
Helena, reinforcements were sent
possemen. Further sanguinary
fighting took place and at Governor
Charles H. Broughs request 500
federal troops were sent to Elaine
from Camp Pike. The troops re-
mained there a week and several
fights with Negroes took place.
Large quantities of arms and anu
milton we're seized by civil and mil
itary officials, indicating, the author
tiles said. that the Negroes had PLAN
ned an uprising of large proportions.