New-York tribune., 1919-10-06
General Uprising in an
Arkansas County Is De-
clared to Have Been
Revealed by Confessions
Date Fixed for To-day
COuriers Known as paul
Revcres" Were to Give
Signal for the Butchery

HELENA. Ark. Oct. 5. Bands Of
Negroes in Southern Phillips County,
OF which this city is the seat Of gov
ernment, had planned general
slaughter of white people in this To-
cality tomorrow, according to mem
pointed by the civil authorities, with
the sanction Of Governor Charles
Brough, who announced to-day that
confessions made by SINE of the cap
tured negroes and other information
indicated a widespread plot.
Members of the committee said the
plans OF the negroes included an up
rising in the event certain demands
were not met With October 6 set as
the day for the uprising, negro prison
ers are said to have confessed, each
member OF the organization at speci-
fed places was to take a bale Of cotton
to certain prominent land owners,
plantation managers and merchants
and "demand 81 settlement"
Twenty-One Victims Picked
The confessions as announced made
it appear to the investigators that fol-
lowing this demand. the negroes were
to shoot down all whites in sight. A
list of twenty-onc names, admitted to
represent the men to whom the demand
would be presented, is in the hands of
the nvest!gating committee.
Killing of these twenty-one, the pris-
oners said. was to be the signal for all
members Of the organization to attacl;
the white population.
An extensive courier system was eX-
planned in the evidence, providing for
messengers known to the negroes as
paul Reveres" The couricrs had
been appointed to ride into ali parts of
the territory, according to the testl
mony. and summon members to arms
The organization concerned was de
clared to be the Lodge of Progressiv.
Farmers and Household Union Of Amer
ica, contscated literature Of which des-
gnates Washington, d. c., as national
headquarters.
"We'vc Just Begun
"Weve Just begun" was the pass
word of the uprising. the negroes are
said to have told the investigat ors.
This password and the "Paul Revere"
courers were confessed to have been
employed last Tuesday night and
blacks TO Hoop Spur, eighteen miles
south Of Helena, after ". A. Adkins,
special agent OF the Missouri Pacific
Railroad, had been killed and Charles
Pratt. deputy sheriff, had been
wounded.
Questioned about their supply of
shotguns. rifles and ammunition, ne
Groes declared they often had been ad-
vised by speakers always 80 keep their
racks full"
Fifty thousand rounds of ammu-
1,rnt in
the Branch Normal School, at Pine
Bluff. Ark, according to telephone
message received here to-day from
Mayor Hollis of that city. The in
stitution is a negro school maintained
by the state. This report and evidence
found locally lead authorities here to
believe the contemplated uprising was
OF more than a local nature.
Members of the Investigating com
mittce declared there is every evidence
that mercenary individuals nave been
Federal government. Among other
things, it was stated, they were led 20
believe a part of the government at
Washington upheld them in arming and
organizing against the whites; that .
large temple and armories were to be
erected at Washington for the conven-
ing the congress" and for Federal
training Of 5000 soldiers to protect
them in their uprising.
Pending Investigation thirteen al
legged leaders of the negro organization
have been brought to the local Jail
from Elaine since yesterday. Tho au-
thoritics have announced that they still
are seeking Robert l.. Hill, OF Win
chester. Ark. represented on the unior
literature as government agent, EN-.
poycd in the United States service
and Omitted States ard foreign detec
tive"
The authorities stated to-day thai
Frank Hicks, negro taken near Elaine
several days ago, is charged with tho
murder of Clifton Lee, of this city, who
was killed in the fighting Wedne sdaN
morning. In confession to-day, The
officials said, Hicks stated he was un
loading cotton at gin when pau
Revere" summoned him to battle.