The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-10-02
NINE KILLED
IN RACE RIOT
At ELAINE, ARK.
Negroes Fire on Posse Searching
for Murderers
FEDERAI@TRoOPs ON WAY
Streets of Cn5 >. afe -ound
over 100 Prisetn4,,. aoss
Been Taken D,HI8

Helena, Arkansas, Ocl. l. w U
white men, Clinton Lee and j. A. Tap
pen OF Helena and seven negroes, are
known to be dead at Elaine, near here
as a result of clashes today between
a posse searching for the persons who
last night from ambush, fired upon
and killed w. ID. Adkins, railroad spec
ial agent, according to reports reach
ing here tonight. A third white man,
Ira Proctor. and a number of negroes
are known to have been wounded.
The situation at Elaine is critical
and growing more acute, according to
a message received here tonight from
Joseph Meyers, who is heading the
posse. Meyers is quoted as saying he
expected another clash at any NOM
ent and requested that additional re-
inforcements be sent. Five hundred
United States soldiers from Camp
Pike Arkansas, are due to reach
Elaine at midnight.
Tappen, who was prominent bust
ness man here, died at hospital of
wounds he received in this mornings
fighting in the streets of Elaine. Proc
tor, who was also brought here. is not
expected to live. The body of Lee,
who died from his wounds, also was
brought to his home here.
Advices here said the trouble had
its beginning when the posse was
fired upon by crowd of men, said to
have been negroes. The fire was re-
turned and I'M a few minutes became
general in the streets, according to re
ports.
Late today message was received
from Elaine stating that the posse
had taken 175 prisoners and was
bringing them here.
More than a hundred negroes and a
white man who is alleged to have had
in his possession a quantity of ques-
literature have been arrested
by posses operating in Elaine and vi
cinity according to former Sheriff
Amos Jarman who arrived here late
today.
The trouble began last night when
Deputy Pratt with, Adkins and a
negro trusty were ambushed opposite
a negro church at Hoop Spur, two
miles north of Elaine, while on their
way to meet members of the Glenn
family who are said to be involved in
a row among themselves.
The automobile in which Pratt,
Adkins and the negro trusty were
riding, it is said was stopped before
the Hoop Spur church to repair a
puncture and while working on the
car the party was fired upon from the |
church by unidentified persons. Ad /
kins dropped dead and Pratt was
The trusty who escaped un- !
made his way to nearby |
railroad station and telephoned reA
port of the incident to the sheriff /
Pratt made his way to Helena this |
despite his shattered knee !
and was taken Immediately to the |
hospital
The accounts of the deputy and the
negro trusty indicating the attack on |
he three men had been made by an |,
band of negroes, posses I
we're hastily organized by the sheriff
md rushed to Elaine. The first posse |
o arrive was met by force of armed |
negroes Within an hour reports
;ame of pitched battle in the streets
If Elaine between the posses and me-
sroes.
Early reports said between a thou
sand and 1900 negroes had assembled
n the vicinity of Elaine and were arm
I'd with high powered rifles.
In one message Chief Deputy Dal-
ell in charge of the posse at Elaine
that his force was greatly
and that firing had be-
ome general.
The returning possemen brought
stories and rumors and sus
licions. through all of which ran the
,elief that the rioting was due to
distributed among the
Iegroes by white men. 1t was clearly
Indicated, they said. that there was
N organization of negroes antagonis-
ic tothe white residents in the
outhern part of the country