Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-06
Bands Of Negroes in Phillips
County, Arkansas, Had
Schemed Genera! Murder Of
All Not of Their Race.
WIDESPREAD PLOT MADE
5 PUBLIC BY COMMITTEE
Negro Prisoners Said to Have
Confessed Every Detail Of
Killings That Were Arranged
to Begin Today.

Helena, Ark, OCt. o.-BandS OF
negroes in southern Phillips county
of which this city is the seat OF
government had planned a general
slaughter of white people in this To-
cality Monday, according to men,
bers of the committee of seven ap-
pointed by civil authorities with the
sanction of Governor Charles
Brough, who announced today that
confession made by some OF the
captured negroes and other informa-
ton indicated widespread plot.
According to these authorities, the
plot-included a widespread uprising
in the event certain demands were
not met. With October 6 set as the
day for the uprising negro prisoners
are said to have confessed, each
member of the organization at spe-
cihc places, was to pick bale OF
cotton by that date, taking the cot
ton to certain prominent land own
ers. plantation managers and mer--
chants, and demand settlement.
The confessions, as announced,
made it appear to the investigators
that without further ado following
this demand, the blacks were to
Shoot down all whites in sight. A
list of 21 names, admitted to repre-
sent the men to whom the demand
would be presented, is in the hands
of the investigating committee.
Killing to Be Signal.
Killing OF these 21, the prisoners
said, was to be the signal for all
members of the organization to at
tack the white population. An exten-
sive courier system was explained in
the evidence providing for messen-
gers known to the negroes as Paul
Revere" These couriers had been
duly appointed to ride into all parts
of the territory, according to the
testimony and summon members to
arms.
We've lust begun" was the pass
word OF the uprising, the negroes
told the Investigators. The password
and the Paul Revere couriers were
confessed to have been employed
last Tuesday night and "Wednesday
morning III summoning blacks to
Hoop Spur, 18 miles south of Helena,
after w. A. Adkins, special agent of
the Missouri Pacific railroad, had
been killed and Charles Frat, dep
utv sheriff had been wounded.
The confessions were taken to ex-
plain the rapidity with which armed
blacks were assembled at Hoop
Spur and the neighboring town of
Elains following the incident. The
statements added that at the time
Adkins was killed there were $50
armed negroes in the church at the
scene of the shooting.
Questioned about their supply OF
shotguns, rifles and ammunition,
negroes said they had often been ad-
vised by speakers always to keep
in readiness
Discover Much Ammunition.
Fifty thousand rounds of amnau-
milton were discovered last night at
the Branch Normal school at Pine
Bluffs, Ark, according to a tele-
phone message received here today
from Mayor Hollis of that city. The
institution is negro school main
tanned by the state. This report and
evidence found locally, led authori-
ties here to believe the contemplat-
| ed uprising was more than OF local
nature, possibly planned for the en-
tire south.
Members of the investigating conf
mittee declared there is every evi-
dence that mercenary individuals
Rave been melting the negroes in
the name of the federal government
among other things, it was stated
they were led to believe part oi
the government at Washington up
held them in arming and organizing
against the whites, that large tenn
pie and armories were to be erected
at Washington for the convening o.
the Congress" and for federal train
ing of 5000 soldiers to protect then
| in their uprising.
| Much of the investigation il
known to be directed in an effort .tc
establish conclusively connection O.
white men with the agitation, ant
there is said to be strong indication:
of SUCH a relation. Only two white:
were n custody here today follow
!. ing last weeks disorders.
| Pending investigation, IS alleged
LEADERS of the negro organization
I have been brought to the local jai
from Elaine since yesterday. A
drive through the Lake View terri
tory south of this city was to bt
made late tonight and early tomor
row in an effort to round up otohe,
lprime movers,