Middletown transcript., 1919-11-01
NEGROES JOIN TO !
SLAY ALL WHITES
Amazing Story Of Harebrained
Plot Of a Negro Waliing- i
ford. III
BUSINESS men GET FACTS

DSuOSI NIS1y VI~UHSO IUouTISVsSVU VI
Negroes Against Whites In Ari<an-
sas Directed by Negro Who
Saw Chance for Easy Money.
Helena, Ark.-How the Ignorance
and superstition of race of children
was played upon for monetary gain
and for the banding together Of ne
groes to slay whites" was revealed in
statement issued here to the AssO-
ciated Press by E. NJ. Allen, member
of the committee of seven, who has
heard virtually all Of the prisoners
confessions following the uprising in
this section Of Arkansas.
The committee Of seven is composed
of leading Helena business men. It
had been authorized to carry on the
investigation both by the municipal
and county authorities and by Gov
ernor Brough Of Arkansas.
The Harebrained Scheme.
Mr.. Aliens statement follows:
"The present trouble with the ne
groes in Phillips county is not race
riot. It Is a deliberately planned in
surrection Of the negroes against the
whites, directed by an organization
known as the Progressive Farmers and
Household Union of America, estab-
lished for the sole purpose Of banding
negroes together for the killing of
white people.
'This union was started by Robert
L. Hill, negro, twenty-six years Of
age, of Winchester, Ark, who saw in
it an opportunity Of easy money. He
had been a farmer all his life, but
lately had been posing as private
detective doing work in this and all
foreign countries.'
'He started his first union in April.
He organized the Ratio lodge in May.
He chose Ratio because his mother
happened to be living there.
"He told the darkies he was an agent
Of the government, and because the
senators and representatives at WASH
ington were white men and in sympa-
thy with the white men of the South,
it was impossible for the negroes to
get the rights that had beer promised
them for service in the army, and so
the government had called into exist
ence this organization, which would be
supported by the government in de-
fense Of the negroes against the white
people.
"He told them that it was necessary
for all members to arm themselves for
the day when they should be called
upon to attack their white oppressors.
''The slogan of the organization is
we battle for our rights The pass
word was we have just begun
"He told them that those members
who were unable to buy ammunition
would be supplied from the govern
ment storehouse at Winchester.
How the Money Rolled In!
"Negro men We're charged $1.5O en-
trance fee and negro women so cents.
At the second or third meeting he
would bring DIR. V. f. Powell as ex-
amining physician fer the government
in it's work Of registering the negroes.
"A certificate was filled out and
signed by the doctor and given to each
negro upon payment Of so cents. This
certificate was supposed to be the reg
istration document.
'Those negroes who had from S. to
$25. were enrolled In an advanced Sec
ton Of the union and upon payment
of whatever sum he (HilD could pro-
cure in excess of IS certificate was
given emitting the holder to attend
the congresses Of the union at Win
chester and speak on the floor of the
meeting regarding any questions
brought up and to assist in keeping the
Constitution of the United States from
being questioned.
Another form of extortiOn was to
sell shares of $40 each to the negroes
in q building to be erected at Wfnches-
ter. Hill would find out what negroes
possessed Thrift Stamps and Liberty
bonds and would issue a certificate
stating that so many shares had been
purchased at $40 q share, and all ne
groes buying five or more shares were
told their names would be engraved
in the building.
I'm other words, he had so planned
his campaign that any negro possess
ing from 50 cents to $50 was given an
opportunity to invest in something
connected with the union"