The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-10-09
PLOT TO MASSACRE
WHITES IN ARK.
NEGROES WE'LL ORGANIZED FOR
GENERAL ATTACK.
White Men Implicated
Report Of Committee Based on Con-
fession of Several Negro
Prisoners.


lied negroes of Southern Phillips
county, of which this city is the seat
of government, had planned general
slaughter of white people in the To-
cality tomorrow was definitely reveal
ed here today by authorized investi-
gators of the past weeks disturbances
in that section.
According to these authorities, the
plot included 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 mem.
ber of the organization at specific
places was to have picked bale OF
cotton by that date, take the cotton
to certain prominent landowners,
plantation managers and merchants
and demand settlement"
Shoot Down All Whites.
The confessions, us 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
twenty-one names, admitted to repre-
sent the men to whom the demand
would be made, is in the hands of
the Investigating committee.
Killing of these twenty-one, the
prisoners, said was to be the signal
for all members Of the organization
to attack the white population. An
extensive courier system was explain
ed in the evidence, providing for mes
sengers, known to the negroes as
Paul Reveres." These couriers had
been duly. appointed to ride into all
parts. of the territory according to
the testimony and summon members
to arms.
The organization concerned was de-
clared to be the local lodge of the
Progressive Farmers and Household
Union of America, confscated liter
ture of which designates Washington,
D. c., as national headquarters with
State Offices at Winchester, Ark.
We've just begun" was the pass
word and the paul Revere" couriers
told the investigators. This pass
word and the "Poul Revere" couriers
were confessed to have been employ
ed last Tuesday night and Wednesday
morning in summoning blacks to
Hoop Spur, eighteen miles south of
Helena, after w. A. Adkins, special
agent of the Missouri Pacific Railroad,
had been killed and Charles Pratt,
deputy 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 Elaine,
following the incident. The state
ment added that at the time Atkins
was killed there were $50 negroes in
the church at the scene of the shoot
ing. Some of these were women, it
was said, carrying automatic revolv-
ers in their stockings.
"Keep Their Racks Full
Questioned about, their supply of
shotguns, rifles and ammunition, ne
groes declared that they often had
been advised by speakers always to
"keep their racks fulT' and eff your
rack isn't full, fill it now"
Fifty thousand rounds of ammuni-
tion were discovered last night in the
Branch Normal School at Pine Bluff,
according to a telephone message re-
ceived here today from Mayor Hollis,
of that city. The institution is negro
school maintained by the State. This
report and evidence found locally lead
authorities here to believe the con-
templated uprising was of more than
a local nature.
mittee declared there is every evide
Members of the investigating COM
mittee declared there is every evil
dence that mercenary individuals
have been melting the negroes in the
name of the federal government.
Among other things, it was stated,
they were led to believe part of the
government at Washington upheld
them in arming and organizing
against the whites; that a