Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-11-07
ARKANSAS INSURRECTION
Trial Gi:lElalne Disturbance Shows
IRcendiafJ Organization. u
NEGROES WE'RE WE'RE PLANNING MURDER
Plenty ef Evidence to Show Exceed
insiy Ugly situation-Prompt Con.
Ietioi. Of stooathirsty Leaders
Whole Conspiracy Being sifted 10

Vietioh, Of stoSathrsty, Leaders
Whole Conspiracy Being sifted 10
the Bottom, -''s -
Trial of the cases growing out OF
the.rccent disturbances near Elaine
Phillips county, Arkansas, for which
l2s' persons, mostly negroes. were in
dirted was commenced in the circuit
court at Helena, the county seat, on
Monday and although rapid progress
has. beer made II will be. some days
vet before all the cases. are, disposed
OF. Six of the negroes were convicted
OF first degree murder, the penalty. for
which is electrocution, on the first day
and FIVE more were convicted on Tues
day, with certain prospect OF nu-
merous other convictions.
John E. Miller, prosecuting attor-
ney, =. declared the testimony had
shown that the trouble was not a race
riot, but organized insnrrection," with
little race feeling displayed. " He de-
clared 1t had been shown that the
union for several months had been
planning an uprising set for the night
OF October 6, unless white planters
agreed to the negroes demands as TO
prices to be paid them for cotton on
which they had worked, and that lS
to 90 planters had been marked for
assassination" should they refuse. He
declared precipitation Of the trouble
the. night Of. Septenber 80 by, the
murder Of. Adkins was an accident.
jJEyidenee brought out by the pros
ecution in the case heard Monday
showed the existence Of a post OF the
"Prosrsssive Farmers and Household
Union of America" the organization
under which, It Is alleged, were band-
cd for the uprising at Elaine, near
where the disturbances took place the
first week in OCTOBER resulting in
the death OF Ave white persons and a
large number; of negroes and the
wolndins OF Others
Several witnesses for the state re-
lated how they Joined the Elaine Post
within ten, days before the disturb
ansss began, and were told to bring
arms TO meetings, because the union
expected trouble IL the whites tried
to oIBteak up its meeting" ..
That the union, had q large follow
ing IN the Elaine. neighborhood was
brought :;ott in the testimony OF
George Green, "a negro appearing for
the; state in the case OF. Frank Hicks,
charged with the killing of Clinton
lee. Green said he attended the meet
liz Of the union In a church the night
offSeptember, 30. and said there were
.;5Sersa K hundred there,e who he testi-
fled, all carried guns. N =.
%H4&as when an automobile In which
a$ssrnall ,sheriff's posse was going TO
arrest a white man in the Elaine
nNishborhood was stopped for repairs
lEfore a negro church, according to
statement issued by the committee Of
sSSen" authorized by Governor Charles
Bfough, city and county authorities
I'd Investigate the troubles, that the
troubles started, the negroes in, the
bDIlding firing 'on the party killing
one white man and wounding an
othsr. i'.. o.. .'-... ....:. ......'. p.
~.The first witness called, was, that
ek!Frank Hicks Several witnesses for
tie state testified they saw Hicks fire
the shots the morning of October l.
titkt resulted in the death OF Clinton
Lee of Helena, 4 former soldier, who
wis q member of one of the posses
sent to the section following receipt of
news of the attacks Of the sheriff's
posse the previous night ,.
The defense. announced it had no
witnesses and the state rested its
case, the court adjourning until after
noon. When the court was reconven-
ed argument was waived and Judge J.
NJ jackson instructed the jury, which,
aftsr eight minutes deliberation, re-
turned a verdict Of guilty of, murder
inS tine first degree. -... ...... .
The second case called named as
dsfendahts Frank Moore, Ed Hicks, j.
E.. Knox, Paul Hall and Ed Coleman
ALL negroes, charged Jointly with the
murder of Clinton Lee. In this case
the prosecution attempted to prove
the FIVE negroes were leaders of the
Elaine. squad" Witnesses for the
state repeatedly testified that Moore,
Knox and Hicks acted as leaders,
RiSing orders the morning of October
/, when the negroes gathered near
Npore's house, and forming in col
ur1n of twos, marched toward Hoop
Spur, where they had heard shots,
John Jefferson, negro, testified. Hicks
was president of the Elaine post OF
the union and Knox, vice president.
He also said that Knox, who brought
up the rear Of the column, said he
would shoot any deserters. Witnesses
also testified to the presence. of Hall
and Coleman in the squad that morn
ing
Dave Archer a negro who said he
did not belong to the union, testified
the members attempted to capture
noT-members the morning of the dis
turbarice, arm them and compel them
to Join their ranks. Ho said he had
been captured and armed but had
escaped.
During the testimony the name OF