The courier-index., 1919-11-07
E.,,on Elaine Rioters Must |n;p in Electric Chair; 37
 Mist Serve Pen Sentences


 surrection began. He said every negro at the meeting on the night he became member was armed.
 Green attended one meeting at which Hill, the negro organizer of the union, made an infammatory speech, promising that negroes were "going to get their rights and jus tice." Everybody went to the meetings armed, he said, because it was feared white people would at tempt to break them up.
 "The church was full" he said. ''There must have been 100 negroes there."
 Green said he first heard of the uprising at o'clock on the morn- ing of October 1, when another ne- gro called at his house. The visitor told him to arm himself and go to the home of Frank Moore, who was convicted later in the afternoon. Green said he reached Moore's house at daylight. More negroes were arriving, all armed. By noon 75 negroes had beenSmolized at the Moore house and the homes of Ed Coleman and Paul Hall, both of whom were convicted in the last verdict of the day.
 Shooting was heard in the direc- tion of Hoop Spur, Green said. The Hicks brothers, Frank Moore, J. s. Knox and Ed Coleman organized the negroes in double file and headed for Hoop Spur.
 "They said we would have to go there and help these people out, ; Green said he was told by Frank Moore, the negro who led the col umn and gave most of the orders. Green said it was believed that the expected battle between the whites and negroes had begun.
 Proof on Hicks.
 Definite proof that Frank Hicks from Green, when he said he saw Hicks shoot after they had reached the road on which Lee was killed and were in sight of an automobile in which the Helena posse had rid den to the Hoop Spur region.
 He crouched and fired one shot, said Hicks. He said, 'I would have got that guy if it had not been for that horse." He fired another shot. The negro band withdrew.
 The state rested at 2:20 o'clock. The defense offered no witnesses and no arguments were made. Hicks was represented by former Judge Jacob Fink, who had been or dered by the court to represent the negro. All negroes to be tried will be represented by counsel ap- pointed by the court.
 Judge Jackson completed his charge at 2:24 o'clock and the jury retired Eight minutes later the verdict, announcing that Hicks must 20 to the electric chair, was read by Circuit Clerk A. G. Burke. :.
 "Gentlemen, you are excused" said the court. The case of the state against the other five negroes charged with the murder of Lee was called at once and the search for jury began. Thirty minutes later the following jury had been quail fled and sworn in:
 M. Nicely, J. P. Miles, J. l.. She nep, F. Murray, Walter Sanders, Arthur Miller, W. c. Gardner, E. T. Hornor, John w.. King, D. J.; Clatworthy, Andrew Friburg and Harry Ball.
 The first witness called had been used in the Hicks case also. Not until John Jefferson, negro, who belonged to the Elaine lodge, took the stand, did the testimony vary. He pointed out Ed Hicks as presi- dent and J. s. Knox, vice president of the lodge. They were two or the five defendants facing him..
 Jefferson joined 10 days before the insurrection began, heard the inflanimatory speech made by Hill, and saw ''lots of guns at the meet ing" He was awakened by riders early on the morning of October l when the general alarm was spread among negroes The courriers told him i've are going into it and have come after you" He went to the home of Frank Moore, who asked him "What he had brought to hght with?" .,
 q never brought anything" he answered. They armed hlm. Moore announced to the gathering insur- rectionists that he had Killed a white man at Hoop Spur and LOOK a 45-caliber revolver and par oi handcuffs off of him.
 Ordered Band to Advance.
 The shooting at Hoop Spur was heard, and Jefferson, just as Green had done, told of the organization of the band to advance on the whites.
 "Moore gave most of the orders, he said, "but Ed Hicks and fs knox helped him. Moore walked in front of us. Hicks walked along Tn the middle and Knox at the rear, 1 threatening to kill anybody who broke ranks" His testimony rel ative to the shots fired by Hicks when they came in view of the whites was repetition of other witnesses statements. Waieei Ward, another negro who had Joln- ed the union, told simple, uncol, ored story of the mobilization ana shooting which caused the death of