Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-05
FIND FIVE MORE NEGROES
ARE GUILTY OF MURDER
Evidence Shows Leaders Threatened
Followers With Death for
Failure to Obey.
TOLD TO SHOOT DOWN WHITES
Aggregate of Eleven Participants in
ArkanSaS Instruction Convicted
10y Helena Jurics, NcrdictS Carry
ing Penalty OF Death.
Icy Associated press.l

HELENA. ARK, Nov. 4.--Quick dis
posal Of the cases OF negroes facing
charges in connection with the upris-
ing in the southern part of Phillips
County tho first part OF October con-
tinued in Circuit Court here today.
five being convicted OF irst-degree
murder This brings the total con-
victcd on this charge, which automau-
cally carries the death penalty. since
the trials began yesterday. 10 eleven.
Testimony in the three cases involv-
ing the ;ivc negroes tried today brought
out that members OF the lodges" of
the progressive Farmers and House
hold Union Of America" We're threat
cned with death unless they carried
Negroes placed on the stand, admit
ting they were members of the
lodges declared the disturbances re-
suited from orders Of the union chiefs.
They also asserted the leaders had in
structrd them TO come armed 10 all
meetings.
Five Men Convicted.
The negroes convicted today were
ALI Banks, Jr. and John Martin.
charged Jointly with the murder of
w y. Adkins, railroad special agent.
when small shcrins posse OF which
hc was member was fired upon from
4 church the night OF September 80;
Joe FOX and Alder; Giles charged with
the murder Of James Tappan. Of
Helena. member OF a posse sent TO the
section the following morning. and
Will Wordlow. CHARGED individually
with the murder of Adkins.
Banks, who testified for the State
In the cas-" Of Wordlow. declared ne
had been instructed TO act as guard for
the meeting OF negroes in the church
at Hoop Spur the night Of September
so. and TO let no one pass who would
not give tho password. which. when
questioned. he said was "G6--we have
just begun Tie said he was instructed
also I" Kill any white man who at
tempted 10 approach.
Stntc's Chief Witness.
Banks also was the states chief
witness in the case against Fox and
Giles
Martin, charged Jointly with Ranks.
with the murder Of Adkins. testified
I the leaders had told him that unless
he took part in the shooting he would
Johm T. Miller. prosecuting attorney.
| declared the testimony had shown that
. the trouble was not race riot, but
/ ''organizcd insurrcc;ion." with little
/ il had been shown that tho union for
/ several months had been planning an
! uprising set for the night OF October
/ g. unless white planters agreed to the
negroes demands as to prices to he
| paid them for cotton on which they
/ had worked. and that eighteen or
| twenty planters had been marked for
| assassination should they refuse lie
| declared precipitation OF the trouble
tho night of September 30 by the muir
| der OF Adkins vas an accident
Many Yet &" re Tried.
The cases OF large number OF
negroes charged with assault with in
! tent TO commit murder are set for to-
| morrow. the prosecutor announced,
| while the case Of sam Wilson, charged
! with the murder OF Corporal Luther
, EArls, Company II, Fourth Infantry.
one OF the units cent to Elaine from
Camp Pike is set for Thursday