Norwich bulletin., 1919-10-07
TROUBLE IN ARKANSAS MORE
 VICIOUS THAN RACE RIOT


 Helena Ark. Oct GA statement was made today on the recent riots, by E. NJ. Allen of the committee of seven, authorized by local officers and Gov ernor Brough to investigate the trouble, charging that the affair was anorganized negro uprising. fostered by a negro who preyed On "the ig- norance and superstitutiOn of a race of children for monetary gains
 MT. Allen. who was one of the lead- ing men marked for death, after hear ing confessions. examining circulars and other evidence procured by state and military officers in connection with the work of the committee, is- sued the following statement to ex- plain what the committee had found to be the situation leading to the kill ing of five white men and upwards ofsa score of negroes:
 The present trouble with the ne groes in Phillips county is not a 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, eS- tablished for the purpose of banding negroes together for the killing of white people, This union was started by Robert l.. Hill, a negro 26 years of age of Westchester Ark. who saw in it an opportunity of making easy money. He had been a farmer all his life but lately had been posing as a private detective doing work in this and all foreign countries
 Hill started his first union work in April of this year" MT. Allen said. He told the negroes 1t was neces- sary for all members of the union to arm themselves in preparation for the day when they should be called upon to attack their white oppress- ors.
 Negro men were charged s1.5o en- trance fees and negro women fifty cents," Mir. Allen said in his state ment.
 sell shares of s10 each to all the ne groes in proposed building to be erected by the union at Winchester the statement says. Hill would find stamps and Liberty bonds and. would issue certificate stating that so many shares had been purchased at $10 per share and all negroes buying or more were told that their names would be engraved in the building. hi other words he had so planned his campaign that any negro possessing from fifty cents to fifty dollars was given an opportunity to invest in something connected with the union.
 Another scheme used by Hill to obtain money was to appoint two lead Ing negroes in each lodge as a 'pri- vate and foreign detective,' furnishing
 
 pair of nickel plated handcuifs for which they paid $50 each.
 His meeting at Winchester in Au- gust was attended and addressed by white men. He simply played upon the ignorance and superstition of a race of children-most of whom neith- read or write.
 T have oss-examined and talked to at least one hundred prisoners at Elaine. They belong to different lodg- es in that section. The stories they tell are almost identical as to the promises and representations made by Hill. He even told the mthat prob ably some of the negroes would be called upon to die before equil rights would be assured but they must look upon themselves as crusaders and die if necessary to secure the freedom of the other members of their race
 "All lodge meetings were required to maintain armed outer guard of six sentinels. HilFs usual expression was Get. your racks filled for the day to come.
 As far as oppression is concerned many of the negroes involved own mules, horses, cattle. and automobiles and clear money every year On their crops after expenses are paid"
 Authorities rtoday continued their search for Ed Ware, alleged ringlead- CT of a band of twenty insurgents. who is still at large. Hill has not been captured