Arizona republican., 1919-10-06
NEGROES PLANNED A
 GENERAL SLAUGHTER
 OF ARKANSAS WHITES
Confessions By Captured Blacks Indicate Wide spread Plot Says Sheriff In Public Statement
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

HELENA: Oct. Islands of ne-
 groes in southern Phillips county,
 Of which this city is the seat of
 government, had planned a general
 slaughter of white people in this
 locality tomorrow, according to
 members of a committee Of seven
 apointed by civil authorities with
 the sanction of Governor Charles
 Broush who announced today that
 confession made by some Of the
 captured negroes and other nfor-
 matlon indicated widespread plot.
 Members of the committee say the plans of the negroes included an up- rising in the event certain demands were not met. With October set as the day for the uprising, negro prison CTS are said to have confessed. each member Of the organization al specified places was 10 pick bale of cotton by that date, taking the cotton to certain prominent land owners plantation managers and merchants and demand a settlement"
 To Open Fire on Whites
 The confessions, as announced made it appear 10 the investigators that with out further ado following this demand. the blacks were to shoot down all whites in sight. A list of q names, admitted to represent the men to whom the demand would be presented is in the hancs of the Investigating com mittee.
 Killing of these 21, the prisoners said was to be the signal for all members Of the organization to attack the white population. An extensive courier sys- tenn was explained in the evidence pro- viding for messengers known to the negroes as Paul Reveres." These couriers had been duly apointed to ride into all parts of the territory accord ing to the testimony, and summon members to arms.
 We've just begun" was the pass word Of the uprising the negroes told the investigators. This pass word and the Paul Revere" couriers were con- fessed to have been employed last Tuesday night and Wednesday morn. ing in summoning blacks to Hoop Spur IS miles south of Helena after w. A Adkins, special agent of the Missouri Pacific railroad, had been killed anG Charles Pratt, deputy sheriff, had beer wounded
 The confessions were taken to ex. plain the rapidity with which armed blacks were assembled at Hoop Spul and the neighboring town of Elaine fol. lowin the incident. The statement add. ed that at the time Adkins was killed there were 150 armed negroes in tn, church at the scene of the shooting. Questioned about their supply O | shotguns. rifles and ammunition, ne | sroes declared they often had been ad vised by speakers always to keep thei racks full"
 l Was Widespread Move? i Fifty thousand rounds of ammunitio, 1 were discovered last night in the brancl normal school at Pine Bluff. Ark. ac cording to telephone message receive, here today from Mayor Holly of tha ! city. The institution is a negro schoo ! maintained by the state. This report | the evidence found locally led author 1 lties here to believe the contemplate, uprising was more than a local one possibly planned for the entire south.
 Members of the investigating com mlttee declared there is every evidenc l that the mercenary individuals hay 1 been melting the negroes in the nam 1 of the federal government. Anon, i other things, it was stated. they Wer 1 led to believe part of the governmen at Washington upheld them in armint and organizing against the whites, tha a large temple and armories were to b erected at Washington for the conven ing of the congress" and for fedora training of 5000 soldiers to protec them in their uprising.
 Much of the investigation is know to be directed in an effort to establisl conclusively connection of white me With the agitation, and there is said t be strong indications of such a relation u- today following last weeks disorders