The Little River news., 1922-05-24
TExARKANA NEGRO IS
 VICTIM OF MOB
Black Who Killed PatrOlman Is Shot tC' Death and Body Burned; Many
 Witness Lynching.

Texarkana, May 19.-Hurley Owen, negro fatally wounded R. c. CDick) Choate, Texarkana patrolman, was lynched by large mob of unmasked men shortly before 9 o'clock tonight.
 The mob stormed the Miller county jail, dragged the negro, at the end of a rope, from his cot to Offenhauser park, in the center of the city, and shot him to death. The body then was taken to a point near the Union station. where it was burned to a crisp.
 Several thousand persons, mostly men, witnessed the lynching How ever, only a few hundred participated.
 Following his capture after the brutal murder of Patrolman Choate, Owen was taken to a local hospital for treatment for wound inflicted by the dying officer. Then the prisoner was taken to the county jail. AL though not seriously injured, it was said he was suffering considerably He was shot in the mouth after he had opened fire upon the officer.
 Sheriff Overpowered.
 When the mob collected in front of the jail, Sheriff John Strong made an effort to disperse it. The leaders, however, secured a heavy piece of iron with which the steel door to the jail was battered down.
 The sheriff was roughly handled by several members of the mob, but was not seriously injured.
 Municipal Judge H. M. Barney ap- pealed to the mob to permit the law to take it's course. However, his voice was drowned out by shouts from thousands of bystanders.
 As the leaders of the lynching party dragged the negro out of the jail several hundred pistol shots were fred and the yelling of the mob was |deafening.
 Attacks and Kills Officer.
 Owen was under arrest here on a charge of stealing automobile acces- sories. He told officers this after noon that if they would take him to certain place he would show them where he had hidden some of the loot Patrolman Choate and Chief of Police Lummus accompanied him. They had gone only a few blocks when Owen reached into an ash heap, pro cured .45 caliber pistol and opened fire on Patrolman sChoate. Although mortally wounded, with six bullets in his body, the officer put his own gun into play, and shot the fleeing negro in the mouth. Chief Lummus also fired several shots at Owen, but failed to stop him. The fugitive jumped into an automobile and escap- ed.
 News of the tragedy spread rapidly. A large posse soon was formed and went in search of the man. The stolen automobile, deserted, was found about 10 miles north of TeXarkana. The negro was found about a mile from the car It is said he attempted to drown himself in creek, evidently fearing capture
 Reports were received here immed- lately following the lynching that ne groes in two or three sections of the city were congregating and that they intended to "get revenge" Practical ly every hardware and other store in the city which handles firearms or ammunition was opened, and many persons armed themselves for any emergency However, quiet soon pre- vailed, and before midnight practical ly all the streets were cleared or pedestrians.
 Tonight's lynching was the second here in more than 20 years
 Patrolman Choate was one of the most popular officials on the police force. He is survived by his wife and a 12-year-old daughter.