The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-06-03

league. Texas, June Rangers
and county officers were today plan.
ming TO dsarm Froestone county ne.
groes In an effort to avert possible
race riots.
The negroes who late yesterday
ambushed two county officers and
engaged them in a pitched battle
were known to be heavily armed
and well supplied with ammunition.
A guard has been thrown around
the house occupied by the negroes
TO prevent their escape. Guards are
also about the business section of
Kirvin and the negro settlements
throughout the county are being
closely watched.
Although II was believed that no
further trouble would occur. county
officials stated frankly that an at.
tempt to disarm the negroes might
precipitate gun battle.
It was learned officially this morn
ing that Leroy Gibson and Allie Glib.
son were the two negroes killed by
officers yesterday afternoon. A third
negro was believed wounded but
escaped.
II was officially stated that Off
GERS were attempting to arrest Le-
roy Gibson in connection with the
murder of Eula Ausley for which
three negroes were burned and one
hanged at Kirvin last month. Glib
son is said to have confessed to
part in the attack on the Ausley girl
before he died
Trouble started yesterday after
noon when officers, who had taken
Leroy Gibson, 19-year-old negro, in
custody, were ambushed near Simms-
boro, and two, and possibly three
negroes killed.
Low lands surrounding Klrvln and
Simmsboro were still crowded with
scores of armed men early today.
Immediately following reports OF
the killing a wave of rumors swept
the surrounding counties, and the
roads leading to the scene were
crowded with hundreds of heavily
armed and determined men in auto
mobiles.
Hardware stores in surrounding
towns We're beseiged as the white
men armed themselves.
In some places the county high
ways experienced traffic jams, hun
dreds of cars blocking the roads to
the scene Of the shooting.
The trouble occurred when Deputy
Sheriff John r. King, and Walter
Yearly, a citizen, went to arrest
Gibson. AS they passed negro
house a rifle shot hummed over the
officers heads, Yearly said.
Thae officers dropped to the
ground. Two negroes Immediately
broke from the house and the Off
crs shot and killed them as they
ran.
Freestone county negroes were re-
ported quiet and every effort was
being made to avoid further trouble
early today.
Hundreds of men who started to
Simmsboro from Mexia, when re-
ports of the shooting were received
there, were met on the road by
former Sheriff H. NJ Mayo, of Free
stone county, and turned back.
Roads were crowded during the
early hours of the morning with
armed men returning to Mexia, Cor
sicana, league and other nearby
towns, they reported the situation
quiet.
The gathering of the armed whites
was believed to have resulted from
rumors which started Immediately
after the killing of the two negroes.
A white man, who had seen the Off
GERS taking Gibson along the road,
discovered the bodies of two dead
negroes lying in the field. Not see
ing the officers he spread the alarm
that they had been either killed or
captured by negroes. This rumor
spread like wildfire and three coun.
ties were up in arms within few
| hours.
: According to Yearly the officers
left the bodies on the ground and
returned to Kirvin to report the
!, affair and get coroner to hold an
inquest,