Richmond planet., 1923-03-03


ell to death by Arkansas courts in
connection with the riots of 1919
whose cases the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo-
pie has fought through five courts in
Guiding the Arkansas Supreme Court
will not be executed, according to a de
cision rendered by the highest tribun
al of the land on February 10, setting
aside the conviction OF these men. Tile
Supreme Courts decision takes the
cases of the condemned colored farm
ers out of the jurisdiction of the State
of Arkansas and requires the United
States District Court to examine into
the attempt to railroad these men t,
death
The Arkansas cases constitute the
center OF a fight being made to bring
the facts of peonage in the cotton rails
ing sections of the u. S. to light and TO
bring federal pressure TO abolish that
evil. In the legal battle for defense of
these men the National Association
for the Advancement OF Colored Peo-
ple has raised $14 572.42 and already
spent $14 1874, besides thousands OF
cellars raised and .pent by the color
ed people of Arkansas who were vital
ly interested in the fate of their CON-
rades. The victory before the Supreme
Court is due to the courageous and
untiring labors of Scipio A. Jones a
colored attorney of Little Rock and 10
Moorfield Storey President of the n
A. A. c. p, who appeared before the
Supreme Court in Washington on Jan
uary 8, 1928, to argue the cases.
The Arkansas Case originated in
the riot of 1919, when it was asserted
that the colored farmers in and near
Phillips County, Arkansas, had con-
spired to massacre the whites" A per
sorai investigation of the riot made
by Walter f. White. who was sent 10
Arkansas by the n. A. A. c. P. =, dis.
closed that far from planning "massa
cre' the colored farmers had been or
ganized TO employ 1awer to compel
sefblement from their landlords who
were holding their tenants in state
or peonage or debt slavery.
During the riots, some $50 innocent
Negroes. men women and children.
were hunted and shot down in the Ar
kansas cane brakes, posses of white
men coming from Mississippi AM.
tennessee to join in the hunt. The
colored men arrested were beaten and
tortured to make them testify, 67 were
sentenced to long prison terms and
Twelve were sentenced to death. The
cases Of all the men sentenced to dea.b
b1nSe upon the cases Of the five wnoye
convictions have been reversed by the
United States Supreme Court.
In the brief filed before the Supreme
Court by Mr.. Storey. it is charged
that the courts Of Arkansas. includ-
ing the Arkansas Supreme Court. the
newspapers, leading white citizens
and clubs, conspired or conniyed at
conspiracy to railroad these colored
farmers to death.
The Supreme Courts decision says:
Ihe ground for the petition for the
writ is that the proceedings in the
State Court. although a trial in form.
we're only the pressure Of mob with
out any regard for their rights and
without according to them due process
OF law" Concerning the trial accorded
the colored men the United States
Supreme Courts decision says:
According to the affidavits of two
Nhite men and the cOlOred witnesses
on whose testimony the petitioners
were convicted. produced by the peti-
TONERS since the last decision of the
supreme Court hereafter mentioned,
The Committee made good their prom.
lse by calling coIored witnesses and
having them whipped and tortured ub
I'll they would say what they wanted,
'Topg them being the two relied on
to prove the petitioners guilt. How
ever that may be, a grand Jury of
white men was organized on October
27th, with one Of the Committee Of
Seven. and 1t is alleged, with many OF
those organized to fight the blacks, up
on IT, and on the morning of the 29th
the indictment wdS returned. On Nov.
ember 3rd. the petitioners we're
brought into Court informed that n
certain LAWYER was appointed their
counsel and were placed on trial he.
'cie white jury blacks being systn.
matically excluded from both grand
and petit juries. The Court was crowd
cd with throng that threatened the
rot dangerous consequences to any
one interfering with the desired re-
suit. The counsel did not venture to de