Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1947-08-22
$4,000 Asked In
N|inden LyncFling

SHREVEPORT. La. - Oscar Il
Haynes, ST., sheriff Of Webstsr
Parish, Louisiana and his surety
company. were made defendaula
in a $4,000 damages suit fslsa
here Thursday in the Unitpf'
States District Court for the West-
ern District Of Louisiana by MA
Carrie Lee Jones, widow Of IL
late Corporal John c. Jones, ~
sident of Cotton Valley. La, wAs
was lynched by mob near lGinr
den on August 8. 1915.
The petition was filed by At
torney A. p. Tureaud Of New Or
leans for Mrs. Jones In behalf q
herself and her 5-year-old daush--
ter. Myrtis Ann.
Mrs. Jones, now . resident =
California. charged that Oscar Z
Haynes, ST.. was duly elected Al
Qualified sheriff Of Webster Pr.
ish on or about August 7, iooo
when her husband. Corporal yoAn
c. Jones. was in legal custody =
the sheriff and was inearceratoa
In the Parish Jail at Minden. l.
and that It was the duty Of -
sheriff to p4ovide for the saSs-
keeping and protection Of prisoa-
ers or persons accused Of crfua
placed In his custody.
On or about the night Of Aue
7. 1919. the petition continued, q
irresponsible mob Of white men
appeared at the Minden Jail ana
demanded that Jones be turneA
over to them. It was apparsnt
that the mob intended to inf1iee
serious injury on Jones. the -
tition stated, and the dcfendaut
or his deputies aided and abst1eA
the mob by surrenering Joncp
without the slightest resistanoa.
The mob placed Jones In Z wait-
Ing automobile and lynehed ~
ct Dessheat Dagsa. nsss4v
wooded section. on the night a
August 2 or morning Of August q
In her petition. Mira Jones
charged that Haynes failed In his
duty to safely keep and protest
Jones and by reason Of his failure
he became liable to her and heR
minor daughter for the death q
their husband and father.
Haynes ID . resident Of Midsn
Louisiana. Z
The lynchins Of John c. Joaauk
caused nationwide protest lasl
year after NAACP invsstisatess
learned full details Of how -
and his l7-year-old cousin. A.
bert Sonny Man" harris. ~
been seized on the thsrsshoid q
the Nindsn jail and hksn By .
dozen or more unmarked whit
men In automobiles 70 . densely.
wooded section between Mindsa
and Cotton Valley known = D..
cheat Bayou. Jones and Harris
were suspected Of spying On q
white woman. +.
Harris was flogged unmerciful1v
and was left for dead; Jones' mut-
Hated body was found the nexA
day, however, Harris who haA
feisned death. fled from the town
and after cross-country chase.
finally made his way to the N. A.
A. c. p. office in New ybrk.
NAACP investigators went 10
the scene of the lynchins. inter-
viewed officials Of the Parish and
Negro witnesses Of the town ana
learned the names Of those per
sons who lynched Jones' These
names were turned over to the
Department Of Justice and the Or.
rest Of six white men. including
deputy sheriffs and a police chief.
followed.
Arrested In connection with ne
lynchlng were Benjamin CAN'T
Minden police chief; Deputy
Sheriff Oscar Henry Haynes. Js,
son Of Sheriff Haynes; Deputy
Sheriff Charles M. Edwards; So
uel Clinton Maddry, ST.; wiillsn
Drsyton "Slim" Perkins and Hen
ry Edwards Perry.
With the exception Of Cent IN
were indicted and brought to trial
In United States District Court
here on February n. iol7. A. Ne
close Of a trial which lasted ~
most 4 week. the five white slen
were acquitted despite the -
TIT the youth they had floGDsa
and left for dead identified sAs~
a. mob members.
Feeling asainsG Ma Junsa ~