Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1901 — TWO NEGRDOES SHOT DOWN [ARTICLE]

TWO NEGRDOES SHOT DOWN

Sequel to the Lynching of the Leader. BATTLE IN CITY STREETS. Great Eiolt.in.nt at Cl.rr.land, Xlu, Follow, a Lynching. Which Lead, to Discovery That Colored He. Are Organised and Armed, Jesse Phillips, labor agitates, preacher and lodge organizer, who murdered young Lucius Reed here July 16, was lynched in Cleveland, Miss., Saturday night. He was captured In the afternoon at Mound City, after a sharp fight with the officers ,and was being brought here for trial when a posse of citizens met the party and took possession of Phillips. He was at once hurried here and hanged to the cross arm of a telegraph pole. Just as the players were dispersing three armed negroes rode into town, and, stopping three white citizens on the main street, made threatening demonstrations. This was the signal for battle, and fire was opened upon the negroes, two of them being killed, one outright and the body of the other being discovered at the edge of the town this morning. The third man escaped. All were armed with Winchester rifles and were well mounted. During the remainder of the night excitement was at fever heat In the city. All the streets were patrolled by heavily armed men, and any overt act would have meant terrible warfare upon any negro who could have been found. Fears are yet entertained that the lynching of Phillips will breed bloodshed. He was especially active in organizing “protective societies” among the negroes, and it is thought they may try to avenge his death. The work of organizing the negroes has been going on for some time, and it is known that the lodges have provided themselves with arms and ammunition. It has been decided by the whites that it is absolutely necessary to break up these organizations. The enforcement of this decision is likely to be attended with Berious results. The fact has developed that the killing of young Reed was a studied scheme on the part of the negroes. Phillips was given the weapon with which he did the shooting by a negro, Gus Jones. Phillips himself confessed to these facts when he was captured yesterday. Papers found on his person disclosed plots to murder a number of planters.