Hellraisers Journal: Arkansas Supreme Court Reverses Death Sentences of Six Men Convicted for Elaine “Riots”

Quote Ed Ware, Song fr AR Prison, Fall 1919, Elaine Massacre, Ida B p6

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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday January 18, 1921
Arkansas State Supreme Court Reverses Death Sentences for “Massacre Plot”

From The Crisis of January 1921:

ANOTHER VICTORY IN ARKANSAS

THE Supreme Court of Arkansas has held that discrimination against Negroes in the selection of both grand and petit juries is in contravention of the Fourteenth Amendment and of the Civil Rights Act of 1875, and it has consequently reversed the decision of the lower court in condemning to death for the Elaine riots Ed Ware, Will Wordlow, Albert Giles, John [Joe] Fox, John Martin and Alfred Banks. This is the second time that the court has reversed the sentences of death passed on these Negroes.

Death sentences on six other Negroes which have been affirmed by the State Supreme Court will now probably be held up by the Governor until the present cases are decided.

Governor Brough has made every effort to hang these Negroes, even attempting to influence the court by newspaper articles in which he cited the various Arkansas organizations which were demanding their death.

[Photograph and emphasis added. Italic type removed.]