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228 of any criminal offence against the " dominant race." The following from The Neiv York Times (Wednesday, August 19, 1903, p. 3), does not seem to support this opinion : — NEGROES FIRE ON WHITES Kill One of a Party of Arkansas Farmers Who Had Come to Rescue a Kidnapped Child. Fort Smith, Ark., Aug. 18. — The kidnapping of a young white girl, and the killing of one of a posse that tried to rescue her, are the crimes charged against a party of eight negroes tonight fortified on Bruce's Island, sixteen miles west of this city. It is feared their capture will lead to a bloody encounter. The negroes are said to be well armed. A few days ago two farmers, living near Wilson's Rock, landed on Bruce's Island in search of plums, and accidentally ran into a camp in which there were two negro men and a white girl about twelve years old. They made some inquiries about the girl, and the negroes said she was the daughter of a white man who was traveling with them, and who had gone to Fort Smith for provisions. The negroes would not let the girl take part in the conversation, and this aroused suspicion. A watch was kept on the negroes for two days, but no white man appeared. Monday afternoon a party of farmers decided to investigate the case, and as they neared the island were fired on by the negroes and one of the party, Roland by name, was killed. A sharp fight was kept up for some time, during which the girl escaped from the negroes and ran to the white men. She was so excited that she could not give any intelligent account of herself. She said, how- ever, that her father was not traveling with the ne- groes, but that she had been stolen from her home, near Fort Gibson, I. T. She has been taken to Mul- drew.