Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-09-25 | Page 5 | Officer Faces Slavery Count

OFFICER FACES SLAVERY COUNT LITTLE ROCK Ark Sept 25 INS INS Federal Federal officers today were expected to serve a warrant the I I first of its kind ever written in Arkansas on Paul D. D Peacher city marshal of Earle and former deputy deputy deputy dep dep- uty sheriff of Crittenden county charging that he has aided and abetted in causing persons to be beheld beheld held as as slaves The indictment containing eight counts was returned by a federal grand ju jury here yesterday afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon after 14 H witnesses 10 of them negroes all an from eastern Arkansas testified Two special U. U S. S attorneys Gordon Gordon Gordon Gor Gor- don Dean and Richard P. P Shanahan of ot the U. U S. S department of justice aided by U. U S. S Attorney Fred A. A Isgrig presented the evidence to the he grand jury This investigation was an outgrowth outgrowth out out- growth of charges that peonage ex- ex fisted isted in eastern Arkansas among the farmers The indictment according to Isgrig Is- Is grig is the first of its kind ever returned in Arkansas under a post- post Civil war statute passed lay by congress In n 1866 Peonage as it is commonly known however wasn't found to exist in any of ot the other cases cased investigated In Investigated Investigated In- In Isgrig said Every rumor rumor runor ru- ru mor nor every witness every possible hint lint o of peonage has been run rundown down and we cannot find another trace of a law violation The former deputy sheriff of Crittendon county is charged with having laving forcibly taken negroes before before be- be fore ore Mayor T. T S. S Mitchell of ot Earle as justice of the peace and falsely accusing them of vagrancy The indictment says that eight negroes were wrongfully and illegally Ille ille- Illegally gally gaily sentenced for tor 30 days and that hat as a direct consequence of the charges harges made by Peacher they were remanded to his complete control and custody custod although no contract contractor for or working prisoners existed be- be between between tween Peacher and Crittendon count county The negroes the indictment said were vero compelled against their will willo to o remain upon and work on premIses premises prem- prem prem- prem ses controlled and arid operated by Peacher as an individual and in a private capacity and were held there hero in involuntary tary servitude and andas ands as s slaves at hard labor Jabor