Was This Racist Propaganda?

Apr. 3, 1912 Cairo [Ill.} Bulletin reported:

Girl Confesses Killing 17 out of 35 Persons

 Lafayette, La., Apr. 2--A mulatto girl, 19 years old, told the police here today, that as high priestess of a negro cult, "church of the sacrifice," she had killed with her own hand 17 of the 35 negroes mysteriously murdered in southwestern Louisiana and Texas towns during the last fourteen months.

If racist propaganda, would this have not had at least some white victims.  Otherwise, this is one of the more shocking stories that I have never heard.  Oh yes, axe murdering entire families.

The Dec. 1, 1911 Democratic Banner reported her confession and testimony against her father in the 1911 mass murder of the Norbert Randall family and the Andrus family.  Name spelled Barnabet here.  Lots of local coverage of the mass murders in local papers.