The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-13
ALTON'S WAR.
Illinois Town Intensely EX-
cited Over the Riot
Started by Negroes Breaking
Into White Schools.
LADY TEACHER is HIT
Violently in the Face by a Col
Ored Boy.
Police Take COIOred Children
Out of White Schools.

Alton, Oct. 13.-The bitter feeling be-
tween the whites and blacks here over
the public school matters still cOntin-
ues, and more trouble is feared. Sew
eral handsome school buildings have
just been completed for the cOlOred pu-
pills, but they refuse to occupy them
their parents insisting that they have
a right to go to the same schools as
the whites. The latest phase of the
race war broke out afresh yesterday.
Last week the cOlored people ceased
sending their children to apply for ad-
mission at the schools occupied by the
white children. They seemed content
to rest upon their oars and wait the re-
suit of their application for mandam-
US from the federal court, and the
board of education notified the chief
of police that it might be advisable to
withdraw the police guard from the
schools.
This was accordingly done and all
went well until yesterday when a crowd
of the colOred children reappeared at
Washington school and demanded ad-
mission with the white children. The
school was guarded by the janitOr, who
informed the belligerents that they
could not enter, but the negroes were
not to be so easily fOiled.
They rushed at the janitor and en-
gagged him in a hand to hand struggle
in which they tore his coat from his
back and knocked him down.
AS the negroes swarmed into the hall
way Miss Logan, the principal of the
school, met them at the door of her
classroom. She commanded them to
leave the building. One of the boys
stepped up and dealt her a blow in the
face with his fist, and the negroes be
hind him rushed into the room. In the
meantime a telephone MESA ge was
sent the chief of police, and he and sew
eral of his men FASTENED up to the
school The negroes We're in possession
anu occupying seats among the white
pupils. The officers went in and
brought them out and this afternoon
the school was again under police pa
troll The negroes did not reappear.
The violence to which the negroes re
sorted is the first attempt in the three
weeks OF the trouble at the schools.
The city authorities are Thoroughly
provoked and the people incensed.
Mayor Henry Brueggeman declared to-
day that he will not tolerate another
such outbreak upon the part of the ne
grOeS as was experienced at the Wash
ingtOn school.
The board of education will this week
endeaVOr to adopt remedial measures
They viii appoint a truant officer
whose duty it shall be to see that the
state school law compelling every child
between the ages of and Il years to
attend school is rigidIy enforced In
this way the authorities expect to drive
the negro children into the schools
built for them, but the effort will surely
bring trouble. 1t is likely that the
leaders in the riot at Washington
school will be arrested.
The authorities have the name of the
boy who struck Miss Logan. and sew
eral others of those who assaulted the
janitOr, and warrants for them will be
issued. The police have also been in
Structed to arrest anyone whom they
shall detect urging the coIored chill
dren to enter the schools of the whites