Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-07
TROUBLE At LAYTON
Attempt to Expel Negroes Starts
a Race War in the New
Town.
Forty colored Men Forced to
Flee...Many Others Show
Fight.
An Armv Of Blacks Coneresate
An Army Of Blacks Congreeate
Near Fort Sill...Troops Are
Ordered.

| Guthrie. Ok. T., April 7.-Lawton at
| tempted the expulsion of all negroes.
| A fierce fight followed, in which one
negro was fatally hurt, and the
whites and blacks, armed and ready FOR
hattie are collected in two armies. Forty
negroes were driven from town. The
women and children are huddled In the
negro church. Other negroes Joined
| the refugees, and the army of blacks
| ia gathered at Fort Sill, near Lawton,
receiving reinforcements from town
every few minutes. The whites are
massed in the courthouse yard anu
armed men are patrolling the town. A
clash is expected every minute.
Appeals have been sent to Gov. Fer
guson here. He at once ordered the
territorial militia to prepare to rush 70
T .awton. He notified the Cherokee
county officials that troops could pc
sent at a moments notice. They replled
that for the present, the force OF loo
deputies and the police were aple 70
auelI rioters, but they would ask LOT
| troops IL needed. So far no call Ior
troops has been received. The federal
troops at Fort Sill are held In readiness
to rush into the town. tf3 d
Sunday morning was the time SCI
nv the whites for the expulsion Of al
egpes. Warnings had been posted az
over town ordering all negroes 70 oe-
part. The negroes were IN an uels
mood. Some Of the leaders among tne
whites wanted to extend the time until
Monday morning. This divided the
whites so, Sunday mornings action was
not a united one. Some of the more
Itimid negroes fed during the night.
| At 9 o'clock yesterday crowd OF
whites, led by crowd of Texas cow
boys. started to expel all negroes. "A
desperate struggle followed. Forty
negroes were driven outside the town
limits. During the struggle. which took '
place along the Rock Island tracks, one
negro, George Fitzgerald, was struck
in the head with a pick and fatally IN
iured. He was Carried to his home by
negroes, who declare they will avenge
him by killing his assailant. a young
white man.
The negroes who were driven from
town went in a body towards the fort
The negroes remaining in town gath
cred in a body along the ROCK Island
tracks and openly declared their inten.
ton of aiding thier expelled friends In
an attempt to regain possession of
their houses. These negroes are now
heavily armed, and declare they will
force their way back to their homes to-
! night
Scores of the more timid white citi-
zens fear to remain in their homes to-
night and have gathered in the court
| house square, and have surrounded
themselves with armed guards to stand
of any invasion Of the negro element
Many of the men have volunteered as
special officers and will aid the deputies
or soldiers In suppressing any rioting.
The negroes are led by James Alex
ander, blacksmith. He claims to have
800 young negro men behind him. and
all of them are well armed and will
fight at a moments notice. Regarding
the expulsion Of the forty negroes, n
says the negroes left because they were
not quite ready for lighting. He claims
to have had much difficulty In keeping
them from attacking the whites when
Fitzgerald was injured. Fort Sillois
being made the mobilizing point Of the
negroes. They are armed With
rifles and are supplied with plentyaof
ammunition.
The white people have made ready
for an attack and have an organization
of 800 men, who will enter battle. The
great majority Of white men are still
determined to drive out every negro,
and there is anger against business
men who asked for troops.
The trouble between the negroes and
whites commenced on April l. when the
negroes attempted to vote in the city
election and were refused the privilege.
Lawton is populated largely by men
from Texas, and they have made num-
erous threats to drive the negroes out
Of town. The negroes have found 1t
hard to get work for months. and this
winter many of their number starved
rather than leave the town where they
| made such strong fight for entrance.
On election day there occurred .nu-
merous street fights between whites
and negroes. IA
On Saturday morning notices were
posted In the town notifying the ne
groes to be out of Lawton by Saturday
midnight. Yesterday negroes tore down
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