The Tupelo journal., 1903-07-31
RIOT AT DANvlLLE, ILL.

RIOT AT DANvlLLE, ILL.
In Trying to Lynch a Negro, Two Are
Killed and Twenty-Five Wounded.
Danville, H., July 25. The city OF
Danville, about $50 miles south of Chi
cago, has witnessed an uprising by
white against black and at II O'CLOCK
tonight, with one negro lynched and a
white man dead as the result Of a ball
from a negro's pistol, a mob clamors
at the county Jail for the life of a Sec
ond negro. Several blacks have been
badly beaten, many of them are arm
ing while others are leaving town by
the less ~frequented streets.
The name of the negro who was
lynched was not known, but 1t Is un-
derstood he Is from Evansville. The
mob is after James Wilson, a negro.
who has confessed to a brutal assault
on Mrs. Thomas Burgess, wife of a
farmer at Alvin, Ill, just north of here.
The unknown negro met his fate
while the mob was on its way to
lynch Wilson. The angry throng was
passing down East Main street when
the negro became involved in an alter
cation with some of its members.
They started for him and he pulled
a gun, firing into the crowd.
Troops on Guard.
Danville, ILL.,, July 26.-Two killed
and twenty-five wounded, the police
station wrecked, the county Jail with
few OF its windows left unshattered,
the city in the hands of the State
troops and a feeling of uneasiness and
dread prevailing, is the situation left
by the race riots of last night and
early this morning.
After daylight this morning there
were restless crowds on the streets.
Hundreds of farmers poured into the
| city and each surrounding town con-
tributed to swell the crowd. There
were many miners seen On the streets.
Great unrest was reported from West
vile, five miles away Early in the
morning Wilson, the assailant of Mrs.
Burgess, was secretly taken from the
county Jail, but was returned shortly
before 5 o'clock to the Jail.
Four companies of militia arrived at
$3.50 o'clock this morning from Spring
field. Companies A, l, B and H of the
Seventh infantry of Illinois were sent
in reply to urgent requests sent at
midnight to State officials. The
troops marched to the market house
opposite the Jail and camped. The
streets were cleared and the threat
ening attitude of the crowds disap-
peared. There were sullen threats
heard, but no attempt at an outbreak
was manifest during the day.
Tonight 100 sentinels are patroling
the streets in the immediate vicinity
of the Jail. Each soldier carries forty
rounds of ammunition.
Sheriff Whitlock said today, in CIV
ing his version of the shooting into
the mob:
after I saw from the Jail that the
mob was determined to attack, l went
to the veranda and attempted to talk
to the maddened men. As l stepped
into view of the crowd two bullets
were fired, one striking the wall back
OF me. | fired two shots into the air.
Some one shouted that | was only
bluffing and was shooting blank car
tridgeS. l warned the mob / would
resist an attack on the Jail with pow
der and lead. There was another shot
from the mob, and it surged forward.
l then fired a shot from my gun into
their legs. This drove them back,
but they returned a moment later to
the attack of the front door. I vas
alarmed for the safety of my wife and
children. My wife took a Jul and
said she would stand by me. l got
her and the children out of the way.
and then seeing the leaders coming
with the rail to batter down the walls.
| shot down the rail to MAKE them
drop it. This accounts for so many
being shot in the hands and arms.
| fired eight or ten shots in ALL"
Sheriff Did Shooting.
Sheriff Whitlock had four deputies
and three constables with him in the
Jail guarding the prisoners. He says
one fired into the mob but himself.
There are all sorts of rumors af1oat
tonight, and a strained situation is no.
ticeable. But the 200 soldiers here.
it is believed, will prevent further
outbreak for the present, at least.
Leading citizens say the outbreak
has been expected by them for a long
time, as bitter feeling has existed for
several years between the two races.
The feeling against the soldiers is
noticeable. The commissary depart
ment today had trouble getting res
taurants to serve meals, many refusing
to feed the soldiers.
There was one clash between the
guard and a miner named Ed Lig-
gett, who began abusing the guard.
Liggett was arrested and fined 500.
Four other companies of the militia
are under arms at Springfield await
ing orders. Crowds gathered during
the day heal the lines and cursed the
soldiers. They were scattered by de-
tails in several instances. Officers OF
the guard do not anticipate any at
tack, however.
All Saloons Closed.
All saloons have been ordered closed
indefinitely.
Metcalf, the negro killed and
burned, had lived at Evansville for
the past two years and was a recent
refugee from that city, where he par
ticipated in the riots a few weeks ago.