The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-07
Crowds Surge Down Streets Shouting and Firing
 Everywhere
MILITIA AND MOB
 HAVE PITCHED BATTLE
During Temporary LulI the Dead and Wounded Are Carried Away. More Troops Arriving to
 0uelI Disorder.

Evansville. Ind, July 6-Followins four days of riotlng and general lawless- ness. this city tonight saw the most ter ribe of It's experiences with rioters. Seven persons are dead and fourteen are known to be injured with at least that number more thought to be hurt.
 At 1o:sO o'clock tonight the members of Company A. First regiment of Indiana National Guard after a days vigilance guarding the county jail, and 100 deputy sheriffs under Sheriff Chris. Kratze. fired point blank into a mob of 1000 men gath cred on Fourth. Division and Vine streets. surrounding the Vanderburg county jail and attempting It's capture.
 From o'clock this morning until the hour of tonights catastrophe, the crowd surged about the jail calling the militia men vile names. assailing them with stones and berating the deputy sheriffs who guarded the jail At o'clock the mob gradually became more and more excited. Its manifestations of uneasiness more frequent and at 10 o'clock 1t was seen that nothing could prevent ar as- sauit on the jail.
 Rioters Advance.
 At il o'clock the rioters pressed slowly forward, and innocent onlookers and the curious followed. Slowly they forced the miiitiamen back toward the jail until the alley way between Division street and the stone building was reached. Then the leaders, with & bicycle in their front as a shield to the bayonets of the soldiers, attempted to enter the alley and storm the alleyway entrances. Captain Blum of the National guard ordered charge on the rioters.
 Gradually the crowd was forced back the soldiers using their bayonets and butts of their guns. Suddenly rioter fell A soldier tried to drag him to his feet, but before he could was assaulted by a rioter Stones and boulders began to fly through the air. A soldier was struck with rock and fell. A rioter was knocked down with a gun butt and then shot was fired. The one shot started fusi- Jade of musketry and shotgun fire from the defenders of the jail and a scattered return fire from the rioters.
 Many Shots Fired.
 Fully 300 shots were fired from the jail windows, from the courthouse steps im- mediately opposite and by the soldiers on the streets. No one knows who fired the first shot. The soldiers claim 1t was the rioters, while the rioters make no claims and refuse to talk about it. The gover- nor Is said to have instructed the author tiles to not jeopardize the safety of the jail with halfway measures.
 In the yard of the courthouse wounded rioters lay and back of the line of soldiers two of the milltiamen had fallen. On the jail steps stood Sheriff Kratze. At his side was Colonel Mccoy of the First regiment. Around them stood few doctors and re- porters. When the firing had ceased Cap tain Blum reformed his men and gave them orders.
 Keep that mob backp' "CaIl on them to halt. If they don't halt, shoot them down. We can't take any more chances. Men be careful but for Gods sake keep a close watch! shouted the captain and his men prepared for another struggle. It did not come. The rioters got out of sight quickly and fearing that another charge would be made scattered.
 They stood in knots around the corners in the vicinity. They could be heard at the Jail urging with themselves let's go get the d. murderers" called one. Down with them kill them," and a score of cries were heard. Some of the rioters tried to change their positions and wereI greeted with cries of halt" accompanied by the clicking of rifles. v
 Dead and Injured Picked Up.
 Within d half hour things had become so quiet that care could De taken or the dead and injured. The wounded soldiers were taken into the jail and found to be four in number. Their injuries were slight and were dressed by Surgeons Tepee and Achilles who were there. They were taken to the court house and later to their homes.
 After the shooting Col. Mccoy tele- graphed Capt. Mccoy of company A. First regiment of Vicennes and tried to get him by telephone to have him order his company to Evansville to re- lieve company F. Sheriff Kratze looked to his deputies and volunteers and hand ed out ammunition to the defenders of the jail. Inside the jail forty-three prisoners lay terrified in the darkness. Sixteen of them, negroes whose lives are far from safe If the mob attacks the jail and ef- fects capture.
 The lights were turned out when the shooting began and the prisoners moaned and cried in their cells Telephone mes saRes were sent from the iail to tle hos