The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-07
MILITIA SHOOT SEVEN
OF Crowd That Tried to
Lynch Negro.
RIOTS AT EVANSVILLE JAIL.
Eight Companies Of Soldiers
and 500 Police Out.

Mob storms County Jail to Get Negro
Murderer, who. 1t rs Said, Had Been
spirited Away shots Were Fired at the
Jail Where the Militia Company Was
and the Soldiers Fired Two volleys In
Retnrn--GOv. Durbin Orders out
{ Two More Companies. hut the Mob Of
100000 Declares They Shall Not
Reach the Jail--Many Wounded In
Riotins Between whites and Blacks.
INpIAYAPoLs, Ind, July 8--The rioting
which has been in progress at Evansville
with but slight intermissions since last night
eliminated tonight in an attack on the
jail by mob of 1000 Infatuated citizens
and the killing outr ght Of seven persons
and the dangerously wounding Of four
others by the militia which was on guard
at the jail
While the attack Of the mob was not I'M
expected it was supposed that assurances
that Robert Lee, the colored murderer
OF Patrolman Massey, was not in the Jail
would again be accepted by the mob and
that trouble would thus be avoided, but
the mob refused to believe the Sheriff's
statements and advanced upon the Jail
with battering-rams cut from telegraph
poles,
Sheriff KratZ sent two OF his deputies
to notify the mob not to advance upon the
Jail and 10 assure them that the negro was
not there and that an attack upon it could
not result in any possible harm to the OBJ
ject of their wrath
The two deputies were met with abuse
and threats of being lynched and made a
hasty retreat into the jail.
The sheriff in the meantime had notified
Capt. Blum of the local militia company
and squad OF the men had been hurriedly
marched to the Jail and had been admitted
before the mob appeared. Every possible
effort was made to prevent a collision, but
the mob seemed determined to batter down
the Jail doors and gain entrance.
Anumber of negroes charged with various
yctty offences were confined in the Jail
and the officers believed that these would
be hanged il the mob gained admission.
As the mob advanced shots were fred
in the direction OF the jail, presumably at
the guards, but they went wild.
At this juncture volley was fired from
bers Of the mob fell to the ground.
In an instant the greatest confusion
occurred and mt it's height another vol
ley was fired, and the mob hastily sought
shelter behind adjacent buildings, fir
ing revolvers at the Jail windows from
which one oftho voleys came
It was reported that four men were
killed. and that number We're wounded
by the first volley and that three were
killed by the second. Everything was
in such confusion, however, that it is not
certainly known how many were killed
and injured
Several men were carried out of the crowd
by members of the mob and all the local
physicians we're called upon to attend the
wounded, who were taken at once to their
homes.
The mob has out off all communication
with the jail and no attempt has been made
to approach IT,
The friends of the dead and injured are
parading the streets and threatening to burn
the Jail and the crowd has been in
creased to 1000 people, many Of the women
Of the city whose sons or husbands were
In the mob having joined in the throng
in search for them.
Everywhere throughout the city the
tragedy has caused the most intense feel
ing and many who have taken no part in
the rioting have armed themselves and
are now on the scene, swearing vengeance
against the men who fred with such deadly
eject into the crowd.
Gov. Durbin was informed of the killing
oil members of the mob by long-distarce
telephone and was implored to order an
additional militia company out, as it was
feared that the shooting would 80 ex-
asperat" the citizens that the local COM
pany would not be able to master the stua-
ton.
Inc Governor at once ordered the COM
pahy at Vincennes and the company at
'erre haute to go to Evansville and special
trains were hastily made up at both places
10 transport them.
Notice that they were coming was re-
ceVed by the mob in some way almost at
Metlme the orders We're given and the train
yards were taken possession of by members
!" The mob and il was declared that neither
company should enter the city.
IN the meantime thousands of people
were paradng the streets, condemning
'nerln Kratz and Capt. Blum on account
VI the shooting. and doing everything to
intensity feeling which was already
Intense
IN order to provide thensel with adj
"''ohal arms the mob entered the hard
ware stores again tonight, and took every
"''he IN the way Of guns or missiles that
N'''d be found Bonfires were lighted on