Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-07-15
In San Juan Hill District
Of New York City.
Whites and Blacks Fight for
Hours Scores Injured.
Over ESQ Reserve Police Ca|Ied...The Worst
Riot for Many Years.

New York, July 14.-"San Juar HILL"
the district bounded by Amsterdam and
West End avenues. and 61st street and
$50 street So-called because of tbs
| notoriety as a battle ground, was the
scene. tonight. of a furious race rio.
which required the reserves of TO less
than II police precincts numbering
more than $50 men. to quell after many
shots had been fired and several per-
sons had been seriously injured Even
after the actual fighting had been sup
pressed only the presence of strong
guards of police patrolling the neigh
borhood prevented the renewal of hos
tllities.
The trouble began shortly after 9
o'clock when policeman arrested
Edward Connolly for attacking a co.or-
ed lad named Henry Williams and was
pursued to the station house with his
prisoner by mob of Connelly's frierds
hurting showers of stones. bottles AM
other missiles. When the station house
reserves turned out the whole neigh
borhood was in an uproar, and blacks
engaged in desperate struggles in the
streets and torrents OF missiles were
hurled from roofs and windows
Within ten minutes not less than
1000 men. boys and women, black and
white, We're engaged i'm furious COM
bat. The small party of police WAS
powerless and re-inforcments were
called for from the three nearest pre-
cincts. On their arrival Gordon was
drawn around the whole district ard
strong patrols made repeated charges
dnwr, tho CT in off
store order. They succeeded in making
a few prisoners but were forced to re-
treat, fighting every inch of the way
and pursued to the station house by q
desperate mob.
The worst of the fighting seemed to
be In SD street, where from every win
dow and roof rained missiles while
hundreds of shots were fired. That no
enc was killed is amazing. Roundsman
Patrick Walsh was knocked down by
Joseph B. Smith. a negro. who leaped
upon him from a stoop and after at
tempting to shoot Elm struck him re-
peatedly with the butt of his revolver
Walsh was finally rescued by his COM
rades and sent to the hospital from
which ambulances were dispatched to
the scene
Inspector Mclaughlin arrived short
ly before 9 o'clock and sent hurry calls
for reserves from as far north as 125th
street, and as far south as Leonard
street, from the East Side and from
the West Side. In all there were more
than $50 men under command of the
inspector within 20 minutes.
Squads of men were then sent along
the roofs of the houses in SD street,
where the fighting seemed heaviest
They walked from West End avenue to
Amsterdam. clearing the roofs and
found that many chimneys had been
torn to pieces to furnish ammunition to
the rioters. More arrests were made
and several whites and negroes were
rescued from gangs of assailants, but
desultory combats continued.
Michael Jacoby. a white man, was
rescued as he was being beaten by two
negroes armed with rocks. The negroes
escaped.
The rioting spread down to 57th street
and UP to 68th street. although the
hardest battles were fought between
6lst street and 63d street For more
than half an hour cars on the Amster-
dam Avenue Line were blocked. Col
ored men pursued by whites took ref
uge on cars as they passed and were
followed by showers of bricks and
stones. Every window in the cars were
broken and passengers were driven to
hurriedly find shelter in the neighbor-
ing houses. Conductors and motormen
hid under car seats, leaving their cars
to the mercy of the mob. Several pas
sengers were hurt by stones and brok-
en- glass.
Commissioner McAdoo arrived at II
o'clock and made tour Of the battle
field. the fighting by that time having
practically ceased. He said that the riot
could not have taken place had not the
rougher element been permitted to car
ry arms. They appeared to have reg
ular arsenal OF weapons. as the police
found when they searched the prison.
ers.
CONTINUED on Page Three.)