Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-24
SOLDIERS ARE
GUARDING CITY
Continued from paRs one.


white women by negroes The las
of an even dozen of such assaults with
in the limits of Fulton county within
the last nine weeks came yesterday
when four attempts at assault were re
ported.
The usual Saturday night crowd,
were largely increased by men anC
boys, who thronged the downtown
streets There was no leader and nj
overt act until late In the evening
About 10 o'clock a negro showed d
white woman from the sidewalk or
Whitehall street in the center of town
Almost simultaneously a negro woman
made an insulting remark to white
man on anNadjoinins street and he ad-
ministered what he considered due
punishment.
Mob Grows In Proportions
From this start the excited crowd,
which had become mob, began its
work of destruction. Five thousand
men and boys thronged the downtown
streets looking for negroes.
! News tn a riot had started brought
! thousands more from their homes in
the suburbs and residence districts
until fully 10. 900 men thronged the
downtown section.
They made attacks on the incoming
street cars. Each car was scanned for
negroes. The trolleys were pulled from
the wires and in the 'seml-darkness of
the unlighted car negroes were beaten
cut and stamped upon in an unreason-
ing frenzy. If negro offered resist
ance or demonstrated IL meant sure
death.
One car, half filled with negroes, ap-
preached from an outside run. The
mob dashed at it and resistance was
made by the negroes who had been
apprlsed of the trouble Three negroes
lay dead on the floor of the car when
1t was permitted to move on, and two
more were beaten into unconscfouSness
When the crowd seemed to be getting
beyond control at about 10 O'Clock
Mayor Woodward mounted a car plat
form in Peachtree and Marietta streets
and urged the people to disperse, say
ing that the assaults upon white women
would be punished promptly.
Mayor woodward was given q re-
spectful hearing, but when he finished
the work of destruction was resumed.
He made another appeal few moments
later but without result. Then he
turned In a general fire alarm, calling
the entire fire department to the scene.
To Chief Joyner he gave the laconic
order:
Clear the streets"
Mob Temporarily Checked
The result was to stop tie mob in
its work in that immediate vicinity and
drive 1t to other streets. The situation
became so Threatening at II O'Clock
that Governor Terrell was appealed to
to order out the state troops.
Governor Terrell gave the order,
mobilizing the eight local infantry COM
panies at once.
Previously a police riot call had been
sounded summoning all police reserves
to headquarters. With the decision to
call out the troops the big fire bell |
sounded once more, this time the call |
for every member of the militia to re-
port forthwith at his armory. 1t was
almost 2 o'clock this morning before
the first squad appeared on the streets
Ihe attacks on negroes had the effect |
of clearing the streets of negroes
Street hacks were abandoned at curb
ings, drivers on baggage wagons van
lshed and their places were taken by
white men.
This fear of trouble affected several
public conveniences today. The post
Office officials had much difficulty in de-
livering special letters ice deliveries
nave been scarce in private homes, in
restaurants service has been restricted
by the absence of the regular walters.
throughout the day hundreds Of negroes
have been fleeing from the city.
In the fighting last night negro
women were the most warlike. urging
resistance to the mob and themselves
fighting like Amazons. The lawless
character Of the mob last night was
fully demonstrated during the latter
part of the evening. When the negroes
had vanished from the streets the mob,
from pure wantonness, broke windows
and damaged property.
The crowd, after pulling the negro
porters off Western & Atlantic rail-
road train, proceeded to smash the WIN
dows in the day coaches and mail and
baggage cars. They then crossed to the
kimball house and continued the win
dow smashing, causing the loss of sew
eral hundred dollars
Numerous windows In stores on
Peachtree street today show the fact
lhat the mob passed that way. A close
watch was maintained to guard against
ncendiarism, but fortunately this pre-
caution was unnecessary, and fire was
1ot added to the horrors of la st night
1t was night of terror to hundreds
of persons in the residence districts
who were practically without protec-
ion, all the police force being centered
downtown.
Mob's Acts Condemned
AT meeting of citizens representing