The Penn's Grove record., 1906-09-28

frenzied mobs, in attacking negroes,
breathed a sigh of relief. All night
and far into the morning the mobs of
armed whites had chased the negroes
in every direction, shooting, stabbing
and clubbing with a wantonness such
as only mobs can show. Nor were
they content with the mere attacking
of defenseless and innocent negroes
in their CORY desire for revenge Upon
those who had brutally attacked
white women in the past fortnight.
They went about town smashing win
dows and destroying property, prob
ably carried away by excitement and
drink.
The clamoring mobs, swaying
through the streets, making attacks
upon street cars, dragging negroes
from vehicles and chasing them into
the Jim Grow" quarter, had kept
the city in an uproar all through the
night, and the police were utterly
powerless. They were laughed atcin
their efforts to make arrests, and cit
liens who ~endeavored to dissuade the
crowds of angry men and boys were
derided into silence.
Reports as to the number of killed
and injured vary, of course, but some
have it that at least seventeen ne
groes were killed. Other reports
have it that not more than ten fatali-
ties occurred. In reality only four
bodies have been found at local I'M
dertaking establishments, but it is
said that the negroes were so terrified
that they carried many of the bodies
to the suburbs for interment. Fully
forty blacks and whites are known
to have been hurt.
A black face was a rarity in the
streets. Ordinarily one sees about
as many negroes as whites, but the
stern experience had it's effect on the
negroes cld they remained at their
homes. Practically every home in
Atlanta lacked it's servants, the ne
groes being afraid to venture through
the streets to reach the places where
they were employed.
Women in Peachtree street, the
fashionable residence part of the city,
who have not touched q culinary
utensil in years prepared meals for
their families. The hotels were prac-
tically without servants, and not a
negro b%ootblack nor a newsboy was
to be seen in the streets.
Only once vas the mob baked, and
that was when Il section of it was
raiding negro saloons and restaurants
in Decatur street. A fire alarm was
turned in and CHIEF Joiner, recently
nominated for Mayor, came with
three engines. In a few minutes he
had streams of water playing, and as
soon as the water touched the mob it
dissolved.
Finally rising to the situation, the
entire fire department was called to
Prior and Decatur streets, in the ne
gro quarter, and with streams of
water playing in every direction the
rioters were dispersed, to gather
again at points out of reach of the
water. The department remained on
duty all night.
The bulk of the violence took place
in the first two hours, much of it in
thirty minutes.
The mob afforded some curious sit
uations. In front of the p~ostofice
Mormon missionaries were preaching
brotherly love; less than 100 yards
away two negroes were killed under
the viaduct. A block further down
Marietta street the Salvation Army
was holding forth; nea by a negro
was stabbed to death, two more were
shot and others were fatally stabbed
or beaten.
A meeting of prominent citizens
was held at the Piedmont Hotel to
informally discuss the riots. 1t was
decided that the situation did not de-
mand any further action than the as
sembly of the militia. The burden of
the majority of speakers was regret
that so much injury would be done
Atlanta by this o%utburst of race re-
sentiment.