River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-09-27
DEADLY RACE WAR
IN CITY OF ATLANTA
ONE WHITE MAN AND SEVERAL
NEGROES KILLED.
DUE TO CRIME BY BLACKS
Attempted or Accomplished Assaults
on White Women Told in FIarino
Headlines lnflames Citizens,
Who Turn Avengers.


it ragged with varying vigor, and when
morning dawned it found a number
of negroes and one white man dead,
score of both races wounded and
the downtown streets in possession
of eight companies of the Fifth
Georgia infantry, with battery of
light artillery in reserve. Through
the day little of Importance occurred.
The police claimed, with the aid of
the military, to have the situation UNI
der control
Cause of Trouble.
This condition came as the result
of numerous and repeated assaults or
attempted assaults upon white wom-
en- by negroes. The last of an even
dozen of such assaults within the linn
its of Fulton county within the last
nine weeks came Saturday, when four
attempts at assault We're reported.
Flaring headlines in the special edi-
lions of afternoon papers wrought the
populace to high pitch of excitement.
The usual Saturday night crowds
were largely increased by men and
boys who thronged the downtown
streets. There was no leader and no
overt act until late in the evening.
Negro Attacks White Woman.
About ten o'clock a negro man
showed a white woman from the side
walk on Whitehall street, in the CEN
ter of town. Almost simultaneously
a negro woman made an insulting re-
mark to white man on an adjoining
street, and he administered what he
considered due punishment
From this start the excited crowd,
which had become a mob, began it's
work of destruction. Five thousand
men and boys thronged the down
town streets, looking for negroes.
News that riot had started brought
thousands from their homes in the
suburbs and residence districts, until
fully 10000 men thronged the down
town section.
General Assault on Negroes.
They made attacks on the incoming
street cars. Each car was scanned
for negroes. The trolleys were pulled
from the wires and in the semi-dark
ness of the unlighted car negroes were
beaten, dubbed and stamped upon in
an unreasoning mad frenzy. If ne
gro ventured resistance or remon-
strated, it meant practically sure
death.
One car half filled with negroes APP
preached from an outside run. The
mob dashed for the car Resistance
was made by the negroes, who had
not been appraised of the trouble.
Three negroes lay dead on the floor
of the car when it was permitted to
move on, and two more were beaten
into unconsciousness.
Mayor Tries to Stop Mob.
When the crowd seemed to be get
ting beyond control, at about ten
o'clock Mayor Woodward mounted
car platform on Peachtree and Mari
eta streets and urged the crowd to
dispense, declaring that the assaults
of the white women would be ade-
quately and promptly punished by due
given a respectful hearing, but when
he finished the work of destruction
was resumed. He made another APP
peal few moments later, but with
out result. Then he turned in gen.
eral fire alarm, calling the entire de-
partment to the scene.
Orders Chief to Clear Streets.
To Chief Joyner he gave the laconic
order. Clear the streets. The re-
suit was to stop the mob in it's work
in that immediate section and to drive
it to other streets. The situation be-
came so threatening at IL o'clock
that Gov. Terrell was appealed to to
order out the state troops
Although no request had come from
the sheriff, Gov. Terrell gave the or
der mobilizing the eight local infantry
companies at once. Previously a po-
lice riot call had been sounded sum-
moning all police reserves to head
quarters.
Negroes Flee from City.
Throughout the day hundreds of
negroes have been fleeing the city, by
train and wagon and on foot they
have hurried from the city, fearing
the possibilities of trouble in the inn
mediate future.
In the fighting Saturday night ne
gro women were the most warlike,
urging resistance to the mob and
themselves fighting like Amazons.
In the residence districts great anx-
iety was felt. The police force was
centered downtown, practically leav
ing the residence districts without
protection.
Many families temporarily without
male protection feared the possibility
of danger of which they knew but lit
tie.
Mob Destroys Property.
The lawless character of the mob
was fully demonstrated during the
latter part of the evening. When ne
groes had vanished from the streets
the aimless mob from pure wanton-
ness broke windows ald damaged
property.