Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-09-27
RACE RIOT IN ATLANTA
ASSAULTS ON WHITE WOMEN
CAUSE OF UPRISING.
Howling Mobs Of Men and Boys
Chase Negroes From Streets
Ten Blacks Killed.

Atlanta, Ga.-A race war Of alarming
proportions began here last night.
Through the night it ragged with vary
ing vigor, and when morning dawned
today, IL found the downtown streets in
possession of eight companies of the
Fifth Georgia infantry, with battery
OF light artillery in reserve.
This condition came as the result Of
numerous and repeated assaults or at
tempted assaults upon white women by
negroes. The list of an even dozen Of
such assaults, within the limits OF Full
ton county within the last nine weeks,
came yesterday when four attempts at
assault were reported. Flaring head
lines in the special editions of afternoon
papers wrought the populace to high
pitch of excitement.
There was no leader and no overt act
until late in the evening. About 10
o'clock negro man showed white
woman from the sidewalk. Almost
simultaneously a negro woman made an
insulting remark to white man, and
he administered what he considered
due punishment. From this start the
excited crowd, which had become a
mob, began its work of destruction.
Five thousand men and boys thronged
the downtown streets looking for ne
groes.
News that a riot had started brought
thousands more from their homes in the
suburbs and residence districts until
fully 10000 men thronged the DOWN
town 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 semi
darkness Of the unlighted car, negroes
were beaten, cut and stamped upon in
an unreasoning, mad frenzy. II a ne
gro ventured resistance or remon-
strated, it meant practically sure death.
One car half filed with negroes ap-
preached from an outside run. The
mob dashed for the car Resistance
was made by the negroes, who had not
been apprised of trouble. Three ne
groes lay dead on the floor of the car
when it was permitted to move on, and
two more were seriously beaten and un-
conscious.
When the crowd seemed to be getting
beyond control, at about 10 o'clock,
Mayor Woodward mounted a car plat
form and urged the crowd to disperse.
Mayor Woodward was given a respect
fal hearing, but when he finished the
work of destruction was resumed. He
made another appeal, but without re-
suit.
Then he turned in a general fire alarm
calling the entire department to the
scene. To Chief Joyner he gave the
laconic order, Clear the streets" The
result was to stop the mob in its work
in that immediate section and to drive
1t 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.
With the decision to call out the
troops the big fire bell sounded once
more, this time the call for every menu
Der of the militia to report forthwith at
his armory. 1t was almost o'clock
this morning before the first squad ap-
peared on the streets, and at ) o'clock
six companies were under arms.
In the fighting last night negro
women were the most warlike, urging
resistance to the mob and themselves
lighting like Amazons.
The crowd, after pulling the negro
porters from the Pullmans of West
ern and Atlantic train, proceeded to
smash the windows in the coaches and
mail and baggage ears.
\ close watch was maintained to
guard against incendiarism, but fortu-
nately this precaution was unnecessary,
and fire was not added to the horrors
of last night