The Ocala banner., 1906-09-28
N ~ (Times-Union.)

AtlanJd, Gd., oepIeHiDSl 90 idOe
war Of alarming proportions began
here last night. Through the night
Il ragged with varying vigor and when
morning dawned today, 1t found the
downtown streets in possession OF
eight companies of Fifth Georgia In
sfantry, with battery of light artitl-
lery In reserve. Through the day lit,
lie of Importance has occurred. The
police claimed, with aid of militia
20 have the situation under control.
The condition came as result of
numerous and repeated assaults, or
attempted assaults, upon white wo-
men by negroes. The list Of an even
dozen of such assaults, within the linn
Its of Fulton county within the last
nine weeks came yesterday when
four attempts at assault were report.
cd.
About ten o'clock negro man SHOW
ed a white woman from the sidewalk
o. Whitehall street, In the center Of
to-. Almost simultaneously ne
g.o woman made an insulting remark
10 a white man on an adjoining
street, and he administered what
he considered a due punishment. From
this start, the excited crowd, which
had became a mob. began its work of
destrudton. Five thousand men and
boys thronged the downtown streets
after negroes. News that a riot had
started brought thousands more from
their homes In the suburbs and
Q .'dence districts. until fully ten
thousand men trronged the downtown
eeciion.
A car half filled 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 the trouble.
Three negroes lay dead on the floor
Of the car when it was permitted to
E:ove ON, and two more were serious
ly beaten,unconscious. When the crowd
seemed to be getting beyond control
Mayor Woodward mounted car plat
form and urged the crowd to dispurse,
declaring that the assailant of the
white woman would be adequately
punished by due process of law. He
made another appeal few moments
later hut without result. Then he
turned in general fire alarm, calling
the entire department to the scene.
To Chief Joyner he then gave the
laconic order: "Clear the streets"
TIL situation became so threaten
ing at o'clock that Governor Terrell
was appealed to order out the state
troops. Although no request had
come from the sheriff, Governor Ter
rell gave the order mobilizing the
eight local infantry companies at
once. Previously police riot call
had been sounded summoning all po-
lice 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 report forthwith at his ar
Z ory. II was almost two O'Clock this
morning before the frst squad ap-
peared on the streets and at five
o'clock six companies were under
arms. The attack on negroes had the
effect of clearing the streets of
blacks. Street hacks were abandoned
nc curb stones; drivers on baggage
wagons vanished and their places
were taken by white men. Trough
ne day hundreds of negroes have
been fleeing the city by train and wa
gon. and on foot, they have hurried
from the city rearing the possibility
OF trouble in the near future.
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 and damaged pro-
perry. The crowd after pulling ne
gro porters from the Pullmans of a
Western & Atlantic railroad train
standing ready TO depart, proceeded