Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-18
SPRINGFIELD RIOTS.
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to the state capital from all quarters
of the commonwealth. Despite the
haste of the movement, the commits
sary and the quartermasters' depart
incnts have withstood the strains on
them. Some few companies were COM
PEELED to spend their first night in the
streets without blankets or shelter and
some others went supperless to bed
after their arrival. These circumstances
have been treated merely as incidents
and there has been a noticeable abb
sence of grumbling in the rank and
file
There was a considerable influx Of
refugees today from other towns. Gov.
Deneen was the recipient of many in
quiries from these people asking wheth-
er 1t was safe to return. In each case
the governor assumed personal rCspon-
Sibility on the part of the negroes,
advising them however to time their
corning so that they would arrive be-
tore nightfall.
I'VE want all the negroes who have
fled from Springfield or who live in
lenoe, to come here" said the COVER
| nor This is the best place in the state
for them, for here we can shelter, feed
| and protect those who are unable to
care for themselves"
! The present riots, according to old
citizens are the result of years of
racial antagonism. Each year has
| ,f \
| population. 1t is said that during the
last year thousand negroes took up
their abode in the city, giving the city
colored population of about 5000 per-
sons.
Ihey were getting too bold and i'm
| pudent,' said a hotel keeper today
| people outside the city cannot realize
| just how offensive this was. The peo-
pie of the state at large will dis
cover that the outbreak last Friday
was not the result of momentary ir-
ritation, temporary ebullition of VIC
lencc supernduced by heat The I'M
| der current of resentment growing for
years needed only pretex ana the as
| sault of white woman Furnished that
| pfcteX. The streets are quiet now be-
| cause the troops are here, but that is
| no assurance that the question is set
| tied. For the most part the people
| would have liked to see the matter
settled without the Intervention of the
| Soldlery. The fact that the trouble Is
| costing business men thousands of dol
lars daily in loss of trade does not
| help matters. Personally l think Gov.
Deneon's stand for the protection of the
| negroes hlt no
working man has little sympathy with
it,"
| The tone of this statement is SINH
lar to that of others heard by newspa-
per reporters today. BARRIERS, street
| car men and laborers talked in a sim
| liar vein.
General Young himself has had
numerous talks with representative
citizens in all walks of life and he has
amended his first opinion that few
days of patrol here will be sufficient
to restore normal conditions When
asked today what he thought the
probable duration OF the stay of his
troops the general shook his head. He
could put no limit on the time
The exodus of the negroes from
| Springfield seems to be permanent.
| There are still a few scattered colored
| families in the few blocks guarded by
the soldiers, but they, for the most
| part are women, children and aged
men. The younger and middle aged
are few in numbers. Occasionally one
may see three or four of the men
| standing near burned home but all
| are making preparations to leave
| Springfield as soon as funds are avail
| able. The Illinois Traction System
| and various railroads are not bringing
colored people into the city, but the
| outgoing cars are still crowded with
! the blacks. Carpet bags, valises and
| trunks and suit cases, containing in
| many instances all of the property of
the negroes, are piled high on the sta
| ton platforms.
Gov. Dcneen's proclamation asking
| that all negroes return to Springfield
| and not enter other cities seems Of no
avail. Hotels are devoid of negro por-
ters, walters and other colored assist
ants. AT the ST. Nicholas. Clerk Foulk
and other Office employees are acting as
porters.
| The officers of the various commands
reported to General Young an abso-
|
roes who had been sheltered at the
arsenal. they said, had returned to
their former abodes. In such cases
mlitiamen were placed within easy
| reach in case of trouble.
| All stores are still closed promptly
at night fall and the embargo on
liquor selling is complete. Even
! hotels are not allowed to serve intoxi-
| cants to regular guests occupying
rooms and the clubs are similarly sit
uated
George Cooper, one of the refugees
| at the arsenal, told narrowing tale
of his experiences with his wife and
two children. Friday night. when fire
| was spreading in the negro quarters
and windows were shattered by the
bowling mob. Cooper and his wife and
| children escaped in the darkness to
the country. They walked till day
| light almost in a circle. At sunrise
being near the village of Spaulding
| they hid in ditch until nightfall Sat-
! urday. They We're without food and
| one Of the children. baby. was taken
sick. The child cried necessarily and
| 1Xhap white peOpIe were soon an