Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-08-15
RIOT IN SPRINGFIELD.

rushed about the city, first threatening
an assault upon the county jail, hurliug
bricks at militia and police and shouting
"Lynch the niger, ~
The riot was pracipitated by another
criminal assault before daylight yester-
day morning by negro. who crept into
the home Of Mrs. Earl Hallsm, dragged
her from bed into her garden, where
he assaulted her and left her unconscious.
Yesterday negro, named George Rich
ardson, was arrested and taken to the
home of Mrs. Hsllsm, who said she be-
lieved he was her assailant.
Ia a cell next to Richardson's was
Joe james, negro who few weeks
ago entered the home sfer midnight of
A. Ballard. and attempted to assault his
eightsen-year-old daughter, aud in a
fight with the girls father stabbed him
to death.
A mob yesterday afternoon assembled
at the jail crying for the blood of both
negro prisoners. Yesterday evening
when the mob became menacipg the
sheriff called an automobile TO the Jail at
an appointed hour. Just few moments
before that tine he had The fire depart
ment make a ran to within block OF
the Jail. The crowd rushed IN the scene
of the pretended fire, and while the mob
was thus broken up, deputies rushed the
negro prisoners into the automobile,
hurried them through the CITY, tagged
Chicago and Alton north-bOund train,
and took the prisoners TO jail at Bloom
ingion.
Last night the mob ct the Jail at
Springfield grew to thousands and fully
5000 more people surged through the
streets nesr by. At o'clock Troop ID
chsrged do6n the street, clearing the
walks. A voley of bricks came FROM
the mob. Two soldiers we're stunned by
bricks.
While the police force, sheriff's force,
and militia were endeavoring to quell
the mob at The all hundreds crowded
around the restaurant OF II. L. Loher.
The crowd had heard that the negro
prisoners had been taken out of the city
| in Lohers aut mobile, and for this
bricks we're hurled through the plate
glass windows, elecri signs we're shat
tered, and the large automobile of Lohr
wss torn to pieces. The crowd Increased
and the police we're powerless.
Crowds then rushed through the pub
lie square shooting '.Nigger" at every
negro they saw.
On the courthouse square Eugene W.
Chain, prohibition candidate for presi-
dent, delivering an address, turned to
take his handkerchief from back pocket.
Rioters thought he was preparing to
draw a gun and someone hurled brick,
which struck him and broke up the
meeting.
The negroes whom the crowd attacked
and gave a severe beating took refuge in
the sheriff's Office. Three members of the
gating gun section we're wounded by the
mob.
A Gordon of troops surrounds the jail.
A. committee Of relatives nj Mrs. Hsllsm
was taken through the Jail by Sheriff
Werner to prove that the negroes we're
not there. At 8 O'Clock the mob again
gathered ct Loher's restaurant and nearly
everything in the cafe was destroyed.
The proprietor was warned, but fail
ing to appreciate the seriousness OF the
situation, he did not attempt to escape.
He was pushed by employees OF the
place, together with his wife, into a
basement room in temporary safety.
Quick work was made OF the restiu-
rant. The mob began by breaking out
TIL lplats glass front, stripping the en-
tire forty fest of both glass and casinos.
The automobile in which the rescue had
been effected, had been left in front Of
The place. 1t was quickly turned up
side down and fire twas put TO the mf-
chine. As the machine blaz'd, the
mob who poured into the cafe, tore
fixtures from their places and piled
them upon the blaze. Even the side
boards snd K tchtA were Stripped and all
the table ware sud dishes piled upon the
blszs. The FIRE department which had
been called out half dozen tines in
abortve efforts to dispense the crowds
again made q run to the restaurant but
was poweriess. Every line of hose that
was stretched, was cut before a stream
of water could be forced into IL. The
restaurant was stripped clean by the mob,
which worked without hindranCe until
its work was nearly completed.
The riot grew more violent toward
midnight, and Louis Johnson was shot
through the neck at Loher's restaurant
and instantly killed. A boy named Mil
ton was shot through the arm. Three
more soldiers we're injured by thrown
missiles.
Peoria and other cities were called
upon to quell the riot.
The following statement was issued
by Harry T. Loher, proprietor of the
restaurant which was destroyed:
81 have been through one riot, In
Cincinnati, in 1913, the greatest in this
country, when ore hundred men we're
killed. 1t was to avoid loss of life that
/ took those men out OF town. did
not want to favor the man; have no
interest in him whatever and would 90
just as far TO punish him as anybody,
but after going through the Cincinnati
riot and knowing the sheriff as do, |
knew be would be killed frat before he
would let the Jail be taken. i thought
| would save life by removing the color
ed men. would not shoot man to
protect my place. | only shot into
the crowd as long as | was in personal
danger myself"
The mob In front oil Loher's place
accused him of shooting Louis johnson.
/ .Johnsou was found in the bar-Io1m in