Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-08-20
MILITARY ON DUTY
AT SPRINGFIELD
Entire National Guard of Illinois,
Except Two Regiments, at
Scene of Riots.
MOB ATTEMPTS TO CUT WIRES
Negroes Flee From Town and Commit
Depredations in Country-Five
Already Dead.

Springfield, Ill.,, Aug. IS. Two
deaths from injuries received in pre-
vious mob fights, the attempted cut
ting of the fire alarm wires, the ex-
oneration of Private J. B. Klein, Com
pany A, First Illinois infantry, by a
court of inquiry, for the killing of
Earl Nelson at Kankakee Saturday,
and the pursuit of a mob by guards
men, were the chief of yesterdays
| developments in the race war in
Springfield, which started Friday.
Three men were killed in the rioting
Friday and Saturday
| With the arrival here yesterday of
the Second and Seventh infantry regi-
ments and two sQuadrons of the First
cavalry, all from Chicago, the entire
national guard of Illinois, with the ex-
ception of the Sixth infantry and the
Eighth infantry (cOlored) was on duty
in the riot districts last night In all
1920 guardsmen are in the city.
Soldiers Rushed to Scene.
The attempt to cut the telephone
city hall was not successful. A po-
liceman saw three men on top Of an
outbuilding, trying to reach the lines
overhead. He turned in an alarm to
the headquarters of Gen. Wells, CON-
handing a provisional brigade, and
soldiers to the scene. They arrived
before the trio had done any damage.
The would-be wire-cutters fed, leaving
their nippers behind. They escaped.
The court of inquiry which cOnsid-
cred Private Kleins case was com
posed of Maj. James Miles, Capts. J.
Judson and S. f. High and Lieut. F.
A. Guilford, all of the First Illinois.
After sitting all day they reported to
Adjt. Gen. Scott that Klein's act was
performed in the strict line of duty.
Klein had been placed as one of a
guard Of the baggage car on the first
section of the Illinois Central train,
which brought the First infantry to
| Springfield Saturday. The train was
a special one, and the baggage car
contained property owned by the
state. Klein, guarding the front door,
was instructed by Lieut.. Guilford to
allow no one not officially counte-
nanced to enter the. car. At Kanka-
kee, four young men, according to the
report, climbed to the front platform
and attempted to enter the car. Klein
barred the way, using the only weap-
On available, a bayonet. AS the train
started the four youths left the plat
form. Klein was not aware that Mel
son nor any one had been injured.
| States Attorney Cooper of Kankakee
probably will instituate action against
Klein in the criminal court at Kan
kakee. The attorney general of the
state is compelled by law to defend
national guardsmen in such cases.
| Causes Genuine Scare.
| A genuine scare was caused at the
headquarters in the arsenal last night
after a squad had been sent to dis
perse a crowd at Allen and Spring
streets Five minutes later a report
reached Lieut.. Gen. Eddy that shots
had been fired in the threatened dis
trict He Immediately sent a full
platoon 10 the place to reinforce the
squad. When the additional soldiers
appeared the crowd broke and ran.
| The soldiers pursued them for several
! blocks, and the district, which is near
| the zone OF Saturday nights lynching,
was in an uproar for few minutes.
The arsenal was crowded last night
with negro refugees from Spraingfield
and surrounding towns. About 200
men, women and children sought shell
ter in the building and slept on the
| floor or in chairs. Most OF these peo-
ple were old and infirm, but they en-
dured the hardships of their quarters
rather than face the prospect of pass
ing the night in their homes, beset
with momentary fears of attack.
Scores of negroes have left Spring
| field either on foot or by trolley cars,
the latter class riding as far as their
means permitted and then striking
across the country. These tramping
parties, aimless and penniless, are
causing some complaints from the
communities through which they pass.
The whites assert that the presence of
these negroes imposes unnecessary
burdens and also argue that only the
shiftless and immoral portions of the
Springfield negroes are represented.
Minor depredations, it is said, have al
ready increased in the farming dis.
tricts because of this condition. The
Springfield authorities are doing all
they can to reassure the negroes still
here.