New-York tribune., 1908-08-16
GOTERNOR,S STATENEsr
Riot at Springfield and Causes Lead
ing Up to 1t.

Springfield Ill, Aug 15--Governor Denssu ts
sued the following statement this afternoon rsla-
tive 70 the race riot:
The trouble at Springfield arose out OF an aszavs,
upon a white woman BY a negro named Geo-rs
Tgicbardsor who n is alleged Aute-aF bar 80
about midnight, August 13, choked her carried he-
serra of 5ar husband Who was a ro-5.efS~ - -
street railway here. About six weeks ago another
cOlored man named Joe James vas found IN tls
daughters bedroom at the home of another con
duCtor Of the street railway company on ths r.
turn Of the family from social engagement and
after discovery IL the struggle 10 escape killed
Fearing trouble the Sheriff yesterday afternoon
Induced the proprietor OF one Of the principal RS
taurants Mr.. LOpeT. 20 take the prisoners and The
Sheriff in his automobile % tHe outskirts OF the
city and TO transfer Richardson and the other
person referred to to Bloomington about sixty niles
north Of Springfield
There was some uneasy feeling among certain
classes at Springfield yesterday afternoon, bHt K
was presumed that the knowledge Of the transfer
Of the prisoners 10 the jail OF aTolher county would
end the trouble 4 large crowd gathered az TIE
Jail in the evening and ther@ learned that NJ
the prisoners were transferred They went
10 his restaurant. demolished the plate glass and
furniture, sacked the restaurant o. KS liquors
turned the owners automobile upside down and ser
it afre- The crowd then moved east IN Washing
ton street 70 Lhc quarter OF lls ely when Is arge-
" populated by cOlOred people and known as The
s des Z J 80 - I5 ~ - 5,--s5 5 -.
q number OF houses, estimated al between twenty
and twenty-five Only such buildings were burned
were occupied by colOred people Negroes who
found the streets were assaulted and 0ne
The negro was killed while endeavOrirg 10 protect
his home from i1ceudiaries after he had gone
the front door and shot into the crowd AS r.
ported IN the newspapers. the killed number three
the injured hfty-three
The first call for help came at o'clock ysstsr-
day afternoon when Sheriff Werner asked that
local company Of the national guard assemble al
O'Clock for duty at the county jail The company
was assembled at I o'clock at the jail TIE sec
Ond call came about o'clock when the Calling g1n
squad OF the local militia assembled az Lopsrs
restaurant At s:15 it was thought more aelp
Normal. Peoria. Pekin and Taylorvills companies
were ordered 10 assemble at their srTu0riss- The
Taylorville company started from that city a. =
o'clock. Later. special trains left bearing com
panieS from Pontiac. Danville. Champaign and
Union City. which arrived about 8 oclock The
marched at once from the cars 70 the place where
the crowd was congTegated- Within a few minutes
companies from Peoria arrived and Joined them
The Sheriff ordered the crowd 70 disperse, and On
their failing 70 do three vOIeys were fred over
the heads OF the crowd This having effect.
injured, the exact number not known The crowd
at once dispersed
Five hundred soldiers arrived or the scene n
the city between 2 a n and $50 a n. Al 4.3e
a m the 4th Regiment was called out This morn
ing go o'clock the 1st Regimen. Illinois Ma
Springfield about : a n.
This morning at 2 O'Clock I issued a public state
ment TO the effect that the negro families VINO
had been driven from their homes would be cared
for at Camp Lincoln The soldiers are erecting
tents there now. and al who fear danger VII Ds
accommodated and protected by the soldiers
We are prepared to meet any further Ioun-o
that may arise A few assaults have been maze
during the day. but were not serious. The con-
InUnity. however, is in a state q unrest