Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-20
NEGROES FLEE
SPRINGFIELD
Alarmed Because the Troops Are
Being Sent Back to Their
Homes.
SUFFER SENSELESS FEAR
Many Trnmped through the DrizEling
HAHN until Forced 70 Rest In Corn
fields and WOOdIOts - About
Two Score of Witnesses
before Grand Jury.

Springfield, H.. Aug. 1s.-Fear and
terror prevailed in the homes of Spring.
| field negroes tonight. The departure Of
two regiments of infantry to-day and the
announcement that two more organiza-
lions will be sent home tomorrow caused
CONSERVATION among the coored resi-
dents
The exodus Of negroes, which had be-
gun to abate was renewed. Trains and
trolley cars were used by thosc fortunate
enough to possess little money but
many of the unfortunates took the road
tramping across the country In a drizzline
rain until exhaustion forced them to seek
rest In cornfelds or In wood lots. The
children and aged who were driven t.
the open suffered heavily and It is feared
that many of them will succunlb TO tho
hardshlps.
jutantGeneral Scott insists that
| there is no good grounds FOR tho fear
OF the negroes.
There are plenty OF troops here 70.
night and the force that will be avilable
Tomorrow about LOO men. can GER
tainly protect tho city against any moo
that may form. Then, too, the presence
OF tho largo body Of soldiers waS irritating
some sections Of the community and there
was an element Of trouble there that
could not he overlooked"
| The special grand jury to-day examined
nearly two score Of witnesses but made
no return OF FITS proceedings. Unusual
precautions ms to secrecy have been
taken and tho IDENTITY and testimony Of
the persons who have appeared 10 give
| Information against rioters have been
carefully guarded Assistant States At
torney Wines who has charge Of the
grand jury work. said tonight that some
indictments or other return. may be made
tomorrow from tho grand jury room
THREATENING LETTERS.
Threatening anonymous letters which
began to arrive at the offices of Of
ficials as soon as the reprcssive meas
ures began increased in number to-dar
! Some merchants also have received COM
munications Of this sort. one grocer was
warned that his place OF business would
be burned unless he discontinued the sale
Of provisions to negroes. Tonight "A
small fire broke out In his establishment
but its location precluded the idea that
it was incendiary.
A troop OF cavalry was sent to Eighth
street and North Grand avenue tonight
to remove an effigy which had been hung
to telegraph pole. A toy bear had been
singed and smeared with tar and to 1t had
been fastened a placard bearing the IN
scription: "Niggers beware"
TO GIVE UP MILITIA MAN.
The plans were completed tonight for
the delivery to the civil authorities Of
Joseph b. Klein. the Chicago Infantry
man who stabbed Earl Nelson with a
bayonet at Kankakee while the regiment
was enroute to Springfield. The surren-
der of Klein will be made according 70
military regulations in such instances.
Company l.. of the Third infantry being
detailed as an escort for the prisoner.
Klein will be escorted to the iai. by
soldiers and there formally turned over
to the local civil authorities. As soon as
this has been accomplished report of
the attorney general will move for
Kleins release on bail 1t is the deter
mination of the authorities here that
Klein shall he treated only as n member
of the States forces who has been ac-
cused Of crime of which he is presumed
to be innocent