The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1908-08-19
KEEP TROOPS
ON The jump
Serious and Comical Incl
dents at Springfield.
SENTRIES ARE FIRED UPON

Several Attempts Made to Assassinate
Members of the Militia, but No Cas-.
usities ResuIt-Continued Outbreaks
Not Reassuring to the Timid Por-
tions of the Community, Who Are
Further Alarmed by Idle Rumors.
Springfield, ILL.,, Aug. 19.-An attack
upon pickets and the forced hegira of
$50 negroes from corn fields on the
outskirts of the city to the state ar
senal kept the militia busy. The fir
ing upon the sentries and their an
swering shots occurred less than two
blocks from the headquarters of Gen.
eral K. c. Young at the county Jail.
No one was injured In the affray, but
tho fying bullets from the militia
caused CONSERVATION in the district.
The trouble followed an attempt to
set fire to factory building on Eighth
street, between Jefferson and Mad
ison. A negro who had been ordered
away from the place several times
during the night was discovered lurk-
ing In q shadow by Private George
Howell of Troop E, First cavalry.
Howell again ordered the man to move
on, but the negros reply was shot
from revolver. He dashed down the
street, dIsregarding the commands of
other sentries to halt. AS he turned
in an alley Corporal Delman and Pri'
vate Lowenstein, both Troop B, fired
at him. The shots went wild, but
they aroused the headquarters, two
blocks away, and Company of the
First infantry was sent to the place
ON the double quick.
The alley and adjacent houses were
searched, but no trace of the fugitive
was discovered. The affair happened
shortly before daybreak and was the
third occasion of the night In which
attempts had been made to assas-
sinate militia pickets.
The clearing out of the corn fields
southeast of the city was the result of
successive nights of terror in Har-
ward Park. An inspection of the corn
fields showed that at least 150 negro
refugees had camped therein. The
presence of the negroes Is thought to
have been responsible for the dis
tuybed conditions in the suburb. At
daybrsak Company E, First infantry
under Captain Jacob Junson of Chi
oago, was sent to the place to herd
the negroes into the arsenal
Outbreaks Not Reassuring.
The continued outbreaks of the
night have not reassured the timid
portions of the community. II one
tenth of the reports afloat In the be
wildered city were true Springfield
would be one of the most sanguinary
General Wells had merry time of II
all night dispatching rescuing squads
to places where they were not need
cd and ascorting firemen to fires thai
did not exist. Some OF the alarms
were hoaxes and some the result o.
nervousness on the part of citizens
Out of all the rush and hurry the sole
1CSuil was thC ioSN Va S">
befuddled negroes whose libations hat
been indiscreet and strong.
In another instance a whole regl
ment of soldiers was brought into &C
ton when can of molasses exploded
and drenched negro who was max
ine a cautious purchase at Norti
Side grocery The negro was stand
ing at the store counter when the ex
plosion occurred. With molasses drip
ping from his face, hands and clothing
he ran screaming from the store
through backyards and over fence
until he reached his home. There n
cried that he had been killed, that th
store had been blown up and tha
every one was dead. The sound o
the explosion and the cries OF negroe
alarmed the nearest military cam
and several companies OF infantry go
into quick action. When they reache'
the store the grocer was laughing 81
hard that he could not tell them wha
had happened. So they followed tn
trail of moasses and came at last t
the dripping negro The clothing wa
stripped from his body, but there wa
no sign of wound. Then the grocer
who had recovered his composure
rushed In and cleared the mystery an
the soldiers wearily faced towar
their quarters.