Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-08-15
MODS RULE
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.
Race Riots, Lynch Law, Murder
and Madness Run Rampant


ever known came to an end here this
morning when several companies Of
the militia arrived upon the scene
and opened fire on a mob that had
paraded the streets ever since last
evening, destroying property and HUI
man life and spreading terror wher-
ever it went. The first yolIey from
the soldiers moved down FIVE mem
bers Of the mob. slightly wounded
many others, and then for the first
time the angry, surging mob ceased
their destruction of property and hui
man life and the city is quiet again.
save for the constant tramp OF the
soldiers and clank OF their arms as
they patrol the streets.
Restaurant Man Starts Trouble.
The trouble that started the mob
on its riotious raid of the city was
the disclosure of information to the
effect that Harry T. Lopez. a restau-
rant man, had loaned his automobile
to the sheriff to spirit away a negro
by the name of George Richardson,
who was wanted for an assault up
on the person of Mrs Earl Hallam,
wife of street car man, on Thurs
day evening AS soon as this infor-
nation began to spread. throughout
the town crowds could be seen to
assemble and in few minutes a well
organized mob was raiding the
restaurant of Lopez and that portion
of the town occupied by the negroes.
The mob first started for the restau-
rant, and amid yeIIs and bowls
they commenced their work of de-
vastatiOn. Loper's automobile stood
in the street in front of the restau-
rant. and this was seized upon by the
mob and completely wrecked, and
then it surged through the restau-
rant doors and began its work or
establishment, and when 1t left. the
restaurant was a complete wreck.
Lopez had anticipated the attack and
was at his place of business when
the mob arrived He saw it tear his
automobile to pieces and scatter it's
fragments in the streets and de-
molish and wreck everything in sight,
but he made no resistance. but
throughout it all sat cody and un-
cOnceTnedly in a chair in the rear
of the restaurant with a rifle thrown
across his knees smoking a cigar.
He had expected that he would fall
a victim to the mobs thirst for
vengeance and had come prepared to
fight for his life to the last. but for
some miraculous reason the mob
paid no attention to him as he sat
there. but satisfied itself with wreck
his property and then departed.
Wreck Negro Section Of City.
From the Lopez restaurant the
mob made a rush for the negro por-
ton Of the city and this section looks
as though it had been struck by a
cyclone. Amid yells of rage and
bowls of vengeance it entered bust
ness house after business house. the
inmates fleeing in terror, and wrecked
everything that could be found. and
this morning SO business houses con-
Quoted by negroes are in ruin. Many
members of the mob were armed and
as they went on their march of des-
truction fired shot after shot at the
fleeing negroes. many of whom were
injured, some fatally. and It is
thought that when the situation is
quieted down that a number will be
found to have met death from the
bullets of the mob All through the
night the mob continued its work
Of destruction and acts of violence
against the eolored people and the
police authorities sought to queIl the
mob. but their efforts we're fruit
less.
Negroes Retaliate on Whites.
As the raid and the riot con-
tinued. the spirit Of yenganee and
race hatred which had characterized
the mob in the work of destruction
spread TO the negroes. and they be-
gan to arm and form themselves in
to fighting squads, and commit dep
relations against property and acts
of violence against the whites
wherever they might be found
James Hayes. q white man. who had
remained q quiet spectator on the
scene was shot down in cold blood