Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-17
THE RACE WAR
Woman Who Was Victim of A. lack Not so Sure About Rec.
 oguiziDg AssaiIani.
GRlEVED OVER AFFAIR

Chicago, Aug 17.-A dispatch to
 the Tribune from Bloomington, III
 says: Mrs Earl Hallam, victim oi i the attack in Springfield which start ed the race war, is in doubt about the identity of her assailant. In an | interview she declared that she was
 uncertain whether Richardson, who is now a prisoner in Bloomington, iE the guilty man. Mrs Hallam's greatest concern now
 is over the race war which resulted from her misfortune.
 Although herself probably the
 most pitiful sufferer of the affair, she says that she would rather die
 herself than to have been the inno-
 cent cause of such a carnival of
 crime.
 A dispatch to the Record-Herald
 from Springfield, Ill, says: The
 claim of George Richardson, the al-
 legged assailant of Mrs Hallam, and
 one of the negroes spirited out of
 Springfield before the rioting reached
 an acute stage, that he could prove
 an alibi in the accusation against
 him is generally credited here. Mrs
 Richardson, who bears an excellent
 reputation among her acquaintances,
 regardless of their color, has. stated
 that she is prepared to swear her
 husband was at home the entire
 night of the alleged assault. Neigh
 bors are ready to take oath that he sat peacefully at home on the front
 porch the entire evening.
 Springfield to-day entered upon the second stage of riot history-the in vestigatiun of outrages and the ar rest of the guilty. A special grand jury was summoned this morning by Judge James A. Creighton of the San gamon county circuit court as the result of conference held yesterday afternoon between Governor Charles S. Deneen and States Attorney Frank Hatch.
 The grand jury will be held in ses- sion so long as the mob violence is threatened, and indictments returned as soon as a case is made against an individual. Suspects who have been arrested will be held awaiting the de- Alterations of the official body. Head- quarters have been established at IA North Seventh street just opposite the county jail by States Attorney Hatch. The evidence that will be submitted to the grand jury will be collected at this place. The confidence of Gem eral Young that his force can render abortive any attempt at mob violence is fully shared by the negroes. Many more of them from the residence dis tricts of the city came to the arsenal to-day. swelling the number now be- ing sheltered by the state to four hundred. The colored people are fed from the kitchens of the militiamen. They are comfortably quartered and satisfied. It is estimated that 1,500 negroes have left the city since Friday, some of them never to return.
 Troops A, c, D. F and I of the First cavalry arrived from Chicago to-day on special train. They brought with them 160 horses and full camp equipment. By o'clock their tents were pitched at Ninth and Jefferson streets.
 The troops and wagons are what Adjutant Scott calls his "Shafter It is declared soldiers in sufficient numbers to handle any sit- uation can be rushed to any part os the city in time to prevent serious to property.
 The most overt act of the night was an attempt to cut the fire alarm and telegraph wires at Seventh and streets in the heart of the business district. With the wires down the city would have been practically at the mercy of the in- who found firing the in which negroes lived or small businesses the easiest way of keeping the rioting going.
 The man who would have cut off | he fire protection of the city was discovered on the roof of a building | In the act of reaching for the wires. ] A half dozen shots from troops who | were on patrol in the square were | limed at him as he stealthily climb d toward the wires.
 One bullet probably hit him, for he | dropped to the roof of the building ut made a successful escape.
 To this affair is added the attempt | O fire the negro section on the north vest side of Springfield, which was prevented by prompt action of the Ire department cooperating with a 'attalion of the first infantry.
 4 platoon of infantry was dis hurriedly to Harvard park, ! new suburb just outside the city imits to the southeast. shortly be- ore midnight. Several shots had ,een fired, but so far as could bo nobody was injured. The roops soon returned to headduar- CTS at the county jail. The suburb 5 adjacent to the main shaft of tho 'entral coal mine where many ne- ,roes are employed.
 Throughout the night headqua-- CTS of the two brigsdes had fre- uent calls from frightened citizens rho requested protection from sus- icious characters.
 With the death yesterday of Vii lam DOnegsn, the aged negro who Fas lynehed Saturday night. and rank Dilmore. a white man. whu Tas shot while watching the rfOting. be list of known dead was increased 3 five Eight more are not expected D recover and the unknown list s