Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-27


rection of Oakland. It was q night Of
terror. did not sleep wink. A
man-why and how I do not know
was killed on the sidewalk in front
| Of the house. heard the rapid re-
ports Of an automatic pistol, and few
minutes later the wounded wretch
| crawled up to my door, moaning and
crying out for help. Aiming myself
with two automatics, went to him.
BY the light Of a match ! ascertained
| that while he was dying OF the bullet
| wounds, at the same time the plague
was on him. fed indoors. whence !
heard him moan and cry out for half
an hour longer
I'm the morning my brother came
| to me. had gathered into hand
| bag what things of value l proposed
| taking, but when I saw his face I
knew that he would never accompany
| me to the Chemistry building The
! plague was on him. He intended shak-
ing my hand. but went back hurried
ly before him.
Look at yourself in the mirror
l commanded
my God!' he said. I've got it.
Don't come near me. I'm dead man
Then the convulsions seized him.
He was two hours in dying, and was
conscious to the last, complaining
about the GOODNESS and loss of sensa-
ton in his feet his calves, his thighs.
until at last it was his heart and he
was dead
THAT was the way the Scarlet Death
slew. caught up my handbag and
fed The sights in the streets were
terrible. One stumbled on bodies
everywhere. Some were not yet dead.
And even as you looked you saw men
sink down with the death fastened
upon them. There were numerous
fires burning in Berkeley, while Oak
land and San Francisco were appar-
emily being swept by vast conflagra-
tons. The smoke from the burning
was gloomy twilight. and, in the
shifts of wind. sometimes the sun
shone through dimly. dull red orb.
Truly, my grandsons. it was like the
last days OF. the. end of the world.
| There were numerous stalled motor
cars. showing that the gasoline and
the engine supplies Of the garages had
|giyensont. Il remember one such car;
Aman and awoman lay back dead In
the sests. snd on the pavement neas
It were two more women and child.
Strange and terrible sights there were
on every hand. People slipped by 81.
lently, furtively, like ghosts-white-
faced women carrying infants In their
arms: fathers leading children by the
hand: singly, and in couples and in
families-all fleeing out Of the city
Of death. Some carried supplies OF
food, others blankets and valuables.
and there were many who carried
nothing.
There was grocery store-a place
where food was sold. The man to
whom It Belonged knew him we'll
a quiet, sober but stupid and obstinate
fellow. was defending it. The win
dows and doors had been broken in,
but he. inside. hiding behind a coun.
ter, was discharging his pistol at
number Of men on the sidewalk who
we're breaking in. In the entrance
were several bodies-of men, decid.
ed, whom he had killed earlier in the
day. Even as I looked on from a dis
lance. saw one Of the robbers break
the windows of an adjoining store,
place where shoes were sold. and de-
liberately set fire to it. did not go
to the groceryman's assistance. The
time for such acts had already passed.
Civilization was rcrumbling, and 1t was
each for himself
81 went away hastily. down . cross
| street, and at the first corner saw
another tragedy Two men of the
| working class had caught man and
a woman with two children. and were
robbing them. l knew the man by
sight, though / had not been intro
.duced to him. He was-a poet whose
verses had long admired. yet did
not 70 to his help, for ct the moment
I came upon the scene there was
pistol shot, and saw him sinking to
| the ground The woman screamed,
ana she was felled by . fist blow by.
one OF the brutes. ] cried out threat
! eningly. whereupon they discharged
| their pistols at me. and ] ran away
around the corner Here was blocked
by an advancing conhagration. The
buildings On both sides were burning.
and the street was filled with smoke
and fame. From somewhere In that
murk came woman's voice caaiing
shrilly for help. But did not go to
her. A mans heart turned to iron
amid such scenes, and one heard all
! too many appeals for help.
Returning to the corner, FOUND
the two robbers were gone. The poet
ana his wife lay dead on the pave
ment. It was a shocking sight. The
two children had vanished-whither !
could not tell. And knew, now, why
It was that the fleeing persons ! en-
countered slipped along so furtively
and with such white faces. In the
midst Of our civilization, down IN our
slums and labor ghettos. we had bred
/ q race OF barbarians, OF savages; and
now, in the time OF our calamity, they
turned upon us like the wild beasts
they were and DESTROYED Us. And they
destroyed themselves - well. They
innamed themselves with strong drink
and committed thousand atrocities.
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