The circle banner., 1917-08-31
NEGRO SOLDIERS
RIOT IN HOUSTON
HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE
MEN STEAL AMMUNITION
AND RAID CITY
SEVENTEEN PERSONS DEAD
Black Troops Angered Over Reported
Shooting of Negro Sergeant by
Police Officer-Ctzens
Arm Themselves

order for the removal of the negr,
soldiers of the Twenty-fourth infantr.
from Houston to Columbus, N. M.
issued by Major General James Par
ker, commander of the southern de
partment, U. S. A, served materially
to restore the spirit of quiet here after
a day of unrest following the race riot
ing Thursday night which resulted in
the death of II persons and the
wounding of more than a score.
Coming as the climax to a series
of minor troubles between city police
and negro military police guarding
Camp Logan. Houston's mobilization
site for the Illinois division of the ma
tional guard, Thursdays outbreak Gre
ated reign of terror for many hours.
OF the 125 negroes to leave their
camp Thursday night with stolen am
munition for a raid upon the city, all
but eight were accounted for at 6
O'Clock last evening. Scores of civil
ian and military patrols are hunting
the remaining fugitives.
Major General George Bell, Jr., ar
rived today to take charge of the situ-
alton. Indicative of the complete con-
troll now held by the white military
forces is the resumption today of con-
struction work at Camp Logan which
was interrupted by the riot.
The rioting started about o'clock
Thursday evening. During the day the
negro troops became angered against
the city policemen of Houston because
of the reported shooting of a negro
sergeant by a police officer. Stealing
company ammunition, about 121 of the
negroes seized their rifles and left the
camp, starting toward the city, shoot
ing indiscriminately Warning imme-
diately was given and mounted police
officers sought to halt the mob, giving
their lives in vain efforts to drive back
the negroes. Illinois guardsmen en-
camped at Camp Logan soon arrived
on the scene, but only in time to throw
a Gordon between the negroes and the |
crowds of Houston citizens who armed |
themselves and quietly gathered to |
oppose the raiders. The negroes then
took to the open country in flight, |
some returning to camp where they
were placed under guard and others
hiding in buildings and bitches in
nearby roads.
Indignation over the outbreak was
particularly expressed because of the
savageness displayed by the negroes
toward the white police officers who
were slain and whose bodies in nearly
every instance were hacked with bay
onets. Among the illinois guardsmen
also much feeling was evident because
of the mutilation of Captain Joseph
Mates, one of the first to be slain by
the rioters.
Because of this feeling, General
Hulen ordered the public morgues in
which the bodies were held to close
their doors to all except immediate
relatives of the victims.
The four police, officers who died
fighting will be given public funeral
tomorrow afternoon.
Negro soldiers of the Twenty-fourth
were entrained last night and
removed to Columbus, n. M.
Captain L. S. Snow, commanding the
battalion, said that the action of the i
negroes was practically mutiny." IS
A scene probably unequalled in the S
annals of the United States army was r
enacted at Camp Logan yesterday c
when the six hundred soldiers of the i
of the Twenty-fourth negro s
infantry were disarmed. P
Flanked by a full battalion of the =
Fwenty-fourth negro infantry under
Colonel Millard Waltz, and three COM :
,anies of the coast artillery from Fort : :
Crockett, the negroes were marched =
our abreast to the parade grounds =
where their arms were stacked. Army n
rucks then loaded the rifles and am .
nunition and conveyed them to the =,
amp storehouse, where they were r,
laced under heavy guard. =;
Surrounded by his own men with A
oaded rifles, Colonel Waltz then ad- o,
ressed the negroes, telling them they in
yould be required to stay in camp and ot
'ould be protected from violence and n,
nat at the same time they would be
revented from committing further fo
IoIence. th
Military officials, state and federal, dl
,fused to discuss the seriousness Of ns
lie offense and the punishment in w
ore for the negro soldiers. They indi-
tied that any statement of this char n
ter must come from Major General
60. Bell, Jr.