Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-07-04
RACE RIOTS BREAK AFRESH
At East st. Louis, Ill.-AIany Negroes
Killed, Houses Burned,

+
been set on fire by white mobs. The
exact number who perished in the
bourning houses, If any, is unknown.
Military rule was proclaimed at 8
O'Clock tonight, and at the same time
800 white men were arrested and
locked up at police headquarters.
Negro quarters In various parts Of
the city are OH fire and the flames
reach the very edge Of the business
district.
Estimates Of the number Of ne
groes who perished in the fire ran as
high as 100, but there was nothing
authentic on which to base these esti-
mates, except that hundreds Of
whites stood around the edges of the
burning districts and fired at the ne
groes as they fed from their. homes
Late this afternoon a mob Of
whites raided pawnshop and car
ried away fire arms. At o'clock 23
negroes and one white man were in
hospitals
Two negroes were taken from u
street car here this afternoon, shot
and killed and white man, standing
In front Of his store, was killed by a
stray bullet.
The turbulence of the mobs in
creased during the afternoon. At 2
o'clock negro was shot in the head.
The crowd cheered and .clapped their
hands as he was placed in an ambu-
lance. National guardsmen stood
ny, apparently doing nothing.
me work Of dragging negroes off
the street cars began at 1.30 O'Clock
When crowd surrounded an Ed
wardsville car which goes through
OF
ed the trolley from the wire. Imme-
diately white men boarded the car
and took off the negro passengers.
One negro was kicked and beaten by
the crowd in the street and then he
was shot. He died in an ambulance
later.
White Women Attack Negroes.
While this riot was going on a
Belleville car appeared. White men
and white women boarded it. White
women and white girls seized negro
women and when they were landed
IN the street the mob struck and
kicked them. The negro women fled
screaming. The men who had been
dragged off the cars were surrounded
and attacked by groups Of whites.
one negro was crushed in the head
with a heavy stick. He died in an
ambulance.
More cars were attacked Finally
national guardsmen arrived and be-
gan clearing the streets.
TITLES were taken from 16 guards
men by members of the mob, who
would approach a soldier, and say
ing, Here, boy, let me look at that
gun; you might hurt some one" and
would take the weapon away from
him.
The trouble broke out anew when
negro appeared at street car
transfer point where a crowd of white
men had assembled.
white man struck the negro in
the face and others knocked him
down and kicked him. Five shots
were fired at the negro as he lay
PROSTATE, wounding him in the arm
and leg. The crowd drew back,
thinking the negro had been killed,
nut he jumped up and ran away.
Later white man fired at a negro
and the bullet hit another white
man. The armed man was arrested.
but at the demand OF a crowd of
white men the police released him.
How Trouble Began.
The trouble began early this morn
Ing when Detective Sergeant Samuel
Coppedge was killed, three other Of
flcers we're wounded, one Of them so
seriously he may die, and two citi-
zens were shot here early to-day by a
negro mob in recurrence Of race
rioting. After the killing Of the off,
Ger the negroes dispersed. The 20
lice were armed with riot guns and
patrolled the street all night and six
companies of Illinois national guard
were ordered to East st. Louis by
Governor Lowden.
The trouble began when a mob OF
negroes, estimated at 200, each arm
ed with some sort Of weapon, assem-
bled at church in response to the
ringing Of bell, and began march
ing down the street. When word was
received at police headquarters that
a mob had formed four patrolmen
were sent to the scene in an automo-
bile. AS the car turned corner, the
headlights showed the mob massed in
the street, marching toward the ma
chine, many carrying clubs in addi-
tion to rifles or revolvers.
Sergeant Coppedge asked the ne
groes where they were going and was
met with a curt reply and an order
to "drive on" He told them that he
and his party were officers and had
come to see that order was maintain
ed.
Negroes Fired Volley.
GO on about your business" was
the reply, accompanied by a vOlley of
shots. Coppedge was killed instant
ly and the other three officers p'cu.I Il
ed. When. word of the killing of
Coppedge reached police headquar,
ters Chief Hickey ordered every
auaila hla mi rnl ma n on dnfu ond q IL.