The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-09-06
SCOOP ON THE JOB
HERALD REPORTER IN HOUSTON
WHEN WAR BROKE OUT.

VI tuc ItTdiu anu tdLeF With the AS
isociated press at Minneapolis, enlisted
with the Minnesota Quarter Masters
lCorps and is in training at Camp Lo
lgan, Texas near Houston. Harry was
lin Houston during the recent mutiny
of the colored troops and writessa gra
IPhic picture. of the scenes that attend
cd the affair. His letter follows:
Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, Fri
lday morning, Aug. 31.-Just a bit of a
note to let you know that the Germans
haven't got me vet and seem to be
manifesting little disposition to do so.
We (meaning the Mimi @, M. Corpse
arrived hyarabouts just two weeks ago
this morning. Wes are stationed at
Camp Loang, beautifully wooded,
level camp site five miles from Hous-
ten, with jitneys running intermittent
| ~ between the camp and town. AS
perhaps you know, the thirty-first di-
vision, comprising Illinois units of the
national guard, is to be encamped
here for intensive training. Thus far
the only troops here are the advance
detachments, comprising one company
from, each regiment Four full regi-
ments have been ordered to come,
however, and 1t is expected that they
will be here within two weeks now.
We are encamped with the Illinois
@. M. Corps and all of us have been
assigned to our respective tasks in
the quartermaster's department I'm
doing clerical work in the main offices
of the @. M. Just why the Mimi corps
was sent here heems to be an enigma
to everyone. The Minnesota troops
are to go to Deming, N. M. where, !
understand, the Iowa troops also will
be stationed. We will be the only
troops here from outside of Illinois, If,
indeed, we Remain. 1t is the prevalent
belief in the @. M. offices that we will
be ordered away after the main body
of troops get here and things get
squared around.
The Houston Riot.
S'pose you read of our little riot
here t'other night 1t was quite lively
in these parts for a few days. never
had seen race riot before and can't
say that care to see another. Houston
certainly was, wild town it happened
AS soon as the alarm was spread
through town that the colored troops
had mutinied and were marching to-
ward town, killing and destroying as
they came, everyone Immediately
swarmed to the downtown streets in
stead of staying at home, as would
have been proper. The result was that
the downtown streets were soon jam
med with half-crazed, men and women.
Everyone believed that the Illinois
white troops here were not of suffi-
Gent number to do anything and that
the negros would burn the town.
1t was quite a sight when the Him
OILS men got under way. Our camp is
two miles further away from town
than the negro's camp When the
alarm came the white troops immedi-
ately were loaded onto auto trucks
and shot into town. was downtown
"nen tney came through.
Tension at Breaking Out.
Picture the downtown streets of a
city damned with frantic men and
women, crazed with fear; ambulances
dashing through the crowds, sirens
shrieking, automobiles loaded with
armed civilians scurrying hither and
thither; other cars coming out of the
danger zone spattered with blood and
carrying wounded men. Then imagine
fifty big auto trucks, each loaded with
soldiers, bayonets set and glistening
in the street lights, coming suddenly,
laundering down through the main
streets and out toward the direction
from which it was believed the colored
men were marching on the town. If
tension ever snapped it snapped then.
rye heard some pretty big crowds
cheer but / never before had heard
any such roar as went up from those
crowds then. And take off my hat to
these Illinois guardsmen. | happened
TO be on the scene when they met with
lnb uuIlHttIS. Inc tluSho "SiN sup
ped block or two away. In a jiffy and
without word, save the command of
the officers, the men tumbled out and
lined up in firing formation. Of course
many white troops there were. When
they saw EN- they simply broke and
ran in every direction. That ended the
riot, although It was several days be-
fore they rounded up all the desert
ers. They shipped the mutineers out
Of town two days later and everything
is normal now.
Guess that's, enough of letter for
once. Am doing very well under army
life. OF course, cuss the grub and the
discipline and all that, but withal it
isn't so bad
AS ever,
~, ROBERTS. =