The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-07-05

- NJ
East st. Louis, ILL.,, July 3.--The sun
rose today on city that was ON fire
and was running full of blood.
One hundred negoes are believed
dead and more than five hundred SER
iously injured as the result of the
worst race riots in the history of that
county.
The city was under martial law to-
day and the soldiers were believed to
have the situation in hands. Property
losses from the fire which were set by
the rioters in an effort to get all OF the
blacks were started about six o'clock
last night were today estimated at
81, 100000.
Il believe that the worst Is over"
Col. T. o. Tripy personal representa-
tive of Governor Lowden in command
of the eight companies of Illinois Ma
tional Guardsmen patroling the city
told member OF the United Press at
an early hour today.
Thirteen companies OF guardsmen
are patroling the city this morning. 1t
was generally believed today that the
final death number would greatly
amount upwards and the policemen
said that they would not be surprised
to find that there were at least two
hundred and fifty negroes dead.
1t was reported this morning that
three white men had been shot down
but their names could not be learned.
Attorney General Dickinson was in
charge this morning and issued strict
orders. Collecting in groups OF three
or four was forbidden.
The killing of the blacks this morn
ing was done without mercy the off,
Gals stated.
Hundreds Of one-half grown boys
and girls we're in the mob. When
three negroes were shot down at the
intersection of Collinsville and State
street a crowd of women and girls
beat them with rocks and clubs. The
girls of not more than Is years of age
mounted a moving street car and
dragged off an elderly negro woman
and beat her into insensibility with
their shoes. The conduct of the Ma
tional Guardsmen brought nothing
but praise. Many of them being under
fire for the first time.
At one time lad of Is was slight
ly injured when he rescued twelve
negro women from a mob. He had
lost his rife, revolver and hat but
succeeded in getting them to the police
station in safety.
Three or four of the soldiers disarm-
ed and cowed by the mob were forced
to join the rioters and one of them
was forced to kill negro when re APP
preached the bridge to cross over into
the Missouri side.
The importation of blacks to work
in the factories and their insolence is
the movement that caused the last
night riots the officials said.
One big Pole declared that he had
lost his job In an aluminium factory
and HIS wife and two daughters had
also lost their places and his son had
been shot shot by black.
Hundreds of blacks have been i'm
ported besause they would work for
smaller wages. a mob leader said.
81 have killed seventeen tonight"
grinning as he shifted a bloody ak
that he was carrying from one hand to
the other. Il am going to kill a lot
more If get the chance"
1T is so dark that can't find any
skunks" is what one boy from Mis-
souri, said when he had heard of the
mob, and came over the line in order
to join them. 81 hain't winged one for
more than an hour"
+, He examined his automatic rife
which he had and then went OF to join
another mob =
There are tales of thrilling rescues
without number.