Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-07-07
M|ANY ARE KILLED AND
INJURED IN RACE RIOT
Murder Of Detective Sergeant by Riot
ers Started Troublc--Women Take
Part In Bloody Work.


Part In Bloody Work.
Five persons were killed. over n
score wounded and many houses 0ccu-
pied by negroes burned in Il race riot
Rt East ST. Louis, III.
Two negroes were taken from
street car, one was shot and one
was beaten to death. \ white man,
ctanding IN front Of his store, was
killed by a stray bullet. so far. four
negroes am Il white man have been
Killed and twcnty-SiN badly hurt.
The work Of dragging negroes off
the street cars began when a crowd
surrounded an Edwardsvilc car which
goes through the heart of East 81
Louis and pulled the trolley from the
wire. Immediately white mon board
ed the car and took off the negro pas
BenGcrS. One negro was kicked and
beaten by the crowd n the street and
then was shot. lie died In an ambu-
lance latcr
Nhllc this riot was going on n Bel
ieViIc car appeared. White men and
white women boarded il. White wo-
mon and white girls seized nrrrn wo-
the street The mob struck and kicked
thcm. The colorcd women ncd scream.
Ing. The men who had been dragged
OFT the cars ""' mndrd and at.
lacked by ,itce. o. g.
,I&"""o l.. with ., ., ...l .
b,icE. "" ~ in IN amhu'u~cc.
More cars were attacked. Finally.
national guardsmon arrived and began
to clear the streets Mt this spot
Rifles were taken from sixteen
guardsm"n by members OF tho mob
who would approach n soldier. and
saying: "l'crc boy, let mo look at that
gun, you might hurt some one" would
take tho weapon from him.
Th" race riotinG began when Dctcc-
tive Sergeant Samuel Coppcdcc wa
killed. thrc" other officers were wound.
cd, one Of them so seriously he may
die, and two citizens were shot.
After the killing Of the officer the
negroes dispersed.
The police were armed with riot
guns and ratrollcd the streets all might
and six companies Of Irmois national
guard wcr" ordered to East st Louis
by Governor I.owdcn.
u
negroes, estimated at 900. each one
armed with some sort Of weapon as
sembled nj n church in response 10 tho
ringing Of hell, and began marching
down the street.
When word was received at police
headquarters that mob had formed
four patrolmcn were sent to the scene
in ar automobile. As the car turned
n corner. the headlights showed the
mob had masscd In the street, march.
ing toward the machine. many carry
Ing cubs in addition to rifles or rcyol-
vers.
Sergeant Coppodgc asked the ne.
Grocs where they were going and was
met with curt reply and and an order
to "drivc on" He told them that he
and his party were officers and had
come to sec that order was maintain-
ed.
"Go on about your business" was
the reply. accompanied by vollcy Of
shots. Coppcdgo was killed instantly
and tho other thrc" officers wounded
When wor2 OF the killing OF Cop
pcdgo reached police hcaiouar; crs
Chief Of Police Hickey ordered every
available patrolman on duty and asked
for the services OF 200 soldiers of the
Sixth Illinois mfantry. under Major
Cavanaugh. \ Gordon was thrown
around the negro bC't and soldiers and
patrolmcn went through every house
searching Ucn and women for wcap.
ons. All firearms found were conhs.
Gated and about fifty backs were lock.
cd up.