The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-03

GQ DOWN the street. d Willie MOIldIl
dressed IN a blood-spattered frock hit
one of the negro children over the
head with an iron bar. The child was
I trampled under foot and appeared
dead when placed i'll an ambulance.
Disarmed Soldiers Join Mob.
Three or four soldiers, disarmed and
cowed by the mob, were forced to join
the rioters One of them was forced
to kill negro at the approach to the
bridge leading to the Missouri side.
The crowd laughed uproarlously
when two of their number. dragging
rope on which a negro was being
hung over a telephone pole were
caught by a fire hose The men were
knocked to the ground. mob lead
er finished the negro with a revolver
Then women and children tore his
body literally to pieces and roasted it
in the fire.
One hundfed and fifty wounded ne
groes are under treatment ill Deacon
ess hospital this morning; $50 in St.
Mary's Hospital and scores of others at
the homes of friends on he Missouri
side.
Last nights rioting reduced the
riots of May 81 to mere semblance of
a street brawl While the mob was
apparently without leadership and
acting in unorganized units. it proved
terribly efficient. 1t was acting in
groups of from 200 to 1000 in all
parts of the city, making it impossible
for the militia to center their efforts
in any one spot Autorl obiles dashed
ed mobs with 80 and 3S-calibre
shells. Who supplied the shells could
not be learned.
What Incensed Whites.
a news reporter asked Is leaders
of small mob units what caused the
feeling against the negroes. They
answered without exception, the MUIR
der of Coppedge and the insolence
and lawlessness of the lacks"
One big Pole declared he had lost
his job in an aluminium factory, ms
wife and two daughters had lost their
negro. Hundreds of blacks have
been imported by the factories be-
cause they work for small wage, mob
leaders said
Claims He Killed IL.
II killed seventeen tonight" he
said. grinning as he shifted a bloody
ak he was carrying, from one hand
to the other, land I'm going to get
few more if I get a chance
It's so dark I can't find a skunk,
boy gangster from the Missouri
side, who had come over Ito Kill for
fun" said Il amt winged one in an
hour" He examined his automatic
carefully and set off to join mob
that was hunting a reported armed
negro mob
There are tales of thrilling rescues
without number
Colonel Trip early in the evening
saved the life of an aged negro; Ihe
white haired old darkey YVES being
while women kicked and beat him
with clubs. Trips automobile came
down the street and the unarmed col
onel by sheer will power cowed the
mob and carried the old fellow away
with him.
13 Companies of Guards.
City Attorney Fekete saved
blacks life after the crowd had start
ed taking turns trying to hit his head
The negro was badly wounded and
had fallen to the ground when F'ekete
pushed his way thru the mob. The
leaders laughed and said, Let him
have him. The skunks nearly dead
anyhow"
Thirteen companies of guardsmen
are patrolling the streets this morn
ing. The last six companies to arrive
are: Co. Third infantry, Pontiac;
Co. L Third infantry, kankakee; Co
A Fourth infantry Casey; Co z
Fourth infantry. Sullivan; Co. D
Fourth infantry, Paris; Co. L Fourth
/ infantry. Olney.
1he final death count will mount up
ward and officials said they would
not be surprised to find at least $50
known dead 1t is reported that three
white men were killed last night, but
early today their names could not be
learned.
Adjutant General Dickson is in
charge this morning and has issued
strict orders.
Forbid Street Crowds.
THE people cannot congreeate,"
Dickson declared. IF they do they
will be arrested. Even massing of
groups of three or four is forbidden"
When asked why troops were not
instructed to shoot into the mob when
riOting was at its height and many
soldiers were disarmed and chased
with their own wea pOnS. H4ckSCn said
the purpose for W hich the troops had
been sent had been accomplished
without this. Wholesale bloodshed
would have followed such an order
he declared.
Five hundred ring leaders of the
biggest mob are now under arrest"
Dickson said, "and this was accom-
plished without firing at one of
them.
Work was started on the grand jury
investigation this morning. Mob
leaders will be prosecuted without
mercy. officials said
Trouble Brewing for Weeks.
The causes deeply underlying the
disturbances are said to be of interest
to many other northern communities
where negro labor has been brought
LII II jill the SOdlII " replace IueH ell
| listed in the armed forces of the
United States, or who have beer
tempted to other sections by the high
wages paid in munitions factories
In East st. Louis, with a popula-
ton of about $4,000 persons, there
was already a large negro colony and
the war influx increased the proper
ton to an extent which caused much
coYment. Unrest among the whites
smouldered and even famed up last
May when, in a small riot, three
! negroes were shot and wounded, and
a number beaten, but feeling did not
run high in general, as the negroes
were merely filling vacancies not tax
] ing the places of white men, and with
| the arrival of soldiers quiet was quick
/ ly restored.
Race antagonism, however. remain
| ed. Real estate men attemnted to oh