Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-30
COMPAN c CLERK
GIVES VIVID STORY
OF HOUSTON RIOTS
PANDEMONlUM BROKE LOSE
WHEN NEGROES STARTED
WILD NIGHT OF TERROR-OT-
TAWA BOYS SLEEP ON HARD
BUNkS.

A letter in which Is graphicall
described the riots at Houston las
night has been receive,
from Clerk julius Richardson. a mem
bers of Company C., by States AttoI
neg George S. Wiley, in whose oflic
Mr.. Richardson was employed befor
his departure for the front. Beside
in interesting style facts o
that wild night of disorder Mr.. Rich
ardson draws a good pen picture Il
which he shows what our boys ar
going thru at Ft. Houston
He says:
Camp Logan, Texas, Aug, n, 1917
| have a few minutes before
starting a little work, SO have de-
cided to take little of your time,
to converse with YOU in our only
possible way. It seems an awful
long time since we left Ottawa,
and would give a whole lot If |
could come back just to see the
town and people again for short
time. This camp is by no means
the best site in the country for
soldiers. II is awful dusty and
dirty, the days are terrible hot
and the nights very cold and
damp. We have no tents as yet
nor a sufficient number of cots so
have been obliged to sleep on the
ground or mess, tables. My hips
are about raw from sleeping on
those boards as well as my
knees. The next thing | try will
be tree Suppose you heard of
the quarantine, well it has been
lifted II was raised last Thurs
day night, the night Of the riot
as our assistance was required.
it was certainly an exciting and
hot time down here for a while.
Went to bed at 80 that night
and about 900 o'clock was awak-
ened the volley fire Of the oath
colored. They are about a quar-
ter of a mile or so from our mess
shack Was sleeping in the Off
GERS mess shack, as we were un-
der quarantine and we moved
across the street before they
auarantined us to as to keep com
munication open and the work up
Well, it was raining that night and
when we heard the firing. which
sounded very close, and indeed 1t
was, too close for a Springfield.
Pretty soon the colored Orderly
drove into camp with the news
and call for assistance, Then
came the bugle call. The camp
was certainly alive in few min
utes. You would think we we're
being attacked from the real front
and all sides. When the men
were ordered to get their guns
and bayonets, there was howl
went up as though they were wild,
Just like q bunch of kids going
to a circus. The companies all
formed in squad formation. fixed
bavoncts and were issued ammu-
ition Some sight seeing them
/ going down the street in the
dark with the bayonets glstcning
wanted to go but the captain
said / had better stay in the office
here to watch the stuff. OF
course. there were quite a few
men loft in camp for an eInergcn
cy. But we were in a bad fix. NJ
guns, no ammunition, no anything
Some had axes, some clubs ant
the Irish squad dcploycd to tn
brick pile as their most effective
weapon. Then the report came
that the nggers had turned bacl
and we're headed for Camp Logan
1ights were Immediately ordere'
out and it was some place. on
company was ordered to guar
the warehouses Well it was cel
tainly some wild night. Didn
get much sleep, but it was n
time to sleep II was quite sa
in camp after everything wa
quiet as Capt Mates Of Batter
u "a" of Chicago was killed. The
l. are Just a few company street
u from us. Everything is quiet no
y and the martial law was declare
. off today The street cars eac
had armed guards with rifles G
them, guards on every corner
f.. Aa...., 49, ,,uiliupc nl1nmaL IN mn