The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-04
WHY RACE RIOTS CAME
IN CITY o. EAST ST. LOUIS
Grand Jury Makes Sensational Report
A. Result of Probe Into
the Anair.

East 81. Louis. H. oct. s.-The race
riots here ON july .. FOR which ls% per
sons we're indicted on charges ranging
from rioting &c assault and murder
had their origin In antagonisms between
white and negro labor.
For several months southern negroes
had been coming 10 East -. Louis TO
obtain employment In the mills. ana
though there was work enough here for
all. white and black, the feeling spread
among white laborers tha, in the event
OF a strike the negroes would he used
10 break IL.
other causes cOntributory To the rae
lal antagonisIn were the activities OF
negro criminals and the insanitary con.
dition in which many pf the negroes
lived.
The great riot of July .. in which
many negroes were massacred-the ex'
net number being unknown--was due
directly To- an attack by a negro mob
on an automobile loaded with detectives
on the night NJ july I. Two detectives
were killed The following day negro
men and women were dragged on street
cars and beaten. and when night feil the
city officials and the national guards
men who had been rushed here TO pre-
serve order seemed powerless.
Flock 20 Negro Quarters.
Rioters fiockcd to the negro quarters
and. setting IRE to the frame houses In
which the blacks lived. shot them as
,hey ran from their burning homes.
IIupdresss of negNNes sought shelter
at police headquarters. and thousands
crossed "a 81 Louis. Mo. In the sue
ceedlng DAYS. the Red Cruss at ST. Louis
Mo. cared for 10000 nesyu refugees.
The number Of negroes killed IN the
rioting or who died II injuries, and
whose bodies were recovered. WAS -
The number OF whites killed was nine,
making the total number Of deaths ~.
II generally was assumed that many
bodies were burned in the flaming
houses. and the grand jury that inves-
tigated the riots reported that lee were
slain.
The massacre occurred on July >. On
July i the grand jury began it, in
quiry. under the direction Of Attorney
General Brundage of Illinois. and on
the night of August II made a sensa'
|
against lO5 persons. tracing the origin
OF the race trouble. sharply criticising
city officials for alleged failure TO heed
the signs Of approaching trouble. and
making the definite statement that the
riots were deliberately plotted by men
who sknlfully maneuvered to bring the
whites and blacks into conflict
The grand jury told Of the labor an
iagonism betw cen whites anG blacks. Of
the disadvantage 10 white labOrers in
negotiating with operators Of the mills
by reason of the presence in the city OF
negroes who could take their jobs: Of the
demand on the mayor and City council
on the night of May 2S that the inhuS
Of negro labor be stopped. and OF the
rioting which followed that demand and
continued the next night In this riot
ing negroes were dragged from street
/ ears and beaten Two white men were
shot
Negroes Are Stirred.
/ Following this" said the grand jury
report. and through June asitators
worked among the people and endeavof-
ed 10 stir up strife and IN feeling. The
story was circulated among the colorrd
people that whites were arming and
were going tg massacre the colored peo-
pie and word was sent out TO arm in
( defense. Agitators likewise circulated
the story among the whites of East -
Louis that the negroes were planning 10
massacre the white race Of East II.
Louis The date set on both sides for