The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-04
Pail of Political Scandal in
Wake of E. st. Louis Riot.
State Troops Fraternized With
Mob of Negro Slayers.
NO OUTBREAK LAST NIGHT
CenSure Governor for Not De-
cIaring Martial Law.
Probably Hundred Deaths-En-
tire Negro Population Gone.

East St Louis, ILL.,, July A
CHASTITY pail of political scandal, cow
ardice, labor outrage and inefficiency
has settled over the smouldering ruins
of East ST. Louis's race war today.
With Governor Frank o. Lowden, of
Illinois, personally in charge of more
than 1000 troops investigation is I'M
der way to trace the blame for near
two days rioting, the loss of upwards
of one hundred lives and property
damage which may be more than ST.
100000.
Charges and counter-charges are
flying thick and fast.
The chamber Of commerce and civic
labor organizations openly declare
that the police and the first units of
national guards made little or no at
tempt to COW the mob. Soldiers
fraternized freely with the negro
slayers, it is charged. and smoked
cigarets furnished by mob leaders
while negroes were hanged before
their eyes.
Business men are also bitter in their
condemnation of Colonel Trip and
Governor Lowden for their fail
ure to declare martial law. Had mar
tial law been declared, they say, the
state and the city would have been
jointly liable. AS it is, the city is
liable. and, already deeply in debt,
will be unable to meet its obligations.
Governor Visits Scene.
There was little trouble last night.
Several small fires were burning when
Governor Lowden arrived at S;4O
o'clock, but these were burned out
before midnight and there were nc
fresh outbreaks.
John H. Walker, member of the
Illinois state council of defense, is on
the ground investigating the labor
angle of the outbreak but has as yer
made no statement. 1t is indicated
today that officials are working on the
theory that I. w w. leaders, possibly
melted by German agents, had hand
in organizing the plot And, despite
the observation of eye witnesses, to
whom the mob seemed to be working
without organization of centralized
leadership, there is a growing BELIEF
that the outbreak had been planned
in advance and waited only a favor
able incident, afforded by the murder
of Detective Sergeant Coppedge to
! carry out its scheme
Wounded Detective Dies.
The death of Detective Wodley,
who was wounded by a mob of blacks
who killed Coppedge early Monday
morning came near starting a fresh
riot last night, but soldiers were too
numerous and it was known that they
had instructions to shoot to kill.
I Sightseeing parties who f1ocked thru
the ruined district yesterday despite
| efforts to keep them out, had already
! begun to storm the city at an early
! hour today. They crossed the ri. er
/ in boats and came in by obscure paths
/ when passage of bridges and high
ways to all not holding police passes
was blocked.
Nearly all the black population had
! left the city today-most of them car
! rying their pitiful belongings in bags.
! Many of them have gone south and
! thousands are being cared for in st.
Louis. Small bands guarded by Mill
! tia fiocEed across the municipal bridge
j all yesterday afternoon. Sore bolder
spirits returned under militia Guard
to search in the ruins of their homes
/ for bodies of missing relatives and
every now and then cnarrei s-audges
in the ashes revealed trinkcts or other
! indication that negroes haG burned
| there.
Federal Arm My Act.
/ There is talk of calling a special
federal grand jury to conduct an in
vestigatioa a: once, but this has not
been definitely decided on It is ad-
m':ted that Pr osecutious viii be diff
/ ficult on account of the thousands of
persons involved and a strong current
| of public sympathy with the mob
members under arrest
Cases of smallpox discovered amSng
refugees yesterday have been isolated
and there is little danger of an cpl
demic, authorities declare. They are
taking special care to fumigate all
quarters occupied by the negroes how
ever.
Light Fines for Rioters.
Most of the hundreds of mobsmen
arrested Monday night and yesterday
have been released on small bonds or
fined. Nine men are held for rson
and United States District Attorney
/ Karch, who is in the ground, 1ntimates
that prosecution must be pressed or
he will step in. Many of the men re-
leased should have been held, it is
charged, and others let off with light
fines should have been held for prose
cution on felony charges.