Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-07-07

A MASSACRE AT EAST ST. LOUIS

& Murder Of Detective Sergeant by Riot
ers Started Trouble--Women Take
Part In Bloody Work. -
Five persons weTs killed, over q
score wounded and many houses occu-
pied by negroes burned in race riot
Rt East st. Louis, Ill.
Two negroes were taken from a
street car, one was shot and one
was beaten to death. white man,
standing in front of his store, was
killed by stray bullet So far, four
negroes anG white man have been
Z Killed and twenty-siX badly hurt.
The work of dragging negroes OFF
the street GERS began when crowd
surrounded an Edwardsville car which
goes through the heart Of East St.
Louis and pulled the trolley from the
wire, Immediately white men board.
y Cd the car ard took off the negro pas
4 Bengers. One negro was l1ic1ed and
beaten by the crowd in the street and
then was shot. He died In an ambu-
lance later.
While this riot was going on, Boil
+ ieyille car appeared. White men and
white women boarded 1t. White wo.
1 men and white girls seized negro wo-
men, and when they were landed In
the street the mob struck and kicked
them. The colored women fled scream.
Ing. The men who had been dragged
ne cars We n : Ne! tund ed 4and at.
sacked BY 81 h B. S$S ties or II: IA.
81 stnep s az. So, u, s,,f
H6.tck. lie 49, In an anlbu a1ce. M X. 1 ES
More cars were attacked. Finally,
national guardsmen arrived and began
TO clear the streets at this spot.
4 Rifles We're taken from sixteen
guardsmen by members OF the mob
who would approach soldier, and
saying: Here boy, let me look at that
gun, you might hurt some one" would
take the weapon from him.
The race rioting began when Detec-
two Sergeant Samuel Coppedge was
killed, three other officers were wound.
ed, one OF them SO seriously he may
Y die,Sand two citizens were shot. rT
sSs Arser the killing Of the officer the
negroes dispersed. tst
i r
guns and patrolled the streets all night
and six companies Of Illinois national
guard were ordered to East st. Louis
by Governor Lowden.
The trouble began when a mob OF
negroes. estimated at 200, each one
! armed with some sort Of weapon, as
sembled at a church in response to. the
singing Of q bell, and began marching
down the street.
When word. was received, at police
headquarters that mob. had formed
four patrolmen were sent to the scene
In an automobile. AS the car turned
a corner, the headlights showed the
mob had massed In the street, march
Ing toward thettmachine, many carry
ing cubs in addition to rifles or revol-
vers.
Sergeant Coppedge asked the ne,
groes where they were going and was
met with q curt reply and and an order
to drive on" He told them that he
and his party were officers and had
come to see that order was maintain
ed.
Go on about your business" 2was
Che reply, accompanied by vol1ey of
shots. Coppedge, was killed instantly
and tho otherithreeS officers wounded.
When word aof the killing OF Cop
pedge reached, police Headquarters
Chief Of Police Hickey ordered every
available patrolman on duty and asked
for the services of 200 soldiers OF the
Sixth Illinois infantry, under Major
Cavanargh. A Gordon was thrown
around the negro belt and soldiers and
patrolmen went through every house
searching aen and women for weap.
ons. All firearms found were confis.
Gated and about fifty blacks were lock.
ed up.
Race rioting IN East st. Louis first
broke out May rs last when the rob-
berry Of two white men by negroes pre-.
cipitated violence which resulted In
! injury Of about two score negroes and
a dozen white men in four days.
Homes Of negroes were burned and a
large number Of them left the city.
Saloons and places Of amusemert were
ordered closed, and other steps were
taken to keen crowds off the streets.
The trouble grew out CT the importa-
ton Of negro laborers from the south.
President to Take No Vacation.