Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-10
RACE RIOT At
HAWKINSV|LLE
ENDS FATALLY.
TWO KILLED AND THREE WOUND
ED In BATTLE BETWEEN AsSY-
RIANS AND CITIZENS - HUN.
DREDS OF SHOTS FIRED

DREDS OF SHOTS FIRED
| HAWKINSVILLE, Ga, Sept. 10.-In
an all-night battle between Syrians and
Americans here, two persons we're
killed and three others wounded, one
Of whom is believed to be in dying
condition. One Syrian who escaped
Las been located on a farm two miles
! from this city. A posse OF forty men
| have gone there to capture him. The
Syrian is heavily armed
The trouble is said to have started
over the drafting of Syrian alien en-.
emy, Thomas Simon, who is said to
have relatives in the Turkish army.
Simons name was certified to the dis
trict exemption board because of lack
Of proof Of his claims. He met one Of
the officials of the local board in
drug store last night, and is alleged
to have struck the official.
Simon then ran to the Syrian store
kept by himself and his brother, Nose
Simon. The two Syrians and the for.
mers wife loaded Winchester rifles
ard revolvers in plain view of the
street and prepared for pitched bat
1 tie, it is said
Late in the evening the police at
tempted to arrest Thomas for the as
sault. Then the Syrians opened fire.
Allen Dortch popular man about town,
4 fell wounded in the lung. NJ L. Benz
/ bry, postoffice clerk, was shot through
the ear, and John Hill, planter, was
shot through the arm. In the return Oh
shots, the wife of Thomas Simon was
killed. When her body was picked up
in the street, every cartridge in the re-
volver which she still held in her right
hand was empty.
The Simon brothers then barricaded
themselves in vault inside the store
and defied the police. They are all
! legged to have opened fire on every one
who approached.
Several vehicles were struck, but no
one else was injured
Shortly after 4 o'clock this morning
the crowd prepared to close in on the
Syrians. The Syrians tried to escape
through rear door. shooting as they
retired.
Thomas Simon was shot and killed
in his flight
| An appeal was made for troops from
Camp Harris during the night, but in
formation was obtained that the off
GERS there had no authority to send the
soldiers here.
Thomas Simon came here from Okla
bona, and it is declared by the police
that he was affiliated with the l. w w.
/ in the West.
! 1t is said that the trouble was start
ed by the Simon brothers abuse of the
president of the United States, which
was resented by some present, Deputy
Sheriff Horne and Marshal Jiles went
to their store to arrest them. The ST.
mons had armed themselves and when
the officers entered their store, Tom
Simon's wife, without warning, opened
fire and shot Allen Dortch in the back,
emptying her first revolver before stop
ping. NJ. L. Bembry was shot in the
ear, and John Hill badly shot in the
face.
The woman was shot dead, and the
brothers, who were conducting hard
ware store, had big supply of guns
and ammunition, and barricaded them
selves in the store They defied the
officers and arresting party, firing at
every one that showed themselves un-
til about o'clock this morning when
they made a dash for liberty, firing as
they went. Tom simon was killed and
his brother succeeded in getting away.
but it is thought that he may be shot,
and an effort is being made to catch
him Farris Simon's wife is still here.
The Simon brothers had been running
a hardware and grocery business here
for some years. Dortch is seriously
hurt, but will recover The fusillade
was SO great that several stores close
around had windows shot out.and the
Syrian's store was riddled, hundreds Of
shots being fired
correspondent at Shanghai According
II The disnatch taadn n,,hlic fnda,. 4ha