The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-24

a
ceased those in camp were calling for
ammunition and making threats
1t was not until the negroes reached
the Reichert store that the taking of
life began.
A block further south Fred Wink
Ter and w. ]. Brucks were selected
targets for shots from the rifles OF
the troopers.
About the undertaking establish
ments great throngs gathered and
there was muttering and denunciation
of a most rabid sort.
Armed Civilians -IobiIize.
AT the police station ,srly in the
evening probably a thousand men,
many of them armed, gathered and
there was a seething mass which cir
culated wild rumors and offered their
services to the chief of police and his
lieutenants.
The police did what they could. The
number of them wounded dn6 slain is
evidence of the fact that they did their
duty but they were overwhelmed.
Persons living in the vic1;ity of the
negro camp say that the first shoot
ing occurred within it's boundaries.
Sixteen truck loads Of National
guardsmen were rushed to the seat of
the trouble, and all the streets were
put under heavy guard. A member
of the guard from the Carl said after
the shooting had occurred that he had
known it was coming. Members of
the negro troops who wero placed on
guard duty at the camp here for two
or three days, were said y have been
insulting the white soldiers. Altho the
trouble did not start between the ne
gro and white troops, the action of the
former in their remarks +, the white
men showed The frame Of mind in
which they were.
Many Hiding and Shipping.
Armed negro soldiers sad to num-
n
hiding under buildings in the vicinity
of West End ball park and around the
park They had high powered army
rifles and pursued snipipg tactics
wherever they saw an opportunity to
do so.
Watch Trains for Armed Men.
AS a result of the mutiny of the
negro soldiers of the oath United
States infantry last night the entire
city of Houston and its surroundings
were today under martial law.
General John A. Hulen. was in COM
mand as provost marshal.
Orders have been given to soldiers
to watch all incoming trains and not
to permit armed men or officers to
enter the city. A report had reached
the city shortly after midnight that
armed men were likely to flock into
Houston from some of the adjoining
counties 1t was decided that this
should not be permitted.
Texas Guards Unarmed.
When 800 or more regulars arrived
from Galveston, they reported to Gen
eral Hulen for orders. Some of them
were detailed to go to Camp Logan.
Others were assigned o duty in the
city. Two soldiers were detailed to
each street car in the city and two
more were posted at eacn street cor
ner in the down town section. Orders
were given to prevent the assembling
Of oft in dc m 8
City and county officers were cooper
ating and following the instructions
of the military officers and it was
officially stated that the situation was
so well in hand that, unless crowds
are permitted to assemble and incen-
diary action breaks out, there will be
no further trouble.
The Texas National guardsmen here
awaiting entraining order to go to
Camp Bowie were without arms Their
officers quickly mobslized them at
armories and held them under re-
straint in one case behind locked iron
gates to prevent their being uselessly
sacrificed before the guns of the negro
mutineers. Several Illinois guard units
also were in the city.
Illinois Negroes Not In 1t.
The negro guardsmen from Illinois
took no part in the disturbance. re-
naming in their quarters and under
control of their officers thruout the
night Today they were likewise held
to quarters and special precautions
were taken to prevent an outbreak al
tho the men were not under armed
guard.
The killing of Capt. Joseph w.
Mates of the Illinois Second field ar
tillery was accompanied by extreme
cruelty on the part of his slayers, &C
cording to reports.
Wounded by rifle bullet, Captain
Mates was surrounded by the mutt
nous soldiers, riddled with buckshot
and his body hacked and stabbed in
many places with bayonets.
Shots, fired evidently at close range,
tore great sections of his skull to bits
and the body was almost unrecogniz-
able.
Survivor Tells Story,
C. w. Hail was shot at repeatedly
as he lay prone beside a wounded po-
! liceman. He told this story:
'I saw one policeman drop and
moun.ed officers horse fall Being
unarmed, 1 lodged to the shadow of
building on the corner. There was
wounded policeman already there.
THE negroes deliberately shot
down every white man in sight. They
were walking and shooting coolly and
with deliberation, hating to take
aim.
'They must have fred 100 shots at
us. One bullet just grazed my back,
burning me painfully. They left us
for dead"
An eyewitness, ]. Addington of Bat
son. an oil WORKER related this ac-
count of the scenes he witnessed:
81 saw two mounted policemen
come up. The negroes fired a volley,
dropping both the officers. and their
horses also. Some of the soldiers then
came up to the bodies and said in a
conten1ptuous manner:
There is the white trash we got -
Bayoneted Dead Officers.
They thought was dead, and one
of them stepped on my back. They
had only gone a short distance when
an automobile containing an army Of
! ficer came in sight. 1 heard some of
the negroes say, Here comes some
! more police lets get en- and with