Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-04
NATIONAL GUARD
PATROLS STREETS
Effort Being Made to Prevent
Recurrence of Riots in
East St. Louis.
COMMUNITY is TERR0RlZED
Feared That Militia Will Not Be
Able to Cope With
Situation.
COMMUNITY is TERRoRlzED
IBy Associated Press.l

EAST 81. LOUIS, ILL, July .
Thirteen companies of national guards
men tonight patrol the streets OF
East ST. Louis. in an effort to prevent
recurrence of the race riots which,
since yesterday morning, have resulted
in death list OF twcnty-tisht per-
sons. the injury of seventy-five moro
and the destruction by fire Of $40 ne
gro homes covering sixteen and a half
acres of ground.
The entire community is terrorized
by the events Of the last two days.
and that they fear the inability of the
guardsmen to cope with the situation
was intimated to-day. when the Cham
mer of Commerce demanded to know
from Adjutant Dickson why
the troopers had not displayed more
energy last night. Members of the
chamber charge the soldiers with in
efficiency bordering on cowardice, but
AdjutantGeneral Dickson explained
that his force was handicapped by the
small number of troops available then.
The police force also was charged
with negligence.
NEGROES WALK OUT OF TOWN
On RAILROAD TRACKS
To-day some Of the negroes walked
out OF town on the railroad tracks,
more crossed to the Missouri side,
where all was quiet, and still others
assured of protection by the augmented
force of soldiers. returned to their
homes. Some, whose homes were
burned. were cared for in camp
hastily arranged by the Chamber OF
Commerce.
No systematic search Of the ruins
was made to-day, but fear that scores
OF dead might lie beneath gradually
disappeared. Last night brought ru-
mors that many bodies had been
thrown into the river. but no dead
were found to-day. and by night it
was doubted whether the death list
would much exceed the list in the
mortuaries.
One negro. badly injured. was dis
covered In sewer manhole, where he
was thrown after being badly bcatcn.
Michael Whalen. president OF the
Central Trades and Labor Council
tions which he thought led to the riot
ing.
Last summer" said whalen, "4.5oo
white men went on strike in the pack
ing plants OF Armour Co. Morris &.
negroes from the South came into the
plants as strike-brcakers. When the
strike ended the negroes remained at
work. and an equivalent number Of
white men failed to get their Jobs
back Since then there has been a
stream OF negroes arriving. At least
$500 negroes have come from the
South in the last year. Many of them
failed to obtain work. or to hold Jobs
once obtained. Burglaries, highway
robberies and petty crimes began.
The people became exasperated and
determined to drive them out of town.
NEGROES WILL NOT STRIKE
OR JOIN THE UNIONS
MIR. Whalen said that the chief OBJ
lection 10 the negroes was that thew
would not unionize and would not
strike. Managers of plants mentioned
oy MI Whalcn asserted that not a
white man had been deprived of work
because OF the negroes. Even with the
negroes. 1t was difficult TO get enough
LABOR they said. They explained that
rosy letters written back home by the
nrst arrivals accounted for the con-
tinued inf!ux from the South.
News that Governor Lowden was
coming, as we'll as ten additional com
panies or Suardsmen. tended to restore
confidence tonight. despite a few new
incenoiary fires One hundred of 1913
persons arrested last night were re-
leased this afternoon. Some others
were fined for carrying concealed
weapons, and the remainder will be
arralsned tomorrow. The grand jury
meets July 9. The leaders of the
moos are said to be known.
Fires which were started by rioters
in three negro quarters at noon were
brought under control after burning a
few shacks.
Governor Lowden and the troops from
springfield arrived at o'clock The
Governor conferred with Adjutant
General Dickson and Mayor Mollman
Later he attended a meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas II. Walker. president OF the
Illinois Federation of Labor and a
member of the Illinois Council of De-
tense. also arrived.
Governor Lowden was said to be an
gered at criticism of the militia by
members Of the Chamber of Commerce.
Thirty-fve small fires occurred to-
night in small shacks. All were said
to be incendiary. Fire engines were
not returned to their stations at all.
but were kept in the street ready for
instant response. There were no other
disorders Bridges were closed to the
public.
Detective Frank w. ogIey. who was
shot Sunday night. died this evening.
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