The sun., 1917-07-03
States Attorney Estimates
the Number of Dead
May Reach 25O.
BLACKS FLEE STATE
Martial Law Declared and
300 Persons Are Ar
rested by Troops.
FLAMES ARE UNCHECKED
Importation Of Workers From
South Is Cause-Women
Join Rioters.
FLAMES ARE UNCHECKED

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill, July 2s-From
~ to 10 negroes were shot and killed
here tonight as they fed from their
burning homes, which had been set on
nre by white mobs The exact number
which perished in the burning houses is
unknown and cannot be ascertained until
morning when the ruins are searched.
Two whits men also are among the slain.
States Attorney Schaumloeffel OF st.
Clair county drove through the riot
swept district tonight with Police In
spector Walsh of st. Louis, Mo The
States Attorney estimated that the dead
negroes would number $50. All estl-
mates however. are coniecturaI
Military rule was proclaimed at s
O'Clock tonight and at the same time
800 white men were arrested and locked
up at police headquarters. Negro quar-
tiers In various parts OF the city are on
nre and the flames reached the very edge
Of the business district.
Estimates Of the number of negroes
who perished in the ire ran high, but
there was nothing authentic on which
TO base estimates except that hundreds
Of whites stood around the edges of the
burning districts and fired at the negroes
as they fled from their homes.
The property loss was estimated by
City Attorney Fekete at $4,000, 900
Forty injured negroes and six injured
white men were in one hospital and al
most an equal number in another.
vast clouds Of smoke rolled across
h. h,,r
made some OF the downtown streets as
light as day, and now and then a yelling
mob rushed down a street in pursuit of
negro or in search of new excitement
National Guardsmen. loaded in automo-
ollie trucks, dashed after the rioters.
Fires Raging in Four Sections.
At IL p. NJ. another fire had broken
out in the extreme northern portion of
the city. where there is a negro section,
and smaller mob was searching for
negroes. This brought the burning sec
tons up to four. lighting the entire city
with their glare.
Col. Trip. assistant Acknowledgement,
said shortly before midnight that the
rioting crowds had for the most part
dispersed.
Nearly 500 negro men. women and
children are quartered In the City Hall
anu tno ponce ctAtlon- AT frequent IN
tervals all evening and until late to-
night trucks brought negro refugees
from burning sections to augment the
covering groups at these refugee build
lngs, Where a strong guard or troops Is
stationed.
Terror spread among the black men
ana women at 10 80 p. M. when all the
lights In both buildings suddenly went
out, due to the destruction of electric
wires In the downtown district.
When report came TO military au-
,noriaes tnat negro INHABITANTS at
BROOKLYN ILL.,, a city entirely populated
ny negroes were moving on East ST
Louis, a truck full OF guardsmen was
sent TO the BLACK bridge TO meet any
ipS Heo " "uo"''
At the same time another truckload
Of soldiers wss rushed to the corner near
the post office. where negroes barricaded
in upstairs quarters had been firing at
soldiers standing guard In the street be-
low.
The worst property damage was done
along the tracks of the Southern Rail-
road Company. where the Southern
Warehouse and between 100 and 100
cars. many OF them loaded with mer-
chandise, were consumed by flames. The
damage here was estimated at between
100000 and 100000.
The Broadway Theatre, valued at
100000. was entirely destroyed, ana at
IL F. NJ. the flames were moving stead
ily along the tracks, almost unhindered
by the feeble efforts or the firemen,
which were directed toward preventing
tho blaze from spreading TO more i'm
portant buildings.
Col Tripp stated at IL 80 p. M to-
night that twenty three companies of
State troops would be in the city before
midnight, all except three companies of
which were then on guard. The COM
bined strength OF the troops to combat
trouble tomorrow, he said. would be
several thousand.