South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-07-03
Martial Law Declared
As Mods Burn and
XII at East St. Louis
Story Of Day and Night of Terror in illinois CITY Graphically
TOd-Mtia Helpless at Times Be-
fore Whites
fore Whites.

tlme 900 white men were arrested
and locked up at police headquarters.
Negro quarters in various parts Of
the city are on FIRE and the flames
reach the very edge OF the business
district.
Estimates Of the number Of Ne
groes who persisted in the fire run
as high as 100. but there was moth
ing authentic on which TO base these
estimates. except that hundreds Of
whites stood around the edge Of the
burning districts and fred at the
Negroes as they fed from their
homes
Estimates Dead az $50.
States Atty. SchaunloemeI OF St
clair county drove through the riot
swept district last night with Police
Inspector Walsh OF st. Louis. The
states attorney estimated that the
dead would mum Der $50. All esti-
mates. however, are conjecturaL
At o'clock the mayor Of East St
Louis sent for Fire Chief Swingley
Of the ST. Louis fire department TO
assist in fighting the flames. which
threatened 10 destroy a large part of
the city. A company Of the St Louis
fire department started for East ST
Louis, but was ordered back by
Swingley.
Vast clouds Of smoke rolled across
the shy Monday from the burning dis
Tict; flames made some of the down
town streets as light as day. and now
and then a yelling mob rushed
down "a street in pursuit of a Negro
or in search Of new excitement TIE
shouting died down occasionally as
bewildered people walked up and
down the streets, wondering where
the last outbreak occurred
Women Flee Across Border.
The fires started about o'clock
last evening and spread rapidly
Soon flames visible for miles were
shooting into the sky. Hundreds
of Negro women. most of them
carrying bundles that held their
most precious belongings, and lead
ing small children. fed across the
border 10 snelter and safety with
friends on the Missouri side.
Telephone wires were cut early in
the evening The telegraph and
telephone poles caught fire and other
wires went down The mobs i'm East
-. Louis we're swelled by hundreds
of people who early in the evening
crossed the river from st Louis ano
this added such a menace TO tho
situation that at $50 O'Clock the
bridges were closed iris forced
hundreds Of residents of suburban
towns 10 stay in st. Louis for the
night.
Thousands Forced to Walk.
AS soon as street car traffic ended
81 Z q. N crowds walked across tho
bridge into East ST Louis by the
thousands.
The mobs got into a lynchlng
mood last night One aged Negro was
strung up on pole. bat was rescued
lust in time 70 save his life. Soldiers
rescued still another Nero who was
being dragged through the streets
Mob Scattered by BayOncts.
After military rule had been pro-
claimed the soldiers put more vigor
into their attempts 70 quell the mob.
Seventy-five white men attacked o
Negro IN front Of q drug store
downtown and shot him twice. at
tempted 20 DRAG him 10 a pole, beat
The troops charged with fixed
bayonets and the mob scattered
With this show of force the rioters
i'm part quoted down Troops stood
suard at a corner and kept the
crowds moving At $50 O'Clock fire
broke out i'm ;he district known as
the valley" This fire came peril
ously near 20 the big railroad Yards
Of East st. Louis. At @ o'clock four
more Negroes We're shot 10y snipers
~ 10 o'clock il appeared as If the
valley" district was doomed to
destruction. This is the third larSe
area 10 be burned The property
damage viii reach many thousands
Another Fire Breaks ont.
At IL p. IN. another IRE had
broken out I'm the extreme northern
portion OF the city where there is a
Negro section and smaller mob
was searching for Negroes. This
brought the burning sections up 20
four. lighting the entire city with
their glare.
Col. Tripp. assistant adjutant gem
eraI stated shortly before midnight
that the rioting crowds had for the
most part dispersed.
Nearly 500 Negro men. women
and children are quartered i'm the
city hall and the police station.
At frequent Intervals all evening
and until late at night trucks brought
Negro refugees from burning sec
tions 10 augment the covering
groups al these refugee buildings
where a strong guard Of troops was
stationed.
Darkness Adds TerrorS.
Terror spread among the black
men and women at 1880 %. IN. when
an the lights in both buildings sud-
denly went out. due 20 the destruc-
ton or electric wires in the down
town district
when "A report came 20 military
authorities that negro inhabitants
at Brooklyn. I'll. a city entirely pop
uIated by Negroes. We're moving on
East ST Louis, a truck fun of
euardsunen was sent To the black"
bridge 70 meet any attack that