The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-13
1900 NEGROES FIGHT
BROOKLYN POLICE
Giant Leader Killed After He
Slashes Several Of the
Reserves.
MANY GO TO HOSPITAL
Riot Starts After Drunken
Black Is Hit With a
Stove Lid.
MANY GO TO HOSPITAL

Policemen, summoned for duty on q
riot call. bucklod into a mob Of 1900
negroes in the heart of Brookiyn's black
belt at Myrtle avenue and Prince street
yesterday afternoon and after vigorous
attack with revolvers and clubs put
down an uprising that promised for a
time to develop into q lively race war.
They killed James Wright Of lss Johf.
son street, powerfully built negro.
before the Job was done. but not before
Wright, the king pin of the excited
blacks, had slashed several policemen
with a knife. Another negro, Walter
Smith of 81 Lawrence street, was taken
to the Brooklyn Hospital with a frac-
tured skull
At least a dozen policemen were cut
with knives. whipped suddenly from
hip pockets and dextrously used by
excited negroes. but only two. PATROL
men William Cowley and Louis Il.
Woelful, were seriously hurt. Cowley
was slashed on the face and neck and
Woelfuls nose was almost cut Off.
immediately after the uprising got
under way and before the police re-
serves pitched into the thick Of 1t about
100 United States sailors from ships
at the navy yard tried their best t..
auell the riot Forming flying wedges
the sailors butted into the surging
masses Of negroes as they moved back
and forth along Myrtle avenue for two
blocks between Prince and Gold streets
The sailors used only their bare fists
and wonderful fists they were. Blacks
dropped thick and fast as the sailors
attempted to restore order, but 80 far
as is known not a single sailor vas re-
ported among the wounded.
Hit with a stove Door.
The riot apparently had its origin in
the humping OF stove door on a
drunken Negroes head in a second hand
furniture store at 100 Myrtle avenue
conducted by Ira Levine. As Levine
was showing white customer a second
hand stove Walter Smith, a negro. who.
the police say. was very drunk. dropped
in. He butted into the talk and was
ordered out Smith continued to argue
with Levine and is said to have struck
him. Levine picked of the stove door
and slammed 1t down on the intruder's
head. Then he was thrown out.
There was a wall from Smith on the
sidewalk and within few minutes
Myrtle avenue was damned with howl
tng mob Of negroes. Then began the
lively proceeding which stopped all sur
face cars for nearly three-ouarters Of
an hour and chilled the hearts of many
white folks who feared to venture near
the seeth!ng crowds of blacks
Hugh j. Kelly Of the U. s. s. Brad
ford, lying at the navy yards. telephoned
to Police Headquarters that a riot was
on in the black belt and the reserves of
four police stations were sent to the
scene, Things happened when they
started TO dispense the mobs with their
night sticks. Heads were cracked,
backs were bumped and police steam
was exercised to its utmost to start the
mob going.
Negro Leader Shot.
Big Jim Wright, who seemingly had
delegated himself as the leader OF the
ashtIng forces in the mob, drew his
knife and began to slash at policemen.
Other negroes lost no time In initiating
him. Then the crack of many pistols
was heard. Just who shot Wright prob
ably will never be known. When the
last OF the negroes were fleeing in the
face OF the charging reserves Wright
was found crumpled up in the street
with several bullets In his body. He
was taken In patrol wagon to the
Adams street police station. where he
died an hour later.
Walter Smith OF the stove door cpl
sode was found pretty badly banged up.
It was believed his skull was fractured.
He was sent in a bakers wagon to the
Brooklyn Hospital. where It was SAID
last night his condition was serious.
Joseph Stout. a negro Of 40 Prince
street, was arrested by Patrolman
wieseckel for disorderly conduct Samuel
Leonard, another negro. was locked up
BY Patrolman wheelwright. Leonard
had a knife in his sock.
Levine and his father were arrested
FOR felonious assault in connection with
the occurrence in which the stove door
figured.
Policeman Fred Sorger was cut on the
head. Leroy w Decker on the hand and
other policemen were slightly cut or
bruised Policeman Herman Ringelman,
who was on patrol when the fight
started was in the thick Of It, but es.
capped with cuts on his hand and face.