The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-02

The negroes began firing on street
car conductors and motormen when
they refused to allow negro passeng-
ers to board their cars because of
threats made by white passengers.
One conductor was reported shot lnl
the leg.
Ambulances and police wagons
threaded their way through the
s.olack belt, throughout the early
hours of the night.
A number of wounded negroes crept
into alleys and other dark places.
When found they were hurried to
a. negro hospital which for several
hours received virtual procession Of
injured The, more seriously wounded
negroes received at the hospital had
participated in a battle with whites
near Thirty-ffth and State. Streets.
Several thousand of the blacks con-
gregated at this point within a pc
riod of ten minutes. 1t was an order
" gathering for q, time but suddenly
four 1naddened negroes raced up the
street and surrounded the home of
white man. In a twinkling shots be-
gan to fly in all directions. Perhaps
more than a score of negroes fell.
Some were carried off by compan
ions.
For more than two blocks along
the street negro snipers fred from
house tops and windows.
After threats had been made by
whites to clean up" the stock yard
district a small army Of negroes
formed ready to meet the charge. An
automobile load of negroes started
over the district to estimate the num-
Der of whites present. When they
were stoned they drew pistols and
racing at top speed fred at whites
along the road A white man was
shot in the shoulder and bullet graz
ed the head of a white woman. The
negroes were overtaken and rescued
from the mob by policemen.
Police wires were busy all. night
with pleadings from frightened wo-
men for protection Many OF them
feared 20 leave the zone OF action.
They were terrified by the dramatic
battles and feared their: homes would
be wrecked before morning.
Street lights along some. streets
were smashed and the streets darken-
ed. Then the bright flashes from pis-
tois would signalize anew battle and
soon the Immediate vicinity would be
2 surging mass CT whites and blacks;
When they came together in large
crowds. fists. knives and clubs were
used.
While the black BELT was seeth-
ing with strife. negro workers ana
churchmen sent out appeals that the
negroes go to their homes and keep
peace. They charged that in most
outbreaks the negroes had been
heckled. :.
After nlotorman had been dragged
from. his car and killed by a group cf
maddened blacks Shortly before mid
night and a dozen street cars wreck
ed. the street car; company ordered
|, that. 40. mere cars be taken into the.
troubled area. The elevated. trains
also I: quit running in dangerous ter
ritory, ~ -
Troops :continqed to move to a een-
.tralized point on the South Siae.
throughout. the night, but up to MD.
{ night. they had not: been ordered to
begin patrolling the, strets nor. has
they helped in iauelling outbreaks
This was explained, the statement
said, that the outbreaks had slacken-
ed to such an extent that the police
could afford protection. =
. Wherever negroes congregated at
II p. M. they were dubbed by police
men and scattered.
Hundreds Of stenographers, clerks
and other downtown employees who
must pass through the black belt TO
reach their homes remained in the
business district at hotels and at
north side lodging places.
Moving picture houses and other
gathering places in the black belt
were ordered closed and the coroner
began an investigation of the riots
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