New-York tribune., 1919-09-01
Knoxville Blacks Return
Fire From Barricades
an Il Reintorcements
Are Rushed Into City
Riots Start Over
Murder of Woman
Jail Smashed by Mob
Searching for Suspect:
Lieutenant l. Killed

KNOXN LILLE. Tenn. Aug. 81. Race
rioting began here soon after midnight
last night and continued internationally
Throughout the day. It had quieted
somewhat Tonight Two persons are
known to be dead, four are dying and
scores are believed injured. though the
total Of casualties remains uncertain.
The disorder followed an attack last
night OF mob Of more than 1000 per
sons on the county jail, bent on obtain
ing Maurice Mayes, a negro, accused
of having killed white woman. Ma
tional Guard troops, called out to main
tain order. opened fire twice during
the day with machine guns on armed
negroes who attempted to march In
groups into the main part of the city
from the negro section.
Disorders Renewed
The riots were quelled before dawn
this morning BY quick action of the
police. but with the renewed circulation
Of reports that civilians were being
robbed iii the negro quarter and that
unarmed soldiers had been fred upon
the disorders broke out again.
The negro district had been practi-
cally without police. and body Of
more than one hundred whites ad-
vanced toward the negro barricade at
Vine and Central streets. AS the
whites advanced, the negroes opened
fire from behind their stockades.
The Whites returned the fire, but in
cffactdallg
Calls were s,nt ont by the municipal
authorities For militia aid The
4th Tennessee Infantry, under COM
mand OF Adjutant General D. B.
Sweere', Of Nashville, and Colonel
Ewing Caruthers, OF Memphis, which
vas cncamped Just outside the city,
was rushed TO the scene of the fight
ing.
Twelve hundred strong, the troops
advanced toward Vine Street and Cen
tral Avenue, where the white civilians
had been driven back. AS the troops adj
vanced the intrenched negroes again
opened fire. and the troops returned
volley for volley, driving the negroes to
cover. 1t is reported that many of the
blacks were killed in this pitched battle,
but as the streets have not been fully
cleared this rumor could not be con-
firmed.
Machine Guns Used
Machine guns were brought into play,
turning enfilading fires down Central
Avenue and against the plate glass win
dows OF a nearby dance hall from which
the negroes were sniping at the whites.
The new plate glass window of a
corner drug store was punctured, but
not broken, by the flying bullets, until
tonight it resembles the top of
giant salt shaker. All store fronts in
the vicinity were similarly riddled.
1t is reported that only two rounds
were fired from the machine guns,
though rifles and side arms were used
generally.
Negroes Get to Cover
The miracle Of the whole thing is,
the police say, that more persons were
not killed. Officers of the guard, how
ever, III d measure account for this
When the soldiers passed off Cav
Street into Vine Avenue crowds of ne
groes also advanced toward them from
Vine and Central. Halfway down
Vine, between Gay and Central, the
hrst squad OF men stopped and set up
Two machine guns. In the mean time
the mob Of whites that was trailing the
militia began firing in the direction of
VINE and Central. This frightened the
negroes to cover. and when the ma
chime guns opened up only few re-
maned in the street.
The Casualty List
The casualty list as reported late
tonight stood:
The identified dead:
PAYNE. JAMES NJ. (white), first
lieutenant, I. S. A.; home, Madison
vile, Ky.
tIIER, JOE, negro storckeeper
The identified wounded:
HENDERSON, 4. ", private, u $. A.,
expected to die.
In addition, it is reported that four
teen others, eight whites and six
negroes, are IN hospitals, of whom two
whites and two negroes arc not ex-
pected to recover. Sixteen white men
are reported to have had minor wounds
dressed at single hospital. Many
Others are known to have been attended
oy private physicians.
Two negroes were shot and two
oayoneted by members fthe National
1uard when the blacks resisted the
search being made for concealed
weapons. Soldiers reported having
wounded at least three negroes on