Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-29
BLACK BELT IN
CHICAGO SCENE
0FFIERCE FIGHTS
Seven Killed and Many
Wounded in Race War That
Holds Part of Windy
City'in Its Grasp.

NSVhthiuOu AAoAAA "oo oAAS'f
street car by a negro. He was
soon lying unconscious against the
curb. The angry whites had left
him for dead.
Groups of blacks formed in foot
ball fashion and charged against
whites with razors and clubs. On
one corner the scene was like a
miniature battle ground. Uncon-
scious negroes and whites dotted
the street. AS they regained con-
seriousness they were arrested or
permitted to leave the neighbor-
hood.
Women Battle in Yard.
While the main battles were in
progress, women blacks and whites
battled away in front yards with
brooms and missiles. In one of
these fights white woman was
knocked unconscious and taken to
a hospital.
In one battle on Thirty-fourth
street, negroes knocked two police
men unconscious and were drawing
guns when group of discharged
negro soldiers came to the rescue OF
the whites. In another battle soon
after, three policemen were shot.
One may die
In an effort to prevent quick
transportation of rifle-bearing po-
licemen from one section to another,
the negroes began cutting telephone
and telegraph wires.
The blacks began firing on street
Car conductors and motormen when
they refused to allow negro passen-
gers to board their cars because of
threats made by white passengers.
One conductor was reported shot in
the leg.
Ambulances and patrol wagons
threaded their way through the
black belt throughout the early
hours OF the night.
Creep Into Alleys.
A number of wounded negroes
crept into alleys and other dark
places. When they were found
they were hurried to the Provident
hospital for colored, which for sew
eral hours received virtual process
sion of injured men and terror
stricken women.
The more seriously wounded ne
groes participated in a battle with
whites near Thirty-fifth and State
streets. Several thousand of the
blacks congregated at this point
within a period of 10 minutes. 1t
was an orderly gathering for time.
Suddenly four maddened negroes
raced up State street surrounding
the home of a white man. In a
twinkling shots began to fly in all
directions. More than score of
negroes fell. Some were carried off
by companions.
For more than two blocks along
one street negro snipers fired from
house tops and windows. Not a
single death resulted from this
method of warfare however.
Cars Stop Running.
After a motorman had been
dragged from his car and killed by
a group of maddened blacks, shortly
before midnight and a dozen street
cars wrecked, the street car COM
pany ordered that no more cars be
taken into the troubled area. The
elevated trains also quit running in
dangerous territory.
Troops continued to move to a
centralized point on the south side
throughout the night, but up to mid
night they had not been ordered to
begin patrolling the streets. This
was explained by the statement
that the outbreaks had slackened to
such an extent that the police could
afford as much protection as the
the troops.
Hundreds of stenogra piers, clerks
and other loop employees who must
pass through the black belt to reach
their homes remained in the bust
ness district hotels and at north
side lodging places.
Pool rooms, moving picture
houses and other gathering places
in the black belt were ordered
closed.
While the black belt was seething
with strife, negro educators and
ehurchmen sent out appeal after ap-
peal that the negroes go to their
homes and keep peace.