New-York tribune., 1919-03-26
Attack Motorman of Car
From Which They Said
He Was Pushed and Fight
the Police serves
Three Whites Are Injured
Two Patrolmen Hit With
Bricks and Trolley Man
Is Stabbed and May Die

race riot was narrowly averted in
Harlem last night. AS it was, the
police reserves from four precincts
were forced to battle with a mob of
800 or more maddened negroes. Three
white men are known to have been in
Jured, one so badly that he may die.
The trouble started at Lenox Avenue
and 135th Street when negro, in the
uniform Of a United States soldier
was forced from the front platform of
LenoxLexington Avenue surface
car. score or more negroes wit
messed the incident and took the
number of the car.
When the same car, as it was after
ward claimed, reached this corner on
Its return trip hundreds of negroes
were waiting for it. A score or more
piled on TO the rear platform and
rushed through to where the motor
man, James Clinton, twenty years old,
OF 63 Bank Street, was standing.
The negroes were shouting: "Kill
hlml Slash himl"
Clinton faced about, controller in
naGd. When he saw resistance would be
useless, he opened the front door and
ned to the street.
Flees to Library
SO effectively did he swing the con-
'roller on the heads of the crowd which
was closing in on him, that he was able
70 1oTce his way to the sidewalk, then
into NY, tins public library at 103 West
l55th Street There he barricaded
hamsef in % room on the second floor
!, Several negroes threw themselves at
,he door and began kicking IL down,
ShVuts for the police outside the build
lhg had brought few policemen from
nearby posts. They blew their whistles
for help.
,.,Whlle few " The negroes Kept after
siint9n, the rest turned on the police
tien. Bricks. stones and other missiaa
"ffe HtihR through the mir, Hsvofnl
msnaoNs IN stores along the street
"e!e smashed,
az .eh'l fof ftSerYea at the West I8Sth
aWnset station brought Captain William
|tvfAtb, who took ono look NJ the
'hAgafnsd swarm ia front If the library
ssM snM called the reserves from the West
eesspth, West 123d and the East I2gth
'tfees precincts,
oeyerhl policemen we're knocked down
asflnf the fighting, but all but two re-
it, ..SS'f }f't HHlChIJ, fAtfOlnen
nsnfy eotheimer, thirty-eight, and Jo-
vpn aahon, twenty-nipe, both Of the
,"sst lo5th street station, were struck
tion. ''''' '"eu''"' "''eh-
hotorman Found Unconscious
neiore the police arrived In sufficient
nnauDefs TO handle the situation tho
sddsfoeg inside the library had succeed.
ii. ~ agfclng their way into the room
,ssts tbhten had taken refuge. When
H. 1J MOP outside the building was final
,.sa,en on rush was made to rescue
"svn' es he wag found unconscious in
~, ny corner OF the room. suffering from
by,'se han twenty stab wounds and
'Sen from head 10 foot,
&ro amDuianees we're summoned
,a pm harlem Hospital. Clinton was
,."soYee ~, In one and the two injured
s.en ssnesb9en In the other. The latter
hs.a hs.s aple 10 10 to their homes after
"elng attended '''''
Hsptain IcGrath placsd heavy
ths !, I.aIa IN the neighborhood for
the ,sahs, AZ Ensre we're rumorg that
sos fjDting. e'''''"o
n, Dur'ng tho fighting the neoroea ,nada
pol;rnsns.''spe 70 attaek any one save the
Ca;nta,,h ara Clinton. Passengers in
nasasns ns1ns FAR, however, az we'll aa q
ssuySi', = pcfs1ns in the library, were
h fn hahoied before they managed
wspe. sns'r way out OF The battle
.e;,',s ;Mesof,nan Collins recovered conn
''''ses - sne iospital seycrai hours