The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-07-29
Mayor Thompson Appeals
to Governor for Mobiliza-
ton of Regiment National
Guard.
ACCOUNTS OF ORIGIN
OF TROUBLE DIFFER
Spasmodic Rioting in Black
Belt Has Been Constant
Since Sunday Night Say
Reports.

Chicago. July 2S.-Four negroes wer'
reported killed and two policemen
wounded in gun battle resulting
from an attack on policeman at Thir-
ty-fffth street and Wabash avenue
tonight. A number of negroes were
wounded. No whites participated ir
TIE exchange of shots.
Mayor Thompson tonight appealed to
Governor Lowden to mobilize regi-
ment of national guard for immediate
duty in Chicago's black belt where
sporadic rioting has been in progress
since Sunday afternoon and which al
ready has resulted in the death of one
negro and serious injury to a number
of negroes and whites. and lesser in
jury to scores Of others.
Four regiments of state troops were
ordered mobilized following Mayor
Thompson's request. Adjutant General
Dickson announced that whether the
troops were sent into the disturbed
districts would depend on developments
tonight
The situation in the BLACK belt"
where race rioting late yesterday rel
suited in the death of two negroes and
the injury of perhaps fifty or more
whites and blacks. including four pa
trolmen, was under control of the po-
lice early today.
Accounts of the origin of the trouble
differ. but the version accepted by the
police today is that the rioting start
ed at the goth sreet bathing beach
where the whites and negroes are ac-
customed TO swim in Lake Michigan
Although the races are separated by an
Imaginary line. This version of the
affair says that a negro boy on q raft
crossed the boundary hne and the two
white boys threw stones. knocking
the negro boy into the water. He
was drowned. A general fight der
veloped between the races and riot calls
brought hundreds Of police into the
negro district, the center of which is
around Thirty first and State streets.
more than a mile from the beach.
Negroes asked the police to arrest
m white boy and when he refused the
negroes began to beat the white lad.
Negro bathers from another beach at
Twenty fifth street attracted by the
fighting came In force to the rescue and
soon stores and clubs were hurled in
all directions. many people. both white
and black. being injured by the mis-
siles.
After the fighting near the beach
had been quelled, trouble broke out
further west near the center of the me-
gro district. John O'Brien. a policeman
was attacked by mob at twenty
ninth and State streets after he had
tried TO rescue q fellow policeman from
a crowd OF negroes. Several shots
were fired in his direction and he was
struck In the arm. He drew his revolt
YER and fired into the crowd negro
men being hit, one of whom died later
I'm the hospital.
After the police reserves had dis
persed the crowds along State street |
and parts of the thickly populated
negro district whites, from other parts
of the city dragged negroes from street
cars and beat them severely in several
instances during the night, but accord |
ing to. police records today only two |
fatalities resulted from the rioting. |
The policemen who were injured with !
the exception of O'Brien who was hit !
In the arm by a bullet, suffered only |
bruises from stones and clubs
The two negro men who were shot |
at Twenty-ninth street where one was |
killed are said to be seriously though |
not fatally wounded.