The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-01
OMAHAQUIETING GRIP
OF FEDERAL TROOPS
Gen. Wood Distributes Force
of 1000 to Prevent Further
Race RiOting.
ARMY TO START INQUIRY
Third Death Resulting From
Outbreak Reported-Mayor's
Condition Improves.
Special pespatch to Tnn srv.


OMAHA, Sept. 30.---This city tonight
is an armed camp. Soldiers are every
where, artillery commands the streets
and machine guns are in half dozen
nests. The United States Army has
taken over the police force and an
Army Colonel is acting as Police Com
missioner of the city.
A balloon battalion from Fort Omaha
r. quartered at Twcnty-fourth and Lake
streets, and the observation balloon Is
constantly in the air. Fourteen hun
died Federal troops are patrolling the
streets and 800 American Legion SER
vice men are assisting the regular po-
lice force. Some of the troops are quar-
( tered in the City Hall and others aTe
IN the ruins of the court house. Army
trucks, ready to rush reenforcements to
any part of the city, are maintained
at several points Three companies of
troops are kuartered in South Omaha.
near the packing districts.
Gen. Leonard Wood Is in command
He arrived this morning and In an hour
he was in consultation with Gov. Nc
Kelvie, the Police Department, the
Chamber of Commerce, a committee of
negroes, the court authorities and
others interested.
Army to Conduct Inquiry.
AT the close of the conference Gen.
Wood issued statement ordering that
all public meetings cease and calling
upon the people to maintain order.
THE only way to handle a condition
of this kind is to handle it without
gloves" said Gen. Wood, who brought
with him an order from Gen. Marsh,
Chief OF STAFF, to restore and maintain
order in Omaha at all costs.
On request of Gov McKelvie, Gen.
Wood has taken entire charge OF tho
situation He announced that an in
vestigation of the riot will be started
at once and promised speedy punish-
ment of those who took part in tho
disturbance. Arrests will be made by
the military forces, but all prosecutions
will be in the hands OF the County At
torney and under the State law.
The announcement that the army will
conduct an investigation and the report
that hundreds OF arrests are imminent
spread CONSERVATION among, those who
participated in the riot. No more boast
ing is heard Those who told of their.
part in the riot and lynching now are
saying they were In the mob only us
sightseers and those who posed before
the cameras of the newspaper men find
their pictures are in the hands OF the
United States authorities.
Lynchers Face Murder Charge.
Charges of murder will he placed
against those who took an active part
in the lynching CT Will Brown, the ne
gro; manslaughter will be the charge
against those who encouraged and aided
the lynchers those who set fire to the
Court House will be charged with arson,
and the persons who attempted to lynch
Mayor Smith because the latter would
not deliver Brown into their hands will
face charge of assault with intent to
kill.
While everything is quiet tonight the
city Is standing over 4 volcano, accord
Ing to military officers. Gen. Wood
made a short talk on the Chamber of
Commerce to-day, in the course OF which
he said the mob spirit is abroad in
Omaha and that 1t may break out with
the least provocation, although he hoped
the crisis had passed.
1T is necessary that all meetings and
large public gatherings be prohibited"
he said. IF this is not done and there
Is trouble the Federal troops now on
guard will be ordered to take drastic
action.
When arms were distributed to the
American Legion men last night they
were given a Russian model gun with
which they were not familiar After
they had studied the mechanism, It was
discovered that the shells would not fit
In the emergency the old Springfield
rifles. used by the high school cadets
in their drills. were secured, and with
guns of that class the eX-service men
stood guard over the city all night
Gov. MctSelvie announced he will call
n special session of the Legislature to
enact a law to permit Omaha to issue
S1,0OO,000 in bonds with which to re-
build the court house and replace the
destroyed public records. The Gov
ernor also will ask the State Legisla-
ture to authorize the reorganization of
the State National Guard in order that
State troops instead OF Government
tioops may DO available Ia future.
In statement this evening the Gov
ernor said:
"One of the most alarming features
of the situation Is the extent to which
young boys were engaged in the de-
struction of property, and the violence
that characterized the riot. We can have
little hope for the future II such acts
reflect a condition which is common in
any community. People of mature
Judgment realize that when such youth
full law violators are encouraged there
Is no assurance OF protection OF either
life or property. These boys of to-day
are to be the dependable citizens of
tomorrow, so unless something Is done
TO direct their thoughts in the right
channels we may expect a worse condi-
ton in years TO come"
Twenty-eight arrests were made Sum
day night at the time of the riot and
these men are still in jail. Charges
have not yet been made against them:
H. ]. Hykell. who was shot while
travelling in an automobile near the
mob Sunday, died to-day Of his injuries.
He Is the third victim of the riot, the
others being William Brown, negro, who
was lynched by the rioters, and Louis
Young, who was shot by police officers
while trying TO effect an entrance into
the Court House. Hykell was in COM
pany with his wife at the time OF the
shooting
Reports from the hospital where
Mayor Smith Is confined as the result
of injuries inflicted by the mob were
that his condition is improving.