The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-07-25


whites Immediately gathered in the
vicinity and several shots were re-,
ported to have been exchanged with
blacks.
Washington, d. c., July Coon
gress was asked to take notice of the
race riots and crime wave in the ma
tional capital today, and President
Wilson was asked to declare martial
law and police the city with troops, in
resolutions introduced in the House by
Representative Clark (Dem.) of F1ori-
da, and Vale (Rep.) of Colorado, re-
spectively.
Rioting by whites and negroes in
Washington the last three nights was
the subject of half-hour conference
between President Wilson and Secre-
tary Baker late today at the White
House. Steps which might be taken to
prevent recurrence of the outbreaks
are understood to have been discussed.
Heavy re-inforcements have been
ordered from Camp Meade to assist
the local police and military provost
guard to prevent repition of the
I1OIS VI JtlG last LlICC
refusing to give the number Of troops
ordered here, Secretary Baker said the
number was substantial"
Casualty List Grows
Soon after noon the nearest Off
cial estimate of last nights rioting
stood at five dead, 10 expected to die,
scores of lesser wounded or injured,
and the cases of ITS rioters docketed
in the police courts.
Clark's resolution was a scathing
arrangement of the local police and the
city government. 1t proposed that the
Speaker of the House appoint Sc
lect committee to investigate the
crime wave and the attacks on wo-
men and report what changes may be
necessaryai in the police force or the
city government and determine what
officials care responsible. AT the
same time Senator Harrison of Mis-
Sissipbi (Dem.) introduced a resolu-
ton to separate the whites and blacks
on the street cars.
"For the past month or So" recites
Clark's resolution, "the capital of the
nation seems to have been infested
with the .vilest criminals in all the
land. Larceny, burglary, assaults Of
various kinds and attacks on many
women have occurred almost within
the shadow Of the Capitol building it
self.
Local Authorities Scored
"The officials of the District of Col
umbia have failed to bring to justice
the cowardly and inhuman beasts who
are guilty of cruelty ravishing inno-
cent and defenseless women. The po-
lice of the District Of Columbia or
their superiors are either too timid or
too inefficient to bring these criminal
scoundrels to the bar of justice.
"The existing conditions are a
shame and disgrace to the police
and the higher officials. 1t is the SOL
emn duty of this Congress to make
the streets of Washington safe for
the good women of the land. The
present district government is I'm
questionably incapable from weakness,
inefficiency or timidity to deal with
the situation with the firm hand re-
quired.'
All the resolutions were received for
reference in the usual way.
By request of the police all mer-
chants and pawnshops today ceased
selling firearms. There was e. rush
of citizens to day to buy arms. The
negroes and rioters demonstrated in
last nights scenes and the previous
disturbances that they were well sup
piled.
Heavy Penalties Imposed
When some ITS cases of the men
arrested during the rioting last night
were called in the police courts, max
imum sentences of years imprison-
ment and $500 fines were imposed on
all found carrying concealed weapons,
while those charged only with disor-
derby conduct escaped with $35 fines.
In most cases jury trials were de-
manded.
/ The score of casualties in last
nights fighting was largely in favor
of the negroes, who, when the extra
strong Gordon Of police and troops
quieted Pennsylvania avenue and the
downtown section, transferred their
activities to the lesser-gnarded !, dis
tricts.
From trolley cars and swiftly NOV