The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-06
Illinois Militia Called to QuelI
West Frankfort Riots.
Mob Failed to Get Accused
Turn on All Italians.
SEVEN ARE REPORTED KILLED
Sixty-Five Are Wounded as Re-
suit of Outbreak.
Mob of 5000 in Absolute Con-
troll of Town.

Marion, ILL.,, Aug. 6.-One hundred !
and fifty militiamen. members of the !
Ninth Illinois infantry, arrived at a. F,
M today. The town is comparatively |
quiet.
The troops were stationed in sec
tions of the town. principans- inhabited
by those OF exotic birth and instructed
to protect the property abandoned by
the fugitives
Emphatic instructions that all
crowds be dispersed Immediately
were given the militiamen. Witnesses
to the rioting described that foreign
ers were beaten into insensibility by
the infuriated mob. MANY Were
stoned and trampIed upon. A photo
grapher whto attempted to take pic
I lures of the scenes was kicked to
death.
Women sWere Wounded.
Several women were hit by flying
missiles. it was said. The trouble fol-
youths. Toney Hemphill and Amiel
Caloaterra, in a dry creek bed near
Royalton. The youths had been heard
to say they had knowledge of the
identity of band of men believed to
have committed a numbr of robberies
in southern Illinois recently Their
deaths, it is believed, followed a threat
they am reported to have made, to
divulge What they knew.
Many of those beaten were LIT in
the streets and were picked up by
relatives after the mob proceeded to
other sections of the town.
The homes of about fifty foreigners
were fired and the residents were
dubbed and mauled as they emerged
from the burning buildings to escape
death by incineration. Troops ar
rived shortly before O'clock this
hn
command of Maj. w. E. Satterfield of
Mount Vernon. and We're members of
company B. of McLeansboro; COM
pany L, of Salem. and company K, OF
Mount Vernon, Two other companies
from Cairo are enroute here. it was
reported.
| Marion, ILL.,. Aug 6.-Seven are dead
and sixty-five wounded. according to
latest reports of the West Frankfort
riots. The mob is still in control with
the militia last reported leaving Mount
vernon, fifty miles from West Frank
i fort. at o'clock this morning. .
The foreign section of West Frank
fort. Franklin county mining town.
is mass of glowing embers and a
mob of five thousand controls the mu-
nfcipal government as state militia
was expected momentarily to arrive
The outbreak occurred following find
! ing the mutilated bodies of two kid
naped boys who had been brutally
murdered.
The town is in a state of anarchy.
An appeal for troops was made late
| last night following hours of mob rule.
Five companies of state militia were
Immediately ordered to the scene.
All Officers Disarmed.
The roads leading to West Frank
fort were crowded with armed men
rushing to join the mob. The mob
began burning the homes of foreigners
about IL o'clock last night. They dis
armed all authorities, seized telegraph
and phones lines and esta blished a
censorship to prevent news of their
activities reaching the outside world.
! Foreigners in West Frankfort and
Marion are rushing out of the towns
The mob ordered the mayor and air
Sicilians to leave the town within "a
hours. One of the dead was A. Waller,
Illinois photographer. He was tram
tpled to death as he attempted to OBJ
tain pictures of the mob in action.
The injured are crowding the hospitals
at CaFteryille and Marion.
The mob formed early yesterday
I Business men. managers, clerks, city
employees Joined the ranks. Shops
and business houses were closed. The
mob was determined to drive every
foreigner out of the city. States At
torney Roy Martin of Franklin coun-
ty begged adm pleaded with the mob
to disperse.
! With its ranks being SWelled by
new arrivals as it moved along. the
mob stormed the foreign settlement
and set fire to the houses of foreigners.
| Every house in Frankfort Heights.
the foreign settlement, was reported
destroyed, while many homes of for
eisners in other parts Of the city were
set on fire.
All Phones Are Silent.
| Springfield. Ill, Aug. 6.-Governor
Frank o. Lowden and .Adjutant Cen
erai Frank Dickson conferred shortly
before noon over the riots at West
/ Frankfort.
| Immediately after the conference.
General Dickson. who had just arrived
from the eastern part of the state. be-
gan drawing plans for the sending of
additional troops to West Frankfort If
I the situation warrants.
Owing to a strike of telephone en-
pioyes at West Frankfort, General
Dickson was unable to reach West
Frankfort and depended on press re-
ports for his information. Both he
and Governor Lowden were pleased
when shown dispatches telling that
quiet prevailed in the riot city.
/ Brig. Cen Frank p. Wells left here
early today for the scene of the riots.
GENERAL YRANGEB Is VICTOR
/ tAnd-SOviet Forces in South Russia