New-York tribune., 1920-06-22
Nine Arrested
After Chicago
Race Rioting
Leaflets Distributed Among
Negroes Said to Boast of
100000 Standing Army
in Readiness in Ethiopia
White Leader Denounced
Propaganda Is Declared to
Have Caused the Unrest;
Other Chiefs Are Sought

CHICAGO, June PR. D. Jonas.
said by the police to be the white
leader of an organization advocating
the return of negroes to Abyssinia;
Edward Redding and seven other
negroes were arrested to-day in con-
nectlon with riot last night in the
Chicago black belt that resulted in
the killing of two white men and the
wounding of several negroes Police
and Federal officers began investiga-
ton of the "Star Order of Ethiopia"
whose members were reported to have
participated in the affair.
The police were still searching for
Joseph Fernon, who is said to call him
self the Great Abyssinan," and his
son. According to reports, they, garbed
In fantastic raiment and calling them
selves princes, were leaders of the
parade.
Jonas said he had warned Federal
officers last week of the proposed
parade Of the cult and that they should
be on the watch for trouble, but de-
clared no attention had been paid to
his statement
Packages of pamphlets explaining
Egyptian secrets" were taken from
Redding.
The inquest into the deaths of
Charles Hoyt, a cigar store clerk. and
Robert L. Rose, sailor. victims Of the the
riot, was postponed until Saturday at
the request of the police.
Negroes Dcnounce White Leader
Resolutions denouncing Jonas "a a
white leader responsible for creating
unrest among the negro population
were passed to-day by several negro
organizations. They said the riot was
not caused by racial feeling, but was
the result of radical propaganda and
that reputable negroes had no part in
the movement
Jonas was said to have been the
chief speaker Sunday at meeting to
urge Mayor William Hale Thompson
to become a candidate for President
on third party ticket backed by the
solid Irish and negro vote"
thousands of pieces of literature re-
lating to the Abyssinian movement
were confiscated by the police in
raid on a garage on the south side.
According to the police one leaf1et
boasted that standing army of A.
100000 was in readiness in Ethiopia.
Jonas said he met Redding in New
York several weeks ago and had later
introduced the Abyssinian to Presi-
dent Wilson at Washington. Reddine,
Jonas said, told him he had reccntlv
been in Abyssinia, and when asked how
he got there explained that he took
an airship from Mexico"
Irish Said to Give Aid
Jonas said he accompanied the
negroes to Chicago two weeks ago to
ask the Republican convention to in
corporate a plank in the party plat /
form providing for the resumption of
the Abyssinian treaty with the United
States, which expired in 1917.
The propaganda circulated among
Chicago negroes by the "princes,"
Jonas said, was signed by George
Gabriel, Abyssinian linguist," and
Redding. 1t gave the offices of the or
ganization as 1912 Thirteenth Street,
Washington, D. c., and lis West l38th
Street, New York City, in care of
Charles Manson. Redding, Jonas said,
worked through the Universal Negro |
improvement Association and the |
Black Star Line Steamship Company, a
negro organization which owns one
steamer.
Jonas told the negroes at the
Thompson meeting that the Friends
of Irish Freedom had aided in estab-
fishing the Black Star Negro Steam
ship Line, which would ultimately
carry arms to Africa"