The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-06-21
TWO WHITE MEN KILLED DURING
RI0TING IN "BLACK BELT" OF
CHICAGO AFTER FLAG ISBURNED
Three Negroes Are Wounded in
Fig hting Which Followed
What May Have Been Radical
Plot Under Cover of Advocacy
of Return of Negroes to Afri-
ca During Parade of Negro
Society
SAILOR ONE OF THE SLAIN

SAILOR ONE OF THE SLAIN
Chicago, June 21.-Police to-
day were searching for R, D.
Jonas, alleged radical agitator
and three negroes in connection
with rioting in Chicago's "black
belt" last night, during which
two white men were killed and
two negroes seriously injured.
The fighting followed the dis
persal of a crowd of negro men,
bers Of the Star Order of Ethi-
opa, an organization claiming to
advocate return of the negro to
Abyssinia and Immediately aft
er one of the leaders Of the pa
rade had set fire to an American
flag.
Police today emphasized that the
rioting was not the result of racial
feeling but more probably the result
Of a radical plot. They pointed out
that negroes had co-operated in an .
effort to resent the insu It to the flag.
However, several incidents, including
the maltreatment of three negro min
listers and many blacks occurring late
in the night savored Of race rioting.
The negroes sought as leaders in the
plot to burn the flag are Joseph Fer
nom who is said to call himself "the
great Abyssinian, his son and Grover
Rcbbing, who it is said claims to be
native of Abyssinia. The three
negroes led the parade yesterday
mounted on horses and wearing fan
tastic arraignment.
Booming Thompson ....
Jonas, who, police declared, was
back of the movement for the return
Of negroes to Abyssinia yesterday
was the principal speaker at meet
ing which had as it's object the
launching of boom for William Hale
Thompson, mayor Of Chicago, as a
third party candidate for. president,
who would "raly the solid Irish and
negro vote"
The killing Of the white men, who
included Robert L. Rose, a sailor sta
toned at Great Lakes, aroused hun
dreds of sailors on leave in Chicago
and caused issuance Of an order for
the arrest and immediate dispatch to
the Great Lakes naval station of all
sailors found on the streets.
The other white man killed was
Joseph Hoyt, SO, a clerk in cigar
store near the scene of the shooting.
He was shot with what is believed
to have been dum-dum bullet. His
head was split as though with an axe.
The negroes who were wounded in
cluded Joseph Owens, policeman.
Burned Flag
One of the leaders Of the process
sions. believed to have been the elder
Fernam, took a flag from a package
which he was carrying and set fire
to it, it was said.
Policeman Owen was notified of the
act, rushed to the scene and toward
one of the men, his club raised as
though to strike, witnesses said. One
Of the men on horseback, it is de-
clared, fired at him with short rifle,
wcunding him with the first shot.
Rose, the sailor, who had been turn
ing the south side with two compan-
ions, sprang from an automobile and
was almost at the policeman's side
when the latter was shot, according
to spectators He turned and ran into
a nearby cigar store. Several men
with rifles ran to the door of the
cigar store and fired revolver, ac-
cording to persons near the scene.
Two Drop Dead
Rose and Hoyt. the cigar. store
clerk, dropped dead. During the
shooting a second flag was thrown
on the flames but was rescued be-
fore it was burned.
Shortly after the rifle firing police
sent out word for the arrest of Jonas.
Before the order for his arrest was
issued he was seen by newspaper
man and declared that he had moth
ing to do with the parade He de-
nounced Fernan as a radical and an
agitator but when the police tried to
locate him he had disappeared.
Police today arrested Rebbing and
seven other negroes who are said to
have been leaders in yesterdays pa
rade. Rebbing was caught at a rail-
way station just after he had pur-
chased a ticket to st. Louis. The
other prisoners are said to have been
occupants of automobiles in the
parade.
Federal authorities also were inves.
tigating the riotng of last night.
Questions Negroes
Edward ]. Brennon, chief of the de.
partment of justice. questioned several
alleged rioters including one of the
Abyssenians to determine whether
prosecution hinder the espionage or
law is possible. Police are
continuing to hunt for two of those
who escaped last night. Dr. R. D.
Jonas. the white man of Washington,
D. c., who is said to have accompa-
MED the negroes when they came to
Chicago, was arrested at noon.
Sailors who thronged Chicago after
the shooting threatened to avenge the
killing of their mate had all been
rounded up by provost guard and
the police this afternoon.
Naval authorities are considering
barring sailors from the city until the
trouble dies down.
Jonas. when arrested. denied re-.
sponsibility for last nights affair and
said that he had hoop oiootod fror, q