Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-06-02

ed negroes who had seen oaraains
the streets on foot and in motcrcars
for, an hour and crowd OF whites
gathered about the courthouse s.eps,
nearly all of whom were 'ma::rcA.
The negroes had paraded past the
courthouse repeatedly, apparently in
the belief that the whites intended to
lynch the negro accused OF the at
tack.
AS the minutes passed The white
men obtained few guns and began 10
assume a be4ligerent attitude them
selves.
| Finally veraa1 alteration be-
tween the factions began. Suddenly t
snar rang ,sus Eanda Instantly the f;'.
n Il c"a!,,s genera! ami the Grove:
scottered in haste, while the armed
negroes began training their guns on
the fleeing forms.
Following the firing of the first
shot the fighting spread to various
parts of the city, including the BUS
ness section. At one time 1000 armed
white men were reported to have en-
aged the negroes.
Railroad stations were tn" scene Oh
SC, eral encounters and number Of
casualties resulted when trains were
fired upon. Women and children hud-
died together in the stations, seeking
safety behind marble wainscct!hg.
The attack this morning shifted to
the "black belt where the screams
of tearor-strcken negroes were nearo
above the sounds Of the firing and the
shouts of the mob.
FreIAied bands of whites drove the
negroes out Of the section. They tiec
N terror or surrendered oy the score
before the advance Of the :saites.
Houses were entered, one al q time;
the women were ordered into the
streets and the men who failed TO
Surrender Immediately were shot
down.
THE fire, started by MODS o. row
irr whites, destroyed almost the en-
lire negro settlement of 1,5GG homes.
The City Fire Department, watch re-
snonded when the fire first broke out.
was said to have been driven away oy
whites. The rioters assisted soldiers
and deputy sheriffs in an effort to
have the white residential district.
A military commission nonposcd OF
seven city: officials and business men
TO pass, upon the status of 5000 neg
roes held under guard in inIprovlsed
prison camps, was formed by Mayor
T. d. Evans and Chief Of Police Gus
tafson with the approval of General
Barrett. >.....s
A motley assortment Of guns, raz-
ars. knives and ammunition takhf
from the negroes was coufiscated.
Charges are flied against ali negroes
found carrying arms.
A touch of modern warfare was
lent by the appearance OF half doz-
en- airplanes overhead. 1t was report.
ed at first that some of them were
carrying nitroglycerin BOMBS, such IS
are used by oil we'll shooters, but
later it was leaned that several sight
seeing ships had been up but that
neither city, county nor State althorI-
ties had resonted to the use 81 planes
to restore order.
Reports persisted throughout the
morning that armed negroes were
coming to Tulsa from Muskcgce and
other towns, out these runlors were
discontinued by officers. Automobiles
filled with armed whites guarded the
roads leading into Tulsa to ;ffcr re-
sistance. but no one appeared so far
as could be learned.
Prompt medical attention WAS given
to the wounded. negroes as we'll. as
whites, at local hospital and dressing
stations. Civic organizations and cit
izens who volunteered their services
cared for the negro refugees. to whom
ice water and sandwiches were served
throughout the day. Special care was
given to the aged and infirIn and .
call was sent to nearby towns for
available nurses.