Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-06-01

The trouble is said to have start
negro for an alleged attack on a viii
In a fresh outbreak at 1880
o'clock in the Standpipe Hill district
in the extreme northern end of the
negro quarter, Mrs. S. A. Gilmore,
white woman was shot in the left
arm and side. Mrs. Gilmore was
standing on the front porch of her
home when she was shot by a negro,
one of score or more barricaded in
a church.
Dick Howland, the negro charged
with assault, the cause of the riot,
was removed from the county jail
during the night to place of safe
ty unrevealed.
Rowland was spirited out Of town
at 2 o'clock Wednesday morning by
deputies from Sheriff McCullough's S
office. They refused to divulge his
whereabouts.
Officers said the negro would be
given a speedy trial just as soon as
the situation quieted down.
At o'clock 1000 negroes had
been gathered at Convention Hall un-
der guard. 1t was filled as was also
the police station. The remainder
of those gathered up are being TAX
en- to the baseball park, all under
armed guard.
Negro Section Surrounded.
AS the dawn broke sixty or sew
enty motor cars filled with armed
white men formed circle complete
ly around the negro section. Half
dozen airplanes circled overhead.
There was much shouting and shoot
ing. A row of houses along the rail
road tracks was fired, but lack OF
wind prevented the flames from
spreading. A party of white rifle
men was reported reported to be
shooting at all the negroes they saw
and firing into houses. The negroes
are said to be returning the fire dis
piritedly. Late reports placed the
number of dead In the neighborhood
OF Is.
The firing came from spot
where throughout the early morning
hours 500 white men and thousand
negroes faced each other across rail-
road tracks. First reports to po-
lice headquarters said that the bodies
of from six to ten negroes had been
seen in a space described as mo
mans land" The police also had
report that three railway switchmen
and a brakeman had been shot TO
death.
The trainmen were killed, it was
because they refused to
permit members of the opposing
crowds to ride upon switch engine
passing between the lines. The en-
gineer was reported to have escaped.
Officials had hoped that with the
coming of dawn the trouble when
began over the arrest of negro late
Tuesday for an alleged attack upon
a white girl, would die out. On the
contrary, however, the early morning
was taken as an indication
that the riots had been renewed.
The negro was taken to the court
house and lodged in the Jail on the
upper floor of the building. Early
in the night motor cars containing
armed negroes appeared on the
streets headed for the court house.
A crowd of 200 negroes surrounded
the building. Armed white men
soon began gathering.
Crowd Beyond Control.
The crowds soon reached such
proportions that the authorities re-
allied the situation was beyond the
control and call was sent to Gov
ernor Robertson for troops. The
governor directed Adjutant General
Chas. F. Barrett to take any steps
to handle the trouble. The
adjutant general ordered three com
panies of guardsmen out and sent
instructions to commanding officers
in a number of nearby towns to be
prepared to rush men here on inn
mediate notice.
The local guardsmen were thrown
about the court house and prevented
the crowds from breaking through.
National guardsmen were patrol
ling the downtown streets and every
effort was being mad eto induce the
crowds to disband.
None of the persons killed had
been identified Wednesday. Officials
were uncertain as to the exact mum
Der of persons injured Tuesday