The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-04
State Guardsmen Leave Riot
Torn Tulsa, Okla.
Police Are Reinforced by Veter-
ans of Late War.
PROBE TO START WEDNESDAY
Every Effort Now Being Made
to Prevent Epidemic.
Burned Area Being Cleared for
Reconstruction Work.

Tulsa, Okla, June 4.-The last state
guardsmen modified here to put down
the race war of Tuesday night and
Wednesday morning which cost 81
lives and approximately 81, 500, 600 in
property loss, were withdrawn this
morning, when S25 Tulsa militiarnen
entrained for Fort Sill, leaving the
city in control of city and county Of
ficials reinforced by deputized former
service men. The local guard units
were ordered to Fort Sill for the en-
campment of the Oklahoma militia
beginning tomorrow.
Augmented by fifty American Le-
gion men. the eighty-five Tulsa po-
iicemen had charge of the city today
and this guard was to be increayed by
the swearing in of fifty additional war
veterans.
Prepare for Probe.
Preparations for grand jury inves-
tlgation to fix the responsibility for
the race outbreak which will begin
June 8, were made today by the coun-
" attorney, assisted by a committee of
the Tulsa County Bar association.
A. II. Smitherman, negro, brother
OF A. ]. Smitherman, editor of a negro
newspaper, which is alleged to have
| been headquarters of the negro rioters.
was held in the county Jail today with,
out bond. County officials also were
seeking A. J.. Smitherman He left
town during the rioting but teIephoned
the sheriff he would return when the
| trouble subsidized.
,a.d b. stratford, ap alleged negro
ence. Kan, according to word re-
| ceived by Sheriff Mccullough. The
sheriff said AN effort would be made
to have him returned here without
/ lrequisition. No charge has been
placed against Stratford
/ Ten Whites Were Slain.
! The death of Robert Hanson, 81
years old, tool dresser, brought the
list of white dead up to ten today.
The bodies ofl21 negroes have been
found. There are many here who de-
clare that more negroes were killed.
that their bodies were buried or de-
stroyed but investigation of these re-
ports leads to nothing.
The city is rapidly getting back to
normal following three days Of terror.
i Relief agencies are using hundreds of
men and women in feeding and cloth
/ ing of black paupers, rendered help
/ less when their hundreds of homes were
icompletely destroyed by flames Wed-
nesday morning.
4 To Prevent Epidemic.
In relnquishing military control of
i the city late yesterday afternoon, Brig
adler General Barrett expressed the
belief that all danger of fresh out
break in the racial war had passed.
i Thousands of negroes held in the
refuge camp will be vaccinated today.
health officials taking this move as a
precautionary measure against a small
pox epidemic.
d Start Probe Wednesday.
1 Business was back in its usual stride
, in the business district and the civic
organizations were bending every ef-
! fort to remove all trace of the wreck
age wrought upon the negro quarter
by the white mob last Wednesday. City
, officials predicted the area would be
cleared and ready for reconstruction
work within two weeks.
/ Attorney General Freezing was ex-
! pected to arrive here during the day
: to take charge of the grand jury in
. ivestigation into the causes of the riot.
J The jury is to be empanelled here next
"Wednesday.