New-York tribune., 1921-06-02


The attempt TO destroy the negrc
Quarter by FIRE was resumed Ave hours
later when almost simultaneously FIRE
began to burst forth from the doors and
windows of frame shacSs along Archer
Street. Soon dense clouds oil black
smoke eaveloped The location. Under
cover OF the smoke screen armed men
IN meteor cars and afoot threw Gordon
about the place whore the negroes
were stationed and occasional shots
gave warning that The conflict still
waged.
Negroes Surrender, Hands Uplitcd
As the fire enveloped the houses ne
groes were seen TO dart ont from fam
ing doorways with upraiScd hands.
shouting: Don't shoot" As they
dashed through the smoke they we're
ordered to surrender and quickly were
removed TO the prison camps.
throughout the morning long Ices
OF negroes streamed westward along
the streets leading to Convention Kali,
Many wore their night clothes and
We're bare!ooted. Their sunken eyes
told of .s,eepless night and their
ashen faces bespoke gripping fear.
men, women and children carried
ouhdses OF clothing on their heads and
PACKS, The articles they saved were
warned and IN many cases would have
oeen ludierous but for the gravity of
the situation. Hero an old woman
eiung TO Bible. there a girl with dis
heveted hair carried wooliv white dog
under her arm aad behind trotted q
little girl with Big wax doll.
IN one case an agac negro woman
supported an old man, wrapped about
with quits and apparently very i'll. He
was immediately placed IN sn automo-
bile and hurried to 4 hospital.
But all who came to Convention Hall
were not non-combatants. Repeatedly
Crim-faced men, heavily slmed.
whirled up to the big hail diicctlv
from the scene of the fighting under a
big hill on North Greenwood Avenue.
With them, closely guarded, were
negro prisoners captured with guns
during the fray.
Negro servants were taken from
their quarters and moved to the bail
park.
Whites Raid Stores for Arms
Soon after the first appearance OF
the negroes last night the streets were
hNed with shouting, gesticulating men.
Il
ing goods houses and hardware stores
where the crowds broke in and armed
themselves with whatever weapons
they could find. Guardsmen were
used to disperse the rioters and a Mill
tary order ~cbnfiscated eli stocks of
arms in the city until the disturbance
could be put down.
The situation was, further ae-
gravated by reports from Muskogee
that crowds of negroes there were aFn-
ing themselves and preparing to come
to the assistance of those of their race
IN Tulsa, The officials there were
guarding all highways to prevent the
departure of negroes from that city.
Rumors of possible aerial ACTIVITY
were rife throughout the day, it being
reported several planes armed with
machine guns had taken the air.. Later
1t was learned that several sightseeing
ships had been up but that neither city,
county nor state authorities had re-
sorted to the use of planes to restore
order.
Seven distinct engagements marked
the progress OF the race war. The first
shot was fired at the corner Of Sixth
and Boulder streets. when zoo armed
negroes who had been parading the
streets on foot and in auton obiles for
an hour. and great cspwd Of whites
gathered about courthouse steps, nearly
all of whom were,xnnarmed. The ne
groes had paraded past the courthouse
repeatedly, apparently fin the belief
that the whites Intended ito lynch Row.
land. -
AS the minutes passed. the, white
men obtained a few Guns and began Ito
assume a belligerent attitude them 1
selves. Finally a verbal alteration be
tween the factions began. E. S. Mac
Queen, detective, attempted to inter-
vene. Suddenly there was a shot and
instantly the firing became general
and the crowd scattered, while negroes
began training their guns On the fee
ing forms.
Negroes Fire as They Retreat
The negroes finally retreated slowly
UP, Boulder Street, the alley back of
the courthouse on Boston Street. firing
as they went. When they emerged on
Fourth Street hot skirmisnes ensued.
the negroes met again by
a pre-arranged plan, for those of the |
whites who followed them engaged
their full strength again when they
made stand at Second and Cincinnati |
After brief stand the negroes once
more retreated north across the Frisco
tracks to the negro quarter.
In the early morning fighting in the !
extreme northern end of the negro quar- /
ter. Mrs. S. A. Gilmore, white woman
was shot in the left arm and side. She |
was standing on the front porch of her |
home when she was~shot4 by q negro, |
one of score or more barricaded in !
a church. Hundreds of armed white |
men rushed to the district in auto
mobiles.
A cheek of hospitals showed that /
nearly twoscore white persons were I
being treated for injuries. More than ,
fifty white patients left the hospitals |
after treatment without giving names. /
Most of the patients had arm and leg
wounds, and only few were reported |
in a serious condition
Among the seriously wounded was A. !
B. Stick, City Clerk of Sapulpa, Okla, /
who was struck by stray bullet while
he was standing on the steps Of a hotel.
Another of those severely injured was
run over by an automobile hlled with
armed negroes.
A military commission, composed Of
seven city officials and business men, to
pass upon the status of 6,000 negroes /
held under guard in improviaad prison
camps, was formed by Mayor T. d.
Evans and Chief of Police Gustafson
with the approval of General Barrett.
BOde Freed of Murder
Charge by Police Record