The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-02
Tulsa Negroes Demand Repara-
tiOns for Homes Burned.
Insurance Companies Balk Pay
ment of $1,50O,O0O.
PROBE OF RIOTS ORDERED
Oklahoma Governor Orders In
vestigatiOn at Tulsa.
Attorney General to Prosecute
Those Found Responsible.

Tulsa, June 2.-The matter of COL
lecting insurance. on the properties in
the negro district destroyed by fire in
the fighting between negroes and
white men yesterday, today was in
dispute, the insurance men holding
that their policies on the $1,500,000
worth of buildings destroyed did not
recognize mob violence as a destruc-
tive agent.
1t was regarded as possible that
some of the negroes might seek to re-
cover from the city of Tulsa, seeking
to establish that the city was negligent
in not having provided sufficient pro-
lection and therefore was responsible
for the losses.
New Church Burned.
The devastated district, irregularly
one mile square, contained dwellings
and apartment houses sufficient to
house more than ten thousand per-
sons and also an extensive business
district.
Many of the buildings were of
flimsy construction, but there were
a number of really imposing struc-
lures, including two theaters, several
three-story buildings, an $85,000 new
ly built church, the plants of two
newspapers, the Tulsa Star and the
Oklahoma Sun, and the only Tulsa
undertaking establishment catering
exclusively to negroes.
Adjutant General Barrett, com
manding the state militia force
in Tulsa county under the mar
tial law proclamation, announced this
morning that ESQ of the 45O guards
men here will be sent home this after
noon. He did not say which COM
panies would be relieved.
Gov. ]. B. A. Robertson today an
nounced a Tulsa county district judge
ix1ri11 I1n -od fn rfn nrf n n ~
investigation of Wednesdays race riot
Further than this statement, Cover
nor Robertson was silent, but he gave
every indication that all efforts will
be made by the state to fix blame
where it belongs for the actual MUIR
der and arson that brought desolatlor
to 1000 negroes.
Attorney General Freezing will be
put in charge of the investigation, "
Governor Robertson said.
Guards Fired No Shots.
Fact that the National Guard pre-
served perfect order in powder
keg'' town without the firing of q
the belief that part of the guard viii
entrain for home before Thursday
night.
Martial law, however, will be main
tanned for at least twenty-four hours
it was announced at guard headquar'
| ters, city hall.
| Tho the city is absolutely quiet
we have had no official reports o.
the situation in the county and canno
| leave the town for a possible recur'
renee of Wednesdays holocaust" sait
Maj. Byron kirkpatrick, headquarters
adjutant.
Send Troops Back.
| One hundred and thirty-one guards
men of the Oklahoma City detachment
will be the first to entrain for home
Col. 3. P. Markham. commanding
said today. Markham said orders wer'
expected to allow his men to board ;
special train for home at p. IN
These men had the brunt of the worl
| Wednesday in the hottest stage of th'
riot, their threatening bayonets anC
machine guns quickly ending rio
ideas.
I'VE did not fire a shot, and dis
armed hundreds of negroes an
whites" said Colonel Markham.
white men were marching negroe
up the street with arms in the al
when we pulled in," the colonel con
tinued. THE big fighting had beel
ended, and the last stand of negroes il
st. Zion church had been defeated b,
the deadly fire of white men,"
Negroes appeared again on Tuls
streets Thursday; porters and be-
hops, walters and janitors, did thei
duties unmolested and unnoticed.