Evening star., 1921-03-12
Modified at Springfield Fol-
lowing Shooting Of Police
/ man and Negro.
By the Associated Press.

Mayor b. j. Westcott announced
that it was the opinion of the confer
ence that the situation could be han
G'ed by the sheriff and he was placed
in charge in preference to putting the
city under military or martial law.
young negro, suspected of being the
one who shot Patrolman Joseph Ryan
last night during the racial disorders.
was captured by an armed posse of
farmers after an exchange of pistol
shots before noon today in woods
three miles north of Springfield. He
was turned over to deputy sheriffs
and brought to Springfield for inves-
tigation.
The negro under arrest is said to
have at first denied participation in
the shooting last night and later to
have admitted to the deputy sheriffS
that he was guilty. Farmers in the
vicinity organized d posse to capture
him this morning when he was seen
to run from a farmer on the road.
When rounded up by the posse he
fired several shots at his pursuers and
was fired on in return before he sur
rendered. No one was injured.
James White confessed to police
that he was guilty of the shooting
of Patrolman Ryan, they announced
this afternoon. White was brought
to this city and lodged in the county
Jail. which is strongly guarded by
a Gordon of National Guardsmen.
Springfield was quiet this morning
following night of disorder. in
which Patrolman Joseph Ryan and a
negro were wounded in interchanges
OF shots between police and negroes.
Guardsmen on Duty.
Three companies of Ohio National
GuarIsmen. consisting of 130 officers
and men under command of Lieut..
Col II. B. Horner. were on duty to-
day. with headquarters at the city
hall. The entire 4th Ohio Infantry
was mohilized in anticipation of fur
ther rioting here. but Col. Horner
said he did not think 1t necessary to
Although the situation was auiet
early today. and no further trouble
seemed imminent. both military and
civil authorities said they would not
relax their. vigilance and are taking
all precautions to avoid n recurrence
tonight of the racial trouble.
Machine guns are mounted at the
county jail. A truck with machine
gun mounted on II ls availa BILE to make
hurried trips
stnrtine of Trouble.
The trouble. which started shortly
before midnight last night with the
shooting of Patrolman Ryan, after he
disperse. was the outgrowth of an
assault last Monday night on eleven
year-old Marge Ferneau by an un-
known negro who escaped. Rumors
that he had been arrested caused a
crowd to gather at the county jail
Wednesday night and again Thursday
night, but these crowds were dispersed
when it was proven the negro had
not been caught. Crowds gathered
again last night. but had been dispersed
when the shooting began.
Among the city's 10000 population.
approximately one-eighth of whom
are negroes, racial feeling IL still
strong, and although no further trouble
is anticipated. authorities point out that
conditions are such that anything may
occur.
Last nights rioting apparently came
in three phases. The opening conflict
between officers and negroes came
when Patrolman Ryan was shot three
times after he had attempted to break
up crowd OF negroes at Center and
Jefferson streets. within block and
half of the police station. Ryan is
expected to recover. Later there was
another brush in which Shirley Shaf-
fer a negro, received a slight scalp
wound. and later general pitched
battle in which twenty or more shots
were fred between negroes and Off
GERS. the negroes lodging behind trees
and buildings. and the officers barri-
cading themselves behind curbing.
While attempting to persuade ne
groes to return to their homes and de-
sist from violence. City Manager Ed
gar Parsons. Mayor b. j. Wstcott and
Police Prosecutor Robert Flack were
fired upon, but none of them was
wounded.
Between twenty, and thirty arrests
were made during the night. includ-
ing that of one negro thought to have
been the assailant of Patrolman
Ryan. Police. however. would not
confirm his identity nor say where he
had been taken. Most of the remain
ing prisoners We're held on charges
of disorderly conduct and investiga-
tion. Among those held was Asa
Smith, white. who. police say, was
found just outside the quarter where
the shooting occurred with dynamite
on his person.
Marge Ferneau. eleven years old.
whose miStreatment at the hands of
an unknown negro last Monday night
brought on present bad feeling be-
tween whites and blacks, was report
ed at noon as being in fairly good
condition. Hospital authorities would
not confirm nor deny rumor that
her conditions was unfavorable. Her
assailant has never been apprehended.
Joseph Ryan. patrolman. who re.
ceived three bullet wounds from one
OF party OF negroes wnom he at
'sDlDt"u lt tiSptTSt last "do
reported as improving.
Possibility of a third person having
been wounded in last nights fighting
was Indicated today when police an
nounced that a trial of blood led from
the scene of the final encounter last
nigh. in which at leaS- tW-1'y si:",s
are said to have been fired. The trail
was followed from the street to an
old building. where it was lost. No
further casualties have been reported
to officials.
Police say they have Information
that many of the negroes are armed
with Spring gfeld rifles. which they
purchased severals years ago. follow
ing previous race riots. when tfe
government placed a large number
OF the firearms on the market.
Last nights disturbances were not
in the nature of mob disorders. There
was 10 concerted attack either by
whites or negroes, the shootings be-
ing isolated and entirely between
blacks and authorities who were at
tempting TO have them return to
their homes. Large crowds were on
the streets until an hour after mid
night, but so far as is known none
participated in the shootings.
springneId's Disorders.
Last nights racial disorders were
| the third in the history of Spring
eI