The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-14
S0LDIERSARE
PATR0LING THE
CITY STREETS
More Than Il Score of Persons
We're Injured in Klan-
Anti-klan Fights
MANYSHOTS WERE FIRED
Gun Battle Took Place Late
Yesterday Afternoon Near
the Masonic Temple

Hcrrin, Ill.,, April l4-lE)-Hcrrin
was again under military control to.
day as official machinery was put in
motion to investigate this city's lat.
est renewal Of lan-anti khan fac
1ional strife which yesterday, at the
municipal election here, resulted in
inc death of six and injury of more
than score Of persons.
The bodies of the six men lie in
undertaking parlors here today and
an inquest was expected to be held
this morning.
The dead are: Aurb Treadway, 90,
Harrisburg; Charles Briggs, alias
Brown" 30; East St. Louis: Mack
Sizcmore. 81, alderman; Ben Size
more, SO. the aldcrman's brother:
Harland Ford, 40; brother of John
Ford. former chief of police and dcp-
uty circuit clerk; Noble Weaver. SO,
West Frank fort.
Three Of the men, the Sizemore
brothers and Ford, were klansmen
while the others arc anti-klan,
klan Leader Attacked
The shootings are believed to have
been lnclted as n result Of an episode
Tuesday morning when John Smith.
garage proprietor and khan leader.
was accosted by man, later identi-
fled as "Blackie" Arms. The men
conversed for few moments and
Arms searched Smith. removing two
guns from his pockets. He then took
gun from his own pocket and
struck Smith across the face, the lat
ter said.
Smith, in n statement, declared that
he then ran into his garage. closed BY,
followed closely by his brother-in-
law. Eugene Vincent, and two other
men, who had not been identified.
Then the shooting began, Smith and
the three other members of his party
barricading themselves in the garage.
More than 500 shots were fired
from both within and outside the pa
rage, it is reported, and scores Of
cars. passing the garage, slowed Up
to fire shots into the structure. Ma
chine guns were also brought into
play and men stationed as far as two
blocks away fired volleys into the
garage. The shooting finally SUBJ
sided and the men emerged from the
garage. Smith was the only person
injured. bullet having grazed his
neck. His injury was not serious.
Guardesmen Called
Following this episode, a call was
sent in for the Illinois National
Guard contingent at Carbondale.
The feeling. after the first shooting,
became tense and late in the after
noon, about 4:2O o'clock, the battle
was resumed.
Smith said that he and 10 other
klansmen were engaged in q conver-
sation outside the Masonic temple
when several cars, loaded with men,
also 10 in number, pulled up to the
curb. One Of the men got out Of the
car and started to search him, order
ing him to hold up his hands. After
searching him, all of the men
emerged from the automobiles and
started firing at those standing on
the sidewalk outside the Masonic
'temple. The klansmen returned the
fire and within few minutes five of
the men had been fatally injured and
a sixth killed. The dead man was
brought to.a morguc, while the others
were taken to the hospital where
they died later.
Just before expiring, Ben Sizemoro
said he was positive that he had kill
ed one of the anti-klansmen.
Only One Arrest Made
Secrecy enshrouds the entire affair
and States Attorney Boswell has been
unable to learn the names of others
who participated in the affair. Only
one arrest was made, that Of
"Blackie" Arms, but he was released
later after identifying himself as
deputy sheriff from Marion. He was
arrested originally charged with
speeding.
Eighty-four guardsmen from Carr
bondale and Cairo were patro@ing the
streets Of the city, having been>called
here after the shooting at the Smith
garage yesterday morning.
In previous factional rioting here,
ID persons were slain. In 1922. q
miners were killed in clash Of union
and non-u union workers.