New Britain herald., 1926-04-14
klansmen and Anti-Klans- men in Gun Fight on Election Day and Illinois City Is Once More Under Military Control as Off cials Investigate.

 was again under military control to- day as official machinery was put in motion 10 investigate this citys lat csl renewal Of kan-anti- fac tional strife which yesterday, at the municipal election here, resulted in the death of six and injury Of more than a score of persons.
 List of Six Dead
 The bodies of the six men lay in undertaking parlors here today. Coroner George Bell of Marion ar. rived last night and, with State's At torney Arlie Boswell, conferred with Lieutenant Colonel Davis In charge of the situation. and John Ford, only known eyewitness 10 the shootings, from whom they obtained resume of the days disorders. The dead are:
 Aurb Treadway, 2s, Harrisburg.
 Charles Briggs, alas Brown" 30, East St. Louis.
 Mack Sizemore, 54. Alderman.
 Ben Sizemore, 5S, Alderman. brother Of Mack,
 Harland Ford, 4o brother of John Ford, former chief of police and deputy circuit clerk.
 Noble Weaver, 32, West Frank fort.
 Three of the men, the Sizemore brothers and Ford, are klansmen, while the others are anti-klan.
 Garage Man Attacked The shootings are believed 10 have been melted as a result of an episode Tuesday morning when John Smith, garage proprietor, and hlan leader, was accosted by q man, later | identified as "Blackie" Arms at about 9:30 a. m. The men convers- ed for few moments and Arms searched Smith. removing two guns from his pockets. He then took q i gun from his own pocket and struck Smith across the face, the latter said
 Smith, in statement Sdeclared that he then ran into his garage, close by, followed closely by his brot hor-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 within the garage.
 1 Machine Guns Used
 More than 800 shots were fired from both within and outside the garage, 1t Is reported, and scores of cars passing the garage slowed lip as they passed to fire shots into the structure. Machine guns were also brought into play and men station- ed as far as two blocks away fired volleys into the garage. The shoot ing finally subsided and the men emerged from the garage. Smith was the only person injured, a bull let having grazed his neck. Ills in- jury was not serious, however.
 Following this episode, call wa9 sent in for the Illinois national guard contingent at Carbopdalo.
 The feeling. after the first shoot ing became tense and late in the aft crnoon. ahont 4:20 o'clock, the battle was renewed.
 Battle Is Renewed
 Smith said that he and 10 other klansmen were engaged fin conycr- sation outside the Masonic temple when several cars loaded with men, about 10 in number, pulled up to tho curb. Ono Of the men got out Of the car and started to search him. ordering him 10 hold up his hands, After searching him, all of the men emerged from the automo- piles and started firing at those standing on the sidewalk outside the Masonic temple. The klansmcp re- turned the fire and within q few minutes five of the dead mon had been fatally injured and a sixth killed. The dead man was brought to morsue while the others were taken 10 the hospital where they died,
 Secrecy ershrouda the entire af- fair and States Attorney Boswell has been unable to learn tho names of others who participated in the affair. only Ono arrest was made, that of "Rlackio" Arms but he vas releascl later after identifying himself as q d"puty sheriff from Marion. IIo was ,F,. I !,