Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-07-20
CICERO Rioters burn VETS FURN| DRE
TIME Magazine
Report On Riot
In Cicero, i'll,

In Cicero, Ill.
The current edition of TIME
Magazine dated July %, re-
ports on the Cicero riots in the
following fashion:
Ugly Nights In Cicero
Gnmy Cicero, Ill. (pop. $1,000,
which huddles close to Chicago's
west boundary, has never had a
reputation for being exclusive.
During the roaring '2Os. the Tor
FiO-Capone mob roared through
Cicero's streets In Rrmored cars,
ruled its wide-open gambling
joints, honky-tonks and
houses. Cicero is also an industrial
town, with tree-hned neighbor-
hoods of workingmen's homes and
friendly corner taverns where
jukeboxes play lively polkas and
the talk at the bar IL In many Ian
guages. Though its history Is
pockmArked with crime and vio-
lence, Cicero makes one proud
boast; no Negroes live there
That was one thing Harvey Z.
Clark Jr. didn't know. Clark. a
Negro, graduate tA.BD OF Fisk
University and a World War II
sergeant. was sick of living in a
tiny apartment on Chicago's
South Side. with his two kids
sleeping in the windowless hall
way. He rented an apartment in
Cicero. But when he tried to move
his family in last month. two
Cicero cops refused TO let the
Clarks unload their furniture be-
cause they had no permit" Beefy
Police Chief Konovsky struck him
several times and shouted: Get
out OF Cicero and don't come back
. or you'll get a bullet through
you"
Growing Crowd
Clark. a Chicago bus driver. de-
eided TO make an issue Of II. He
filed a $4,000 damage suit in
federal court against Cicero Off
eiAls and the town Of Cicero, The
court issued a temporary injunc-
ton. warning Cicero police to see
20 II that the Clarks were not mol.
ested.
But when they returned TO Cic-
ero last week and moved their
furniture into the apartment. they
found a handful OF Cicero and
Cook County police and a large
and hostile crowd Frightened. the
ClArks left but the crowd didn't
Until midnight, the crowd milled
In the street, booing and teering
when Cook County Sheriff John
Babb ordered them To disperse, oc-
caSionally throwing stones.
Next night the crowd was back
again, bigger and in an uglier
mood The so cops made no effort
10 stop tcen-agers who, from well
hidden positions, tossed stones at
windows in the Clark apartment
Violence at Midnight
Around midnight the mob got
holder, a dozen or so young bloOds
rushed the cops at the doorway 10
the apartment house, pushed past
them, smashed in the front door,
clambered upstairs to the Clark
apartment. Out OF the window 10
the accompaniment Of cheers from
the crowd. went all Of the ClArICs'
furniture, including a piano. Then
the young vandals tore out door
and window jambs, gouged holes
In the walls. ripped out light fix
lures. smashed radio. a refrigera-
tor and stove. dashed in the toilet
bowl, For good measure, they rip
ped up two apartments below the
Clarks 1.-THE tenants. like most Of
the 10 families in the apartment
house. had long since fed.D Then
the mass Of broken furniture on
the lawn was set afire, and the
cheers grew louder. Police did not
make a single arrest. At about
$50. the mob once again faded
away, but everybody knew that II
would BE- back
At daybreak. Sheriff Babb put
through a call TO Governor Ada
Stevenson. who called out five
companies of National Guards
men. Most Of the day was spent in
making preparations for the night
Vans. trucks and private ears
ahuttled back and forth. trying "a
ave the belongings Of tenants
One tenant, q retired Chicago cop
mid. a. he helped with the NOV.
ing. 7 saw q lot Of things az q
policeman. but never anything
ME that. These people are saw
aga"
Go! Go! Go!
BY 7 O'Clock the mob was back
and pressing against police hnss
whSeh blocked off the area around
ths apartment house for . fun
MOCK. Mostly they were young
fsEADws In T-shirts and dunGarees,
baa there were also housewives in
cotton dresses. . father hob1ing
HIN ehIld on his shoulder 10 give
hAm . better view The crowd wAs
gDOd-natured - n EotnG 10 .
81 uAAE ARncIE
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