Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1904 — MOBSTILL UNCOWED [ARTICLE]

MOBSTILL UNCOWED

Hat Practically Its Own Way at Springfield, 0., in Spite of Soldiert. NEGROES DRIVEN FROM TOWN And Take to the Wood*—Rioters Jeer the Troop* aa a Diversion— Keign of Terror. Springfield, 0., March 10. —There Is a reign of mob terror In this town. The mob has determined to (hive ell the negroee out of town and the city authorities have shut up all negro resorts. There are fifteen companies of state troops here, and yet the streets are full of mobs. While there are 15,000 negroes In this city none Is seen anywhere. Demonstrations In yelling and Jeering are made agalLst the militia. The body of Dixon, the negro, was taken to the cemetery in a covered wagon and buried. The order for saloons to remain closed is observed, but no attention is paid to the mayor’s proclamation for people to keep from congregating or remaining on the streets. Negro** Take to tho Wood*. It is thought that hundreds of negroes are out in the woods around the city, as they cannot be found within the limits. There are two or three among what are called •'bad” negroes that are said to be wanted by the crowds, and the negroes fear others are wanted. Telegrams Are being received by negroes from their fellows In other states offering help. The pastor of a colored church In Kansas City wired to a pastor here: ‘‘lf you want any aid from Kansas call on us. We are prepared to come to your re»cue.”

Driven Out of Their Home*. The colored people here now are afraid to be seen getting telegrams or mall. The west end of the levee was "cleaned out” yesterday by the mob, and no white man would work with moving vans and uo white man would accept the goods in storage. The work had to be done by colored men under guard of the militia, and most of the goods 'from the dismantled places is piled up in the open yards of colored people. None could be left on the premises of white people, who feared that their own property would thus be endangered.

NIGHT is tolerably peaceful Some Shots Fired and * Bnloon Looted— Talk of Prosecution*. The only outbreak last night curred at 11 o’clock in Short Winter street, a thoroughfareonly two squares In length and inhabited by both black* and whites. A half dozen resorts, mostly owned by whites, are located there, and at 11 p. m. five shots aimed at a colored man were the occasion of three companies of militia being dispatched to the scene of tbedisturbance. By the time the militiamen arrived the police had restored order and the colored occupants of several bouses were ordered indoors. Shooting was also heard in the vicinity of Miami alley, a negro district, but the police were unable to ascertain by whom the shots were fired. A saloon at Spring and North streets was looted. Considerable quantities of whisky, beer and tobacco were secured, and as the place had been shut up for many hours previous it is not known whether the work was done by a mob or not Earlier In the night crowds varying from 100 to GOO jeered and hooted the soldiers, and it frequently became necessary for th* troops to push the rioters back at the point of the bayonet. A special grand jury will sit next Monday morning to investigate the work of the mob and ascertain, if possible, who were the leaders of Monday night’s mob, which killed Richard Dixon, and also the leaders of the rioters on Tuesday night, who burned the negro resorts in East Washington street. Judge Mower and Prosecuting Attorney McGrew declare they will not let up until they have secured some tangible evidence upon which to base indictments. Eight colored saloonkeepers have already applied to County Auditor Hahn for refund of their state tax. The** are the men who were either burned out or who vacated their places on receipt of notices from the police.