| Show race riot in capital of illinois results in four deaths and injury of many participants despite the presence of mil t a the homes of negroes are burned to the ground and colored men subjected to torture springfield two white men were killed and one negro was lynch ed more than halt a hundred persons were injured and two score of houses mostly occupied by negroes were burned friday night as the result of an attempt by a mob to lynch a negro who had led a white woman after a night of riot arson and slaughter the state troops called out by the governor succeeded early sat arday in restoring a semblance of or der one thousand militiamen in eluding three companies from this city and companies from bloomington de batur perkin and pontiac were sei patrolling the streets despite the presence of the troops another victim was added to the list on saturday night when william don igan an aged negro was killed don gan was a cobbler and respected as a simple and inoffensive citizen his shop was within two blocks of the state house in the absence of a pa arol the mob set fire to the shop and the venerable negro was compelled by the smoke to run into the street hia appearance was greeted by a shower of stones and bricks and as he stag under the fusillade he was 1 ed and his throat cut A rope was then run through the wound and the victim bound to a tree there he was aund later unconscious and dying the rioting was precipitated by an assault committed by a negro upon mrs mabel hallam wife of a street car conductor while the woman slept alone in her home on a populous residence street awaiting the return of her husband the man broke into the house dragged her into the rear yard and assaulted her before noon george Ki chardson a young negro was arrested by the sheriffs force charged with the crime the victim partially identified the prisoner crowds quickly gathered about the lail but richardson was spirited away to bloomington for sate keep ing balked of their prey the members of the mob wreaked vengeance upon a restaurant keeper who had assisted in spiriting away the suspected negro by completely wrecking his ant and burning his automobile lewis johnson a white boy aged 17 was killed during the rioting at the res caurant tau rant after burning many houses in the negro quarter the mob which became more and more despe ate as the night passed finally gratified its thirst for blood when charley hunter a negro was lynched t the corner of twelfth and madison streets right in the hear of the district called bad lands troops arrived at the scene too late to prevent the lynching some of the members of the mob declare that the negro lynched had shot two white men george richardson the negro charged with the assault which led to the tearful rioting denies his guilt and declares he can prove an alibi with the arrival here on sunday or the second and seventh infantry regi mens I 1 N G and two squadrons of the first cavalry all from chicago the entire national guard of illinois with the exception of the sixth in fantry and the eighth infantry col ored Is on duty in the not ridden dis tracts in all 4 guardsmen are in the city sunday passed without any violent demonstrations and although large crowds thronged the streets the were mostly curiosity seekers and were easily handled by the soldiers |
