Front page of the Tulsa Tribune during the Tulsa Race Massacre, 6/1/1921.
Series: Central Decimal Files, 1881 - 1982
Collection: Records of the American National Red Cross, 1881 - 2008
Transcription:
THE PEOPLE'S PAPER
The Tulsa Tribune
THE WEATHER SECOND
OKLAHOMA - Tonight and Thurs- EXTRA
day part cloudy.
Tulso temperatures: Maximum
today at noon, 85, yesterday, 91;
minimum, 68, yesterday, 61
FULL LEASED WIRE REPORTS OF ASSOCIATED AND UNITED PRESS; UNRIVALED STATE AND FEATURE SERVICE
VOL. XVII - NUMBER 225. TULSA, OKLAHOMA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1921. State Edition * * FOURTEEN PAGES - PRICE [TORN] CENTS
COUNTY PUT UNDER MARTIAL LAW
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
7 whites, 68 Negroes Dead --- Fire Rages
PROCLAMATION
All persons not deputied as special officers are ordered to
disarm in a proclamation issued shortly before noon by Mayor
Evans. Persons carrying guns after that hour will be arrested.
The proclamation:
"Armed troops, well equipped, have now arrived who, with
the assistance of the local authorities, will be able to control
the situation in this city. Everyone is directed to preserve law
an dorder and to avoid under every circumstance, the gather-
ing on the streets of curious and excited masses. This only
tends to make the situation worse for the authorities in restor-
ing order, making it more burdensome and complicated. No
loyal citien of Tulsa will willingly commit any act which en-
dangers the peace and security of the city. All parties, without
direct authority from the chief of police or the sheriff or Tulsa
county, who may be found after 11 a. m. today bearing arms and
engaged in any act liable to promote a breach of the peace will
be arrested and prosecuted under the Riot Act.
"Headquarters of the National Guards is established in
Room 306, City Hall, at Fourth street and Cincinnati avenue,
and except for duly appointed policeman and deputy sheriffs
all permission to bear ar mfsrom, and after, the publication of
this proclamation must be countersigned by Gen. Charles F.
Barrett or Col. B. F. Markham, commanding the National Guards.
"Gen. Charles F. Barrett concurs in this proclamation."
Dated 10:30 a. m., June First 1921.
"T. D. EVANS, Mayor."
Barrett is Put in Full
Charge by Robertson
OKLAHOMA CITY. - Martial law in Tulsa was ordered by
Governor Robertson at 11:15 o'clock and Adjutant General Bar-
rett placed in command of the city. The order was given over
the long distance telephone and a proclamation to this effect is
being prepared and will be issued immediately.
The order of Governor Robertson invoking martial law
over Tulsa has been extended to include all of Tulsa county. The
order will displace civil control and place it in supreme com-
mand of the adjutant general.
The governor's telegram to the adjutant general follows:
"I have declared martial law throughout Tulsa county and
am holding you responsible for maintenance of order, safety of
lives and protection of property. You will do all things neces-
sary to attain these objects.
(Signed) "J. B. A. ROBERTSON, Governor."
The governor acted after being in communication with of-
ficers in Tulsa. Attorney General Freeling will go to Tulsa this
afternoon.
"The situation at Tulsa seems peculiar to me," Governor
Robertson said. "With power vested in all city and county offi-
cials there to deputie and put into the law enforcement every
citien of the city if necessary, I cannot understand how this
trouble was allowed to get such a start."
Conversation with Adjutant General Barrett was to the ef-
fect that it was impossible for the fire department to enter the
negro section and that the flames were raging unabated.
All available guardsmen will be placed on duty once in
the negro section, which has been entirely destroyed by flames,
General Barrett said when he r[eceived order?] from Governor
Robertson placing the county under martial law.
Orders have been issued to disarm citizens. Later the
military will issu ecrededntials to men chosen as special officers.
A military commission, composed of seven city officials
and business men, to pass upon the guilt of the 6,000 negroes
now held in concentration camp, was formed shortly before
noon by Mayor Evans and Chief of Police Gustafson and ap-
proved by General Barrett. This committee will pass upon the
guilt of those held under guard in the various camps, naming
those who will be held for trial for inciting the black populace
to riot.
The personnel of the committee: C. S. Younkman, water
commissioner; Albert Hunt, district judge; H. F. Newblock,
city commissioner; C. S. Aver, oil man; Grant McCullough,
banker; F. E. White, business man; Alva J. Niles, banker.
The Tulsa Tribbune
RESTORE ORDER
LYNCH law leads not to law but to lawlessness and
lawlessness is a repudiation of government.
Lynch law is a fire brand in the hands of those
who thoughtlessly elect to establish mob rule for law
and order. Lynch law is an impassioned appeal to the
hatreds of prejudice. It brings ignominy and disaster
to any community that falls its victims.
Whatever ground it may have had, a story starts
that a negro in the county jail was to be lynched. Out
of curiosity a crowd collects. A small band of negroes
brings firearms onto the scene. At first they were few
At the outset there was nothing to indicate that the
whites had been moved to a battling protest. But when
the first small band of negroes added to their armed
forces the war began. Tulsa found itself experiencing
a night of terror and the new day dawned with the
[illegible]nd of battle and the sky clouded with the smoke that
rises above the burning buildings and shacks in the
negro end of town.
At such a time as this it is the first duty of every
citizen to restore law and order as quickly as possible.
The National Guard is equal to cope with the rioting
negroes who are already under control. Let every citi-
zen do his duty and lend his fullest influence to the
prompt restoration of law and order. Do this for the
good name of Tulsa. Keep off the streets where there
are evidences of disorder as much as possible. Make
no needlessly threatening display of arms. The state's
soldiers can do that and do it with the authority of the
law.
Now is the time for every citizen to keep a cool
head, to keep out of mob collections. The quickest and
surest way to restore law is to respect the law. Let the
authorized agents of the law handle those who will
not.
BLACK QUARTER BURNS TO GROUND;
FOUR GUARD UNITS TAKE CHARGE
Seven white persons are known to be dead.
One white woman, shot six times, is expected to die.
Thirty-four whites are wounded in three hospitals. Many other wounded persons are
in their own homes.
Sixty-eight negroes, including men, women, and children, are dead, according to reports
from all districts of the black belt where heavy fighting was waged throughout the night
and up to 9 o-clock this morning.
One hundred blacks are believed wounded.
The officials are in control of the situation and no more armed conflicts are expected.
The entire black belt of Tulsa is a charred mass. The business section of
Greenwood avenue is levelled. Scarcely a building escaped the flames set by
torches when an army of whites invaded that district early this morning to an-
ticipate a general attack on the part of the blacks. Officials at noon today were
unable to estimate the total loss which will extend into many thousands of dollars.
It is estimated that more than 500 homes of negroes were burned. A score of
business buildings and a number of factories were razed. Heavy stocks of mer-
chandise were a total loss.
The fire carried by a strong north wind spread into the white residence
section adjoining the black settlement on North Detroit avenue. Ten homes in a
row were burned before firemen could check the flames. One house was burned
in the immediate vicinity of Standpipe hill.
At 12:30 o'clock the fire in this district was rapidly being brought under
control.
Hundres of white women and children fled from their homes as the leap-
ing flames fanned by a strong wind from the north ate their way to the white
belt. About 11 o'clock the wind subdued, giving the firemen a chance to
successfully combat the flames.
A special train bearing 350 National Guardsmen under the command
of Adjutant General Barrett arrived at 9:05 o'clock this morning. General Bar-
rett issued a statement from guard headquarters at the police station that mar-
tial law would not be declared until he had made a hurried investigation.
Only developments will determine if it is to be invoked,
Barrett added. Companies A and B, totaling 150 men, arrived
on the special train from Oklahoma City, with a second troop
train due from the capital about 11 o'clock. Company B and a
sanitary detachment, both located here, are also on duty and
have been since midnight.
The guards after establishing headquarters in Second
street in front of the police station were ordered to various sec-
tions of the black belt. One contingent was sent to Meulty park,
where several hundred negroes are interned.
General Barrett is now acting under orders issued by Mayor
Evans, Chief of Police Gustafson and Sheriff Bill McCullough.
Following a night of rioting, snip-
ing and open clashes between whites
and blacks hundreds of armed men
invaded the negro district to remove
the menace the blacks there offered.
At 5 o'clock scores of armed men in
automobiles drove to the north side
of the black belt in the vicinity of
Standpipe hill. These white fighters
formed one wing of an encircling
movement entirely surrounding the
negro district. Hundreds of pedes-
trains advanced on the black belt
from the south and west. Hundreds
of shots were fired. Many negroes
were reported to have been wound-
ed while a number of whites were
taken to hospitals with wounds.
The heaviest fighting this morn-
ing was in the extreme northern sec-
tion of the black belt. Hundreds of
negroes were concentrated in a val-
ley at the base of Sunset hill. Fifty
were barricaded in a church.
Machine Guns In Use.
Deadly volleys of steel were poured
[into?] the ranks of the whites as they
[advanced?] in open formation against
the blacks who stood their ground.
Finally the whites were forced to re-
treat. A call was sent to police head-
quarters for reinforcements. A num-
ber of guardsmen with two machine
guns were rushed in automobiles to
the scene of the fighting. The ma-
chine guns were set up and for 20
minutes poured a stream of lead on
the negroes who sought refuge be-
hind buildings, telephone poles and
in ditches.
The heavy firing came to a sud-
den halt when a huge white cloth
was raised aloft by the negroes. The
church where many negroes were
barricaded was riddled with bullets,
it was said.
Hundreds of negroes with hands
held high in the air walked from
the valley under the guard of armed
civilians. They were taken to Con-
vention hall and McNulty park,
where they were interned.
Whites who returned from the
battle-swept valley said that at least
50 negroes, including men, women
and children, were lying dead. At 10
o'clock authorities had been unable
to make a check of the black losses
in this battle.
Most of the blacks who were killed
met death in the early morning
fighting in the negro section near
the Frisco tracks.
___________________________
THE START
The clash had its inception when
several automobiles loaded with
armed negroes and said to have been
led by "Old Man" Stratford, a ne-
gro hotel proprietor, swung up in
front of the courthouse shortly be-
fore 10 o'clock, bent on protecting
Rowland. Not more than 30 blacks
were in the first party but they suc-
ceeded in virtually taking command
of the situation there because few
of the whites were armed and none
displayed guns. The blacks were or-
dered home by Sheriff McCullough,
who it is said, had armed negro
deputies with him on the courthouse
steps. Barney Cleaver, a former negro
police officer, also advised them to
go home. After the first sally, dur-
ing which the blacks dispersed part
of the crowd of whites, the negroes
were still permitted to keep their
guns.
Instead of going home, they cir-
cled around several blocks near the
courthouse and came back with an-
other flourish of shot-guns and
rifles. By this time the crowd of
whites had increased to several
thousand with hundreds of women
and a number of children on the
fringes. Most of the whites wer on-
lookers and there appeared to be
no organized mob. After making
known their intention to protect
Rowland at all costs the blacks were
star[ing?] toward home again. There
was still no move on the part of the
sheriff's forces or the city police to
disarm them although the black
force was not more than 50 at this
time.
Instead of going to the negro sec-
tion to stay the blackss whirled
through the streets of the quarter
and sought recruits. Every negro
they met was solicited to joion their
ranks. At Sixth and Cincinnati two
negroes who refused were threat-
ened, according to residents of the
neighborhood who overheard the
conversation.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the blacks
came back to the courthouse with
their biggest force. Estimates place
the number of armed negroes at be-
tween 100 and 200. By this time
it was estimated that probably 100
of the whites in the crowd had
procured arms. A number of whites
who sought guns at the National
Guard armory were refused. Cour-
iers went through the crowd of
whites and warned women and
children and unarmed men to seek
safety. They said they feared an
assault by the blacks. Only a part
of the crowd complied.
The first clash followed on the
heels of this warning. There are
two versions of how the firing be-
gun. According to some of the spectators
pistols were first fired into the air
in front of the Boulder street en-
trance to the courthouse and this,
spectators say, acted as a signal for
the general firing during which the
blacks fired ten shots to each one
for the whites. The crowd of whites
greatly outnumbered the armed
band of negroes but the whites were
helpless in front of the black on-
slaught because they were in con-
stant danger of firing into other
whites if they attempted to protect
the women and children in the crowd
by answering the blacks fire.
Where First Man Fell
After the first volley one carload
of blacks came north on Boulder
avenue, firing as they raced along.
The first white man dropped be-
fore the crash. He had been stand-
ing against the wall of the garage
on Boulder, just south of Sixth
street.
Across the street men and women
in the crowd sought refuge in the
row of houses on Boulder south of
Sixth. Many of them were unoble
to reach cover before the second
volley so they dropped in their
tracks and clung to the earth.
Others hid behind curbs in the
driveways to the garages of these
homes, running to better cover be-
tween the volleys.
Meanwhile the negroes fled.
Some of them ran through the
crowds of women and children,
brandishing their guns. They had
disappeared from the immediate
area of the courthouse within ten
minutes after the first shot had been fired.
Second Version of Start
The second version of the start
of the firing was to the effect that
a number of unarmed white men,
seeing that the officials were not
willing to disarm the blacks, took
that task to themselves. One man
is reported to have dashed into the ranks of blacks and seized one of the
guns. Spectators who relate this as
the true story of the inception of
the shooting declare that the blacks
immediately opened fire when they
were threatened with disarmament.
Shortly after the negroes fled
from the courthouse battlefield an
automobile load of white youths
sped past and fired into the jail
windows on the fourth floor, spec-
tators declared.
John McQueen, a former county
officer and one of the men who at-
tempted to disperse the crowd at the
courthouse, declared today that
Johnny Cody was the negro whose
shot started the general firing here.
"While I was on the steps Cody
and a band of negroes started up,"
McQueen said. "I went to meet them
and a stranger backed me uo. Cody
pushed a gun against him and fired
just as I pushed the gun away. The
stranger went down. Several bullets
went through my coat."
Immediately after this report came
to the crowd that the blacks were
mobilizing for systematic assault on
the whites. The majority of the
white men were still [illegible]. It
became immediately apparent how-
ever, that the police and sheriff's
force were making no attempt to
prevent the return of the blacks so
the white men themselves took
charge of the situation. Small
groups systematically entered all
downtown hardware stores and
pawnshops and took up all the arms
and ammunition that could be found
Nothing else in any of the stores
were touched.
Black Attack Again.
Soon there were more than 1,000
armed men on the streets. Part of
this crowd defended the Hotel Tulsa
and the section around Second street
and Cincinnati avenue from an attack
of blacks who swarmed back within
three quarters of an hour after the
court house battle.
After this second general battle,
which is described elsewhere, the
whites took rapid command of the
situation. Patrols spread quickly to
cover all the principal streets and
the roads leading into the city.
Special guards were put at all bridges
within a several-mile radius to halt
any incoming blacks. Roving pa-
trols moved up and down Main
street. At Main and Archer streets
desultory firing took place for sev-
eral hours. Blacks from their quar-
ter fired repeatedly from behind the
building at Archer street and Boulder
avenue and Archer and Cincinnati
avenue. They were cleared out with-
in an hour or two, but a second
group took their place and held the
negro block on Cincinnati, at the
Frisco tracks, against assault until
early this morning. Two negroes were
killed here and several others wound-
ed. A number of whites were re-
ported wounded in fighting here.
Could Have Disarmed Blacks.
Fully an hour before the first
shots were fired at the courthouse
citizens stood on the south steps and
pleaded with Police Commissioner
Adkison to call out the National
Guard without delay. The negroes
were just beginning to parade the
streets at that time and they argued
that even a small detachment of or-
ganized and equipped men could dis-
arm them, compel them to return to
their own part of ftown, get the
whites to disperse when this had
been accomplished and so avert im-
pending trouble.
Commissioner Adkison answered:
"We are trying to get them out,"
then turned and told the crowd to
obey E. S. McQueen's advice to go
home while the negroes were patrol-
ling the streets in arms, threatening
death and rapine. The police were
powerless.
An hour after the pitched battle
took place around the courthouse
and northward along Main and Bos-
ton, the Guard got into action.
Guardsmen went immediately to the
police station and began an attempt
to disperse the whites who had
armed themselves and gathered
there in expectation of another at-
tack.
_____________________________
The Dead
Carl D. Lotpeisch, 28, Randall
Kans., shot through breast. Taken to
Oklahoma hospital at 6:30 o'clock
this morning. He died shortly after-
ward.
Unidentified whate man, about
28; light brown hair; light brown
eyes; five feet ten inches; 160
pounds. At the Mowbray undertak-
ing parlors.
F. M. Baker, Havelin, Kan., 27,
short in back with buchshot. Died
this morning at Morningside hospi-
tal. At the Mowbray Undertaking
parlors. An identification card found
in his clothing bore the name of
Norman Gillard, 315 So. Norfolk.
The third white man, unidentified
was killed about 5:45 o'clock this
morning when a squad of white
riflemen engaged a group of ne-
groes on North Cincinnati av. The
body was taken to Mitchell-Fleming
undertaking parlors. He was de-
scribed as about 25 years old, six
feet [ta?]ll, weight 165 punds. He
wore dark green trousers, brown
coat, tan shoes, and a tan belt with
a silver clasp bearing the initial
"W". He was shot in the neck.
Death was instantaneous.
The body of an unidentified white
man about 35, held at the Stanley-
McGee Undertaking parlors still
was unidentified early today. He
was shot in the head.
The body of a white man, about
30, shot in the back of the head, held at
the Mowbray undertaking parlors,
ho[illegible] [ea?]rly last night in the first brush
with the blacks, still was unidentified
this morning.
[1?]0-year-old white boy, though
to [be?] named Olson, home at Sapulpa
died at 8:30 o'clock following a bat-
tle an hour earlier at the Frisco depot
in which two negroes were reported
killed. Olson's body was removed to
the Mitchell-Fleming undertaking
parlors where it awaits positive
identification.
A white girl was reported killed on
North Peoria in the vicinity of the
Texaco plant. the report could not
be verified at 10 o'clock.
____________________________
The Injured
A re-check of the injured revealed
the following at the various hospit-
als:
Oklahoma Hospital.
Earl Hileman, city, shot through
thigh, not serious
G. B. Steck, Sapulpa, shot in back,
serious.
J. E. Wissinger, 150 Admiral or
1202 East Second, shot in knee, not
srious.
G. F. Joiner, 1703 South Main, shot
in leg, not serious.
Ross G. Owens, 1108 South Jack-
son, shot with bird shot, several
wounds but not serious.
E. D. Hartshone, shot in thigh.
Edward Austin, 418 South Detroit,
shot in toe, not serious.
Grocer Slinkhard, West Tulsa, fac-
tured rib.
Robet Elmer, West Tulsa,
A. N. Dow, 401 South Madison,
shot in upper thigh and compound
fracture of arm, serious.
C. C. Thomas, 803 South Main,
shot in leg, not serious.
E. R. Hileam, Fern hotel, com-
pound fracture of thigh, serious.
Garland Crouch, 16 North Quincy,
shot in upper abdomen and right
arm, though serious.
A. T. Sterling, 314 South Zunis,
minor injuries.
Robert Palmore, West Tulsa, shot
in left shoulder, not serious.
E. Belchner, 1437 East Hodge,
shot in hand and leg, not serious.
Lee Fisher, 338 1/2 East First, shot
in left leg and thigh, thought serious.
G. I. Prunkart, Frisco conductor,
shot with bird shot in shoulder, chin
and forehead. He was shot while
sitting in caboose of train just pulling
into city.
There are two wounded patients
unidentified. Fifteen or 20 patients
having only slight wounds called at
hospital and had them dressed, left
hospital without giving name or ad-
dress.
Tulsa Hospital
George Switzgood, 415 N. Detroit;
not serious.
K. G. Logsdon, 308 S. Cincinnatti;
shot in arm; not seriously.
Sergt. W. R. Hastings, 1507 E. Jef-
ferson; not serious. After having his
wounds dressed, Sergeant Hastings
immediately left hospital.
H. L. Curry, Illinois hotel, shot
through neck; serious.
E. F. Vickers, city; arm shot.
M. W. Camble. 220 W. Cam [Iron;?]
thought serious.
Jess Collins, 522 N. Boston; serious.
R. N. Seltzer, 529 S. Utica; leg, not
serious.
Otto Sherry, 112 N. Frisco; face
powder burned.
Thirty-five or forty who were only
slightly wounded were attended at
the hospital. After the wounds were
dressed they walked out, leaving
no name or address.
Physicians & Surgeons Hospital.
R. C. Hankson, Jenks, Okla., tool
dresser; shot through right wrist,
bullet traveling through abdomen
into the left arm; shot at 6:45 a. m.
___________________________
NOTICE TO TELEPHONE
SUBSCRIBERS
______________
Please use your telephones only
in case of emergency. This will
assist us in protecting life and pro-
erty.
SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELE-
PHONE COMPANY
___________________________
CURTIS BROWN CO. sells PHOE-
NIX PURE SILK HOSE. Phone 232.
____________________________
We sincerely trust that the
local disturbance is over. We
do not want to give the im-
pression of trying to drive in
business as the result of a
calamity.
It is our duty, however, to
call t he public's attention to
the fact that the standard fire
policies do NOT cover loss re-
sulting from Riot, Insurrection
or Civil Commotion.
We write Riot, Insurrection
and Civil Commotion Insur-
ance and the cost of same is
very slight. Call us for rates.
Policies are written here in
our office. Phone Cedar 2100.
Pearce, Porter & Martin
500 Palace Building
_______________________
NOTICE
______
Because of the race war
the announcement of the re-
maining entrants in The
Tribune beauty contest will
be carried in all editions to-
morrow and none today.
186 notes
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