“Insurrection” In Chicago

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31649, 8 April 1968, Page 1

“Insurrection” In Chicago

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

CHICAGO, April 7. Five thousand Federal troops joined 18,000 police and National Guardsmen in Chicago today to help stamp out what Lieutenant-Governor Samuel Shapiro, of Illinois, called “an insurrection.”

Governor Shapiro and the Mayor of Chicago, Mr Richard Daley, requested United States Army help yesterday. The troops began arriving last night. Mr Daley imposed a partial curfew that barred persons

under 21 from the streets between 7 p.m. and dawn. Sniping, looting and arson were reported yesterday from the city’s west south and north sides. Most of the fire devastation was on the west side, about two miles from down-town Chicago. The toll of dead stood at 10, including some attributed indirectly to racial disorders. All were Negroes. More than 800 men, women and juveniles have been arrested since rioting broke out on Friday. Most were in gaol.

Damage “In Millions”

Injuries mounted into the hundreds while property damage was reported by officials to be “in the millions.” On one street alone—West Madison—officials counted at least 200 fires and 100 incidents of looting. National Guard troops dispersed some looters with tear gas and nausea gas. Brigadier General Richard Dunn, com-

manding the guard, said tear gas “was working beautifully.”

He said: "The majority of looters are children and women, and looting is not a: crime you can shoot people for.”

Stores Ransacked In a daylight tour of troubled areas, a reporter watched a typical looting incident yesterday. The looters, mostly children, were reaching or fishing with sticks through a steel grating to grab trinkets from a broken store window. Some carried ’ the loot to adults waiting at the curb with paper sacks. Some stores had been so thoroughly ransacked there appeared to be nothing left to take. Hardest hit were two big commercial streets Madison and Roosevelt—serving the shabby west side Negro district. One store bore a sign on a boarded window reading:

“Cool it baby, this is a soul brother.”