100 Years Ago: July 14-20

From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, July 19, 1923: Last night a crowd estimated at 5,000 surrounding a burning cross in a commons at Miley Av and Vermont St attacked firefighters and police with rocks. The incident began when a group lit an electric cross at New York St and Miley and then a greater crowd gathered at Miley and Vermont where an oil-soaked cross was ignited. The fire department was called, and when a pumper company arrived the crowd resented the efforts of the firefighters to quench the flames, and the rock throwing began. An emergency squad of police arrived to aid the firefighters, but the crowd surged in on them and the police were compelled to draw their revolvers so they could leave after the fire was abated. The firefighters had to fight their way out of the crowd.