Two Blacks Killed in Fight With White Co-Workers

Aug. 31, 1899: Boston Optical has sunglasses.

A racial fight between members of a crew working on track for the Illinois Central Railroad near Rockford leaves two African Americans dead and one more injured. The contractor and his son say neither of the dead men was an employee, but the crew's cook contradicts him. After a meeting at the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the blacks of Rockford call for a thorough investigation.