Jack Battuello Memoir #1 - University of Illinois Springfield

Sack Battuello
Q. Was there any tension? Or were they afraid . . ,
A. I would say the DuQuoin people were secluded and fearful lather
than helpful and cooperative.
Q. And where did most of thc people who came from the march spend
that night?
A. On the lawns a.nd in the streets.
Q. They just about took over the town and there was this gveat mass
of humanity . . .
A. Took over in one respect as far as numbers is concern.ed.
Q. Peacefully, but . . ,
A. Yes, but we were segregated to certain areas--we couldn't march
around and pretend Like we're demonstrating, making speeches and so
on and so forth.
Q. Were great numbers of the pol-ice, National Guards etc. involved
in DuQuoin?
A. Great numbers of the state police were there in force that night*
Great numbers. In addi.tion to that the county authorities had deputized
literally hundreds of citizens.
Q. Was there any violence in DuQuoin those two first nights except
pushing by the. National Guard and an occasional clubbing?
A. Except the. rough stuff on the part of the police and deputies and
the deputized.
Q. There was no bat~le?
A. No.
Q. Was the National Guard there?
A. No.
Q. Oh, there wasn't National Guard. Before you were talking about
deputy sheriffs then?
A. Deputy sherf ff s .
Q. And the state troopers?
A. Yes. In great numbers. In uth.er words we were restricted ta
certain areas of the city. If we sought tu dispersc and sort of
Jack Battuello Memoir -- Archives, University of Illinois at Springfield