New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-10
VITRIOL THE MOB'S WEAPON.
POLES ATTACK A MAN IN HIS OWN HOUSE.
THEY POUR THE LIQUID ON HIS CHILD. TRY TO
THROW 1T ON HIS WIFE, AND DEMOL-
ISL HIS FJrRNITURE.


A cruel outrage was committed yesterday morn
ing the family of Herman Grecnbaum, a boss
cloakmaker of jamaica L. l.. by mob. The
sole object Of the outrage. as far can be
learned was to satisfy spite which the mob Of
Polish cloakmahers entertained against Green
baum for employing non-unon
Electric No. l6, which runs between East
New-iOrk and Jamaica, started from the former
place at Il > yesterday morning. having on board
twenty-seven rough-looking men, most OF whom
under the influence of liquor. There were
two women in the car beside the men, but they
did not belong TO the party of Poles The latter
behaved in an unseemly manner and talked ex-
ctedly in their native tongue. The two women
became frightened and asked the conductor to stop
the and let them get out else compel the
men to make less noise Murray, the conductor,
who in charge of the car, told the Poles to be
quiet or he would have TO put them off. They
laughed and jecred at him, and finally some Of the
haf-drunken fellows told the conductor to mind
his own business, The women stayed in the car
until they reached their destination, when they
got Off The Poles continued to talk in their own
language, so that Murray failed 10 get an inkng
of the mission which his noisy passengers were ON.
After passing some distance beyond the toll
gate the party of Poles got off the caS near
OBrien's Hotel. The house OF Herman Green
quickly formed into mob and attacked Green
baum's house They broke in the door while
Grecnbaum was standing near the stove. His
family had just finished breakfast. and Grcenbaum
was waiting for his worlmen to appear TO begin
the days work This was about o'clock. As
soon as the mob broke open the door they dashed
into the room, causing Mrs. Grecnbaum TO pick
up her four-yearold son Willie and run into
the kitchen She followed by her children,
Fannie, five years old Freeman. seven years DID,
and Samuel nine years old. Her seven-months-
old infant was lying asleep in the front room.
One of the mob carried bottle Of dark fluid
and followed Mrs. Greenbaum into the kitchen.
Grcenbaum went to his wifes assistance, and as
the fellow about 10 throw the contents OF
the bottle, which proved to be vitrol. over Mrs.
Greenbaum, her husband struck the rutian q
stunning blow under the ear. which made him
reel and almost tumble TO the floor He dropped
the bottle of vitroI, and the contents spilled
over the floor The mob set upon Greenbaum
then, and after being roughly handled he ran
out Of the house and began TO call for assistance.
Meantime Mrs. Greenbaum, still carrying her
little son Willie in her arms, tried To escape from
the mob but as she going out of the door one
OF the men seized little Willie, and holding the
child up by the ankles, kept him in that position
until another Of the mob poured vitriol over the
little victim. The littlc fellow was finally dropped
on the floor where he lay screaming with agony.
Mrs Greenbaum escaped from the mob without
receiving any of the vitriol being seriously
hurt. The other children escaped without being
injured.
Meantime the mob was making a wreck Of
Greenbaums dwelling, apartments and workshop
They broke and smashed everything they could
lay hands on. The workshop was in the large mid
die room, where there were half dozen sewing
machines These machines were broken into
peces One of the mob stole the walstcoat OK
one of Greenbaum's worlSmen and carried IL on.
It contained in Of the pockets $40 In money!
watch, also belonging to this workman, was
stolen.
The mob finally finished their work. and be
coming alarmed at the cries Of Mr. and Mrs.
(ireenbaum for help, left the place and scattered
in different directions Many of the mob wore
soft hats which were pulled well down over
their eyes.
BENJAMIN Ashmead, constable, was the first
to 20 to the assistance Of Greenbaum and his
family When the constable arrived the mob
had disappeared. Ashmead and another constable
named Smith learned that the Poles had gone in
the direction of East New-lorll. Ashmead jumped
on the first electric car which came along and
rode to the end of the line. There he arrested
one of the Poles who described himself as Frank
ST.. New-York He was taken back to Green
baums place, and as soon as Mrs. Grenbaum
caught sidlt of him she eXcitedly exclaimed:
You loaler, you murdered my child" The
woman who was almost crazy over the fate OF
her child, rushed up TO the prisoner and struck
him in the face with her fist. Constable Ash
mead tool, his prisoner away after Mrs. Green
baum had identified him the person who had
thrown the vitrio Ashmeld took tine fellow be-
fore Justice endricllson. The prisoner denied that
he had thrown the Vitriol, although he admitted
being with the mob The Justice committed the
prisoner to the lookup without bail TO await eX-
animation Thursday morning next.
Dr. William W. Wood. Of Jamaica, was called
to attend little Willie Greenbaum. The child was
horribly burned on both sides of the face and on
the neck His face will be dshgured for life.
DR.. Wood said il the most shocking and
brutal case which had ever come under his OBJ
servation lie said the child would probably re-
cover. but would carry terrible scars 70 his grave
The outrage caused much excitement when it
became known between East New-York and
Jamaica and not only all the constables available.
but many citizens and farmers, turned out and
secured the country for the rufians. The police
of East New-York were promptly Informed. and
some of Captain Frenchs men there aided in ar
resting Reingold. Feeling ran so high against the
mob that when Reingold was brought back 10
Jamaica many persons openly asserted that he de-
served lynching. Up TO last night no further ar
rests had been made. The Jamaica authorities
have hope that Reingold will tell the names Of
some Of the others who took part in the outrage.
Last evening Barondess. the leader OF the strik-
ing cloakmakers in New-Nork. appeared at Justice
Uendrickson's Office and asked the justice to re-
lease Reing0ld on bail. This the Justice refused
to do.
Greenbaum said he thought he could identify
several Of the mob. He knew them New-York
cloakmakers. lie said that he moved from
Broomcst, in New-lork, to Jamaica about ten
days ago. He moved from New-(ork because he
was tired of the troubles Of the union cloakmakcU
lie thought that in Jamaica he could carry on his