Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-08-24
A MOB TAKES AKRON.
City Prison a Wreck and Officers
Narrowly Escape.
HUNTING A NEGRO.
A Boy and a Baby Enll and Several
Persons IRIured-The Negro Is
Taken by Officers 10 Cleve-
land and Thus Saved.

ncaft ut the uoastcu WESTERN TcscfNe.
mob last night sought the life Of a
negro prisoner and In a conflict with the
authorities shed blood. Louis Peck.
negro. was put in Jail yest rdAy ON a
charge Of criminRlly assaulting the little
daughter Of Theodore Mass The report
that he had confessed spread rapidly
until mob had gathered. Not believ.
ing the statement Of the sheriff
that Peck had been sent out Of the
city the crowd sent committees through
the city prison and the county Jail 20
search for the negro. This proving
fruitless the mob gathered in front OF
the city prison. whore the mayor tried
10 induce them to disperse. Some one
fired IA shot az the prison. Other shots
followed and for a few minutes there
were terrible scenes. Two persons are
dad from bullet wounds and several
badly wounded. one Of the latter fatally.
Shortly after midnight the mob broke
into hardware store and took all the
firearms and ammunition they could
find. including guns. revolvers and rifles
aud proceeded 10 the city building and
opened hrc on the defenders and finally
set fire TO the Columbia hall which ad.
joins the city building.
Between and O'Clock Wednesday
morning Officer p Duffy arrested Peck.
who during the day had confessed 20
having attempted on Monday 10 assault
Christian. the 6-year-old daughter Of
Mr.. Mas, industrious aud respected
people who live on Perkins Hill
The story Of his confession spread like
wildhre through the city and several
thousand people gathered about the
city prison and forced In the doors.
The prison was soon packed with the
mob and the officers offered no resist
ance a. Peck had been quietly taken 70
Cleveland.
To satisfy the mob the officers sug.
gcsted that "A committee Of six be- APP
pointed to search all the cells and 90
through every part Of the building
This was done and as the negro was not
found yell was made, Now for the
county Jail. Give US the negro and We
will deal with him.
A mad rush followed for the Jail and
soon the Jail was In the hands OF the
mob.
After going through the private apart.
ments Of the Jail the crowd started to
batter down the big iron doors. Depu-
" sheriff Stone stood In front Of the
prison doors and made speech
He informed the crowd that Peck
could not be- found there and he told the
people In the mob 10 select COMMITTEES
and he would allow the committee L
search the Jail from top n bottom.
A committee was quickly selected ant
the Jail was searched. every cell boinl
pecred into. Satisfied that the negr,
was not there the mob then rushed acros
the street and forced open the doors o
the courthouse. The courthouse wa
soon packed and all rooms searched *
cept those in the treasury department.
A start was made to tear of the iroi
doors Of the treasury department bu
the mob decided not 10 tackle the job
and then the thousands Of men aud boy
again rushed back 10 the city prison
crying for the blood Of Peck
The city prison was again surrounds
and hundreds Of people forced their wa
into the prison for the second time, In
, Esting that Peck was there. Mayo
Young appeared at one Of the window
In the part u the building. He sddresse
the mob as best ne could, sayin
that Pock had been taken ont q
the prison AZ O'Clock by sheriff Ksll
! and driven out Of tho city in a close
carriage. The people in the mob woul
not believe the mayor and continued
veil aud demand that Peck Do surrer
: dered.
At 10 o'clock the mob began for Oh
third time 20 attack the city prison
Some one in the crowd began shootia
d. at the building. This was followed b
. several more shots. The officers in Oh
building appeared ut the windows AN
. began ~ shoot over the heads Of Oh
}. people. A man with a shotgun the
% fired at the officers II is said that se'
eral officers were wounded. The Grove
3 then began 70 smash in the widows
II the city building and tho firing BEGAN
general Hundreds Of shots were e
changed and boy. Glen Wade, wi
carried dead from the street.
e Mayor Young stayed In the building
d direct call for the militia. All the NJ
balances Of the city were called out al
the excitement was Intense The fro
o. the city building is a total wreck.
IN At 1915 p. m. Prison Keeper John
Washer came from the city building ~
j. was knocked down by brick. He W
m badly injured about the head and had
receive medical attention.
p, It's known that two people were XII
81 ed aud another person is dying at &
r hospital
= Glen Wade, aged lO6ears, died aft
~ being shot through the heart.
b, John NJ. Dayidson's l.year.cld chi
of shot dead in n baby carriage.
Fred V. Orwick, aged % years, bad
= wounded with buchshot. lie Is az