The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-23
RIOT AND DEATH FOLLOW
Mob Fires on the Officers. Two Peo-
pie Are Killed.
AND DOZENS ARE REPORTED WOUNDED
The Mob Finally Sets Fire to a Building to
Drive the Officers Out The Negro @
Jailed For Attempted Rape,
Spirited AWAY,
Spirited Away.
(By the Associated Press.)

Akron, Ohio, August 22.-Between one
and two O'Clock this morning officer John
Duffy arrested a colored man, who dur
ing the day confessed to Prison Keeper
Washer of having attempted to assault
Christiana, the six-year- daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Theodore Mas, Industrious
and respectable people who live on Per-
kins' Hill. The prisoner was given his
name as Louis Peck. He is about forty
years old, married, and recently moved
here
The story of his confession spread like
Wlld-hre through the city and officers
learned that an attempt would be made
tonight to lynch him. In police court to-
day Peck pleaded guilty and was bound
over TO the common pleas court. His
bail was placed at $4,000.
Several thousand people are ready to-
night TO lynch Louis Peck. large
crowd gathered about the city prison at
1880 O'Clock and forced in the doors. The
prison was soon packed with the mob
and the officers offered no resistance as
Peck, earlier in the evening had been
quietly sent away to Cleveland.
To satisfy the mob it was suggested
that a committee of six be appointed
to search all the cells and go through
every part of the building.
This was done, and as the negro was
not found, a yell was made, "Now for
the county Jail. Give us the Niger and
we will deal with him.
A mad rush followed for the Jail anu
soon the Jail was in the hands of the
mob. After going through the private
apartments of the jail the crowd started
to batter down the big iron doors. Deputy
Sheriff Stone stood in front of the pris-
on doors and made a speech.
He informed the crowd that Peck
could not be found in there, and he told
the people in the mob to select COM
mittee and he would allow the commit
tee to search the Jail from top to bot
tom. committee was quickly selected
and the Jail was searched every cell
being examined. Satisfied that the ne
gro was not there the mob then rushed
across the street and forced open the
doors of the county court house. The
old court house was soon packed and all
rooms searched except the rooms in the
treasury department.
The city prison was again surrounded
and hundreds of people forced their way
into the prison for the second time, in
sisting that Peck was there. Mayor W.
e. Young at this time, appeared at one
of the windows in the supper part of the
building.
He addressed the mob as best he could
saying that Peck had been taken out of
the prison at four o'clock by Sheriff KEEL
ly and driven out of the city in a closed
carriage.
The people in the mob would not be-
and demand thet Peck be surrendered.
At 10 o'clock the mob began for the
third time to attack the city prison.
Some one in the crowd began shooting at
the building This was followed by sew
eral more shots. The officers in the
building appeared at the window and be-
gan to shoot over the heads of the peo-
pie. A man with shot gun then fired
at the officers.
1t is said several officers were wounded
The crowd then began to smash in the
windows of the city building and the fir
ing became general Hundreds of shots
were exchanged and one boy, name un-
known, was carried dead from the street
wounded
Mayor Young is yet in the building and
is directing call for the militia All the
ambulances of the city have been called
out and the excitement has become in
tense. The front of the city building