The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-23

Fight Between the Mob and City Au-
thorities-Many shots Exchanged.


AKRON. o., Aug. 22-Between 1 and
o'clock this morning officer John Duffy
arrested a colored man. who during the
day confessed to Prison Keeper Washer
of having attempted on Monday night to
assault Christina. the six-year-old daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Theodore Mas. in
dustrious and respectable people, who live
on Perkins hill. The prisoner gave his
name of Louis Peck. He is about forty
years old. The story of his confession
spread like wildfire through the city and
officers learned that an attempt would be
made tonight to lynch him. Peck was
badly frightened. In Police Court to-day
he pleaded guilty and was bound over to
the Common Pleas Court. His bail was
placed at 5000.
A large crowd gathered about the city
prison tonight at $50 o'clock and forced
in the doors. The prison was soon packed
with the mob and the officers offered no
resistance, Peck. earlier in the evening,
had been quietly taken away to Cleveland.
To satisfy the mob the officers suggested
that 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 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 and 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 prison doors and made
a speech. He Informed the crowd that
Peck could not be found in there and he
told the mob to select a committee and he
would allow it to search the jail from top
to bottom. A committee was quickly Sc
lected and the Jail was searched-every cell
being peered into. Satisfied that the nego
was not there the mob then rushed across
the street and forced open the doors of
the county courthouse. The old courthouse
was soon packed and all rooms searched,
except the rooms in the treasury depart
ment. A start was made to tear off the iron
doors of the treasury department, but the
mob decided not to tackle the job, and
then the thousands of men and boys again
rushed back TO the city prison crying for
the blood of Peck.
The city prison was again surrounded and
hundreds of people forced their way
into the prison for the second time, insist
ing that Peck was there. Mayor Young, at
this juncture, appeared at one of the win
dows in the upper part of the building. He
addressed the mob, saying that Peck had
been taken from the prison at o'clock by
Sheriff Kelly and driven out of the city in
closed carriage. The people in the mob
would not believe the mayor and continued
to yell and demand that Peck be surren-
dered.
AT 10 o'clock the mob for the third time
attacked the city prison. Some one in the
crowd began shooting at the building. This
was followed by several more shots. The
officers in the building appeared at the
windows and began to shoot over the heads
of the people. "A man with shotgun then
fired at the officers. 1t is said that several
officers were wounded The crowd then be-
gan to smash the windows of the city build
ing, and the firing became general. Hun
dreds of shots were exchanged, and one
boy was carried dead from the street 1t
is certain that dozens of men were
wounded. A report has been received from
the city building that one of the officers
had both his legs broken and that another
was badly wounded.