The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-08-30
RIOT AT AKRON, 0.
two Persons Killed. Several I,t,.,
ma 'h" city building md Other
property Destroyed ny Fire.

""' ne confessed Of having on Nor
day night attempted to assault Chri,
una. 5-year-old daughter of Mfr an
Mrs. Theodore Mas. Industrious IN
r respectable people. The story Of hi
confession spread like wildfirc. an,
mob of several thousand gathcre,
about the city prison at $50 y. m
ana forced the doors and made
search OF the institution.
mad rush was then made for IN,
jail, and il soon was in the hands y
the mob. They were informed b,
sheriff stone that Peck could not b,
found there. They went 10 the court
house and ransaclled that building in
The search for the prisoner. 4 second
time the mob visited the city prison
ana Mayor Young addressed the
crowd, saying that Peck had been
ta';en out of the prison at 4 O'Clock
/ by ShcrlD Kelly and driven out of the
city IN a closed carriagc. The people
IN the mob would not believe The
mayor and continued 10 yell and de-
mand that Peck be surrendered.
NJ 10 O'Clock The mob attacked he
city prison, and those inside defended
1t. Many shots were exchanged be-
tween the mob and officers. Two pco-
pie were killed and Nnothcr is dvinr
in the hospital. Many were wounded.
Shortly after midnight the mob
broke into a hardware store and stole
all the firearms and ammunition thcv
could find. including guns. rifles and
rcvolvcrs, and proceeded to the citv
building and opened fire on the de-
Tenders and finally set fire to the CO.
lumbia hall, which adjoins the civ
building.
All the officers who had been
penned up in the city building tor
two hours, escaped through n rear
window and ran for their lives. The
mob then placed dynamite under the
city building and partly wrecked hat
structure. It was later set on fire
and completely destroyed.
Beside the city building destroyed
by the mob, the Columbian build'ng
adjoining is Il heap of ashes. and sev-
oral smaller frame buildings in the
vicinity are in ruins. The property
loss is fully 81 .OO0,OOO. II is cstimat- !
cd that the mob was composed of |
not less than 800 men
At o'clock Thursday morning |
ompany {, of the Sth Ohio regiment, |
arrived ON a special train from Cam
ton and was at once marched 10 the
scene of Wednesday nights rioting.
The militiamcn were at once placed
IN guard duty around the county
but they found little to do.
Ihe excitement has calmcd down,
md now the people of Akron are con
the smoldcring evidences
# the wild fury of the mob.
Nine companies of the 4th regiment
rIiycd at 9:20 Thursday morning.
Officers commanding the troops
ny that any attempt to start a riot
.ill he the signal for a charge by
Militia. ]
Mayor Young Thursday morning J
sued proclamation to close all sa- {
IONS until further orders. I
There was no rioting Thursday and {
fairs are quicting down, the mob be- q
~ awcd by the militia. u
Akron, o., Aug. 2j.-Lcwis Peek. the !
egro who raped the little Maas girl ;
ld caused the Akron riots, had JUS i
ce mctcd out to him at quite a Ii
lpd rate. Prison Keeper Washer, I
this city, went TO Cleveland and c
ld a conference with Peek. The G
.isoncr was willing to plead guilty j
attempted assault, the penalty for 4
hich is 20 years Washer said no;
al if he would not plead guilty TO W
iminal assault, the penalty for Ie
iich is life imprisonment, he would u
taken to Akron for trial. Lewis o
uddered at the very thought, but
ALLY agreed TO plead guilty TO Grim &
al assault and accept life SEN cl
nee. di
After Peck's agreement to plead p'
ilty to criminal assault he was nj
NNh ~ iHS tNPC', NlNlS 81 tldlu ~
IS taken for this place. In
rhe train arrived here at $3.50. 4 ne
rriage was waiting at the railway IN
tlOn and the streets 10 the court IN
use were patroled by the state mi pa
"A. Peek was hustled into a car tn
ge and in three minutes the court of
use was reached. an
Then Judge Nye said: "Mr Peck, 70
i have heard the indictment read Oh
'rging YOU with rape. You have ce
AIDED guilty. Have you anything W.
say?" Of
/ have nothing TO say except that
hrow myself on the mercy of the cei
irt," replied Peck. Su
udge Nye then said: "ln crimes rel
h as that TO which you have plead fol
guilty there is but one penalty a
Nided. That is imprisonment for an
1t is the judgment Of the court rs
{ YOU bc confined i'm the peniten-
y for life. You must pay the ,
Is of this proceeding, and that for !,
first 80 days of your imprison- o.,
II you shall be placed in solitary &c.
tinement."