Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-08-25
FIERCE RIOT IN AKRON.
Mob Baked In Attempt to
Lynch Negro.
THEN ATTACKS CITY BUILDING.
Dynamite Used and city Hau set on
Fire -- Many Persons Killed ana
acknowledgements Nash sends
Regiment of state soldiers.

Akron O.. Aug 23.-In this city. the
heart of the Western Reserve, a mob last
night sought the life Of negro prisoner
and in conflict with the authorities
shed blood. Louis Peck, a colored man,
was put in Jail on the charge Of criminal
~ asSaultng the little daughter Of Mr.
and Mrs Theodore Mas. The report
that he had confessed spread rapidly. and
last night a mob gathered. Not believing
the statement of the sheriff that Peck
had been sent ont of the city, the crowd
sent committees through the city prison
ana the county Jail to search for Peck.
The search proving fruitless, the mob
gathered in front of the city prison,
where the mayor tried 10 induce them L.
dispense. Some one fired shot at the
prison Other shots followed. aud for a
few minutes there were terrible scenes
Two persons were killed by bullets and
several badly wounded, at least one Of
the latter fatally.
At O'Clock riot held full sway in front
Of the city buildings In which is located
the city prison Columbia hall was burn
ed to the ground, and the city building
was set on FIRE. The fire department was
called out. but was unable to do much
work. as one fireman had been shot, and
the rowClies cut the hose at every oppor
tunity.
At /: 80 all the officers who had been
penned up in the city building for tive
hours escaped through a rear window and
ran for their lives. The mob was yet
firing on the city building, and the militia
had been called for -0ne fireman WHOSE
name cannot be learned was shot and
will probably die. The mob was making
for the tiremen. and as fast as lines OF
hose were stretched the hose was cut
Arthur +. Sprague was carried from
the street, shot in the head. man
named Park Stair was shot in the leg
1t was thought that no less than dozen
persons had been wounded in the mid
night attack on the city building. The
mob commenced to cut the electric light
wires.
City Hall Burned.
At 1: 45 Il. m. dynamite was being used
in front OF the city building. The first
charge smashed all the windows in the
city building and did much other damage
All prisoners have been released from
the city prison. The crowd threaten t.
destroy the city building with dynamite
Alonzo Manchester, a fireman. was sc
IibuSlA Slbi HI AHt AAtNhs ObAh hA'AA NNs
shot in the arm
At 2:30 a. m. Mayor Young had not
been seen for hours. The mob had run
away with the automobile patrol wagon
The city building was in ruins. and il
was feared the fire would spread to ad
joining buildings The mob had stopped
using dynamite
At $3.50 a. IN. everything was quiet
about the ruins OF the city building. In
the destruction OF the building the city
has lost all the records of the city clerk
and also the records Of the city engineer.
City Engineer Payne said that the loss
in his department will be fully 100000
No militia here yet The automobile
patrol wagon has been run into the ca
nal 1t is feared more trouble is to fol
low. as threats are being made against
Mayor Young and Chief of Police Harri-