Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-24

1910 uho AoOtcu tue StOIS. RCfOlSSISs
rifles, shot guns. razors and thousands
OF rounds OF ammunition were taken,
and with these weapons the mob re.
turned to the city hall Standing in
the front windows OF the city hall.
Mayor Young, Chief of Police Harri-
son and other police officials were
narranguing the mob, endeavorlng to
convince the rioters that Louis Peck,
the colored man charged with as
saultlng little four-year-old Christian
Mas, had been quietly removed from
the jail during the afternoon and taken
to Cleveland Tor keeping.
The remarks of the mayor only in
creased the anger of the mob. In his
nrsl attempt TO quiet the mob he said
tnat the prisoner had been taken out or
the city about 4 o'clock. In another
speech he gave s O'Clock as the time
or the prisoners departure and in
speaking again he said O'Clock. They
believed from the mayors contradc-
tory statements that he was not telling
the truth and that the prisoner was
still in the city Jail, Notwithstanding
the fact that two different committees
had searched the building from cellar to
roof without finding any trace of the
prisoner. John A. Wintrode, one of the
committeeman who made the search,
stood on the roof of the building and
told the mob that Peck was not to be
found. The rioters seemed to be salts
fed and the cry ITO the Court House"
To the County JAIL" they started up
the hill TO High street, and across the
commons to the court house and jail.
First They Attacked the Jail
and were met by Deputy Sheriff Stone.
On his request a committee was hur-
redly appointed and every nook and
corner of the Jail was searched. ITO
the court house." the cry was again
taken up and dash was made for the
court house, across the street. Doors
were battered in and the rioters surged
through the different halls and rooms
but without result. A dash was then
made for the treasurer's office, but the
heavy iron doors checked the mob.
Leaving the court house the mob re-
turned to the vicinity of the city hall.
Burn them out" was the cry from
several people and the echo of the
cry was an affirmative roar from the
entire mob.
Adjoining the city hall which was
constructed almost entirely of brick
was an immense building which for
many years past was the principal pub
lie hall of Akron. This building-a
veritable finder box-caught the eye OF
the mob as a likely place to set afire
in the hope that the flames would soon
spread to the city building. No sooner
thought of than 1t was done. The large
frame building was presently a mass or
flames. The various fire companies re-
sponded to the alarm, but the mob re-
fused to permit them to work. Several
cowardly shots were fired at the brave
firemen and L. Manchester was the first
to receive an injury. The hines of hose
were cut and slashed until there was
not a single stream Of water playing on
the devouring flames. Columbia hall
was soon a ruin but the city hall was
yet standing.
While the adjoining hall was burning
the inmates of the city hall escaped
through back door. Resistance With
drawn, the mob made rush for the
hall. Flaming embers were thrown
into the different rooms and the build
ing was soon burning. Some of the
more thoughtful ones in the mob lib
Grated the prisoners in the hall below.
A stick of dynamite was thrown into
the front of the burning building. A
terrific crash followed and portions of
the wall crumbled away like dust be-
fore a breeze Another charge was
exploded and the work of devastation
was completed.
While this work was in progress,
members of the mob having peculiar
sense of humor, pulled the
Automobile Patrol Wagon
ii ON the station. One rioter, with a
large knife in his hand, occupied the
operators seat and amid the cheers Of
thousands the wagon was run up and
down the street, humping into tele-
phone poles and curb stones and final
ly running down a steep incline into
the canal. 1t was rescued this morn
ing and taken to place of safety
The automobile, of which Akron was
so proud, is a hopeless wreck.
The physicians of the city were on
the qui vive while the rioting was in
progress.
At o'clock this morning the riotlng
had practically ceased.
To-day the scenes of last nights riot
ing was visited by thousands
The people of Akron were restless.
Every one appeared to be waiting for
trouble, but none occurred.
During the day wild rumors were cur
rent that mobs were being formed to
go to Cleveland and lynch Peck, but
there was no good ground for the ru-
NOR. The arrival of the troops distract
ed the attention of those lawlessly in
chned and had a salutary effect on
those who would have delighted in a
recurrence of the rioting.
The rumor that Chief OF Police Har
rison had become insane and had fed
caused a great deal Of comment. Al
though Mayor Young is criticized some
what for his contradictory speeches, a
great deal of the blame for the riot
ing lis placed on the shoulders OF Chief |
Harrison. The city officials secured the |
old postoffice, corner Of Mill street and |
Broadway for temporary quarters.
The saloons have been closed since !
noon. At a conference in the after
noon at the Buchtel hotel between
Mayor Young and the militia officers,
dea: lines were established and sol
diers were placed in different parts OF
the downtown sections OF the city.
SAFE IN CLEVELAND.