The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-23
BLOOD THIRST.
A Mob Takes Possession Of
Akron, Ohio.
Batters Down Jail and Burns
Public Buildings.
WAS AFTER A NEGRO.
Arrested on a Charge of Crimi-
nal Assault.
Prisoner Had Been Spirited
Away by Sheriff.
CHILDREN Kill E ID.
Many Persons Hurt by Shots
and Flying Missiles.
Militia Called Out to Restore
Order.
CHILDREN KILLED d.
Many Persons Hurt by Shots
and Flying Missiles.
Militia Called Out to Restore
Order.

Akron, O., Aug. 23.-FOr four hours
| last night the streets of Akron were
filed with a wild. uncomfortable mob.
The trouble was the outcome of an un-
successful attempt to lynch a negro who
| is charged with brutal assault.
The mob formed with the intention
of lynching Lewis Peck, a negro who
was arrested, charged with having at
tempted to assault Christina, the 6-year-
old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Theodore
Mas, Industrious and respectable people
who live on Perkins hill.
In police court the prisoner pleaded
guilty and was bound over to the COM
mon pleas court in $1,000 bail.
A large crowd gathered about the city
prison last night at $50 o'clock and
packed with the mob, and the officers
offered no resistance, as Peck, earlier in
the evening, had been quietly taken
away to Cleveland.
To satisfy the mob the officers sug-
gested that a committee of six be ap-
pointed to search all the cells and go
through every part of the building rms
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, and
soon the jail was in the hands of the
mob.
After going through the private apart
ments 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 speech.
He informed the crowd that Peck
could not be found 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. A committee was quickly selected
and the jail searched. every cell being
entered. Satisfied that the negro 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 treas
ury department start was made to
tear off the iron doorSa. of the treasury
department, but the m. b 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, in
sisting that Peck was there. Mayor
Young, at this time, appeared at one of
the windows in the upper part of the
He addressed the mob as best he could,
saying that Peck had been taken out of
the prison at 4 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 sur
rendered.
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
began saaa'i to shoot shoot over W the heads Of the mob
A man with a shotgun then fired at the
officers.
At 10:45 p. M, Prison Keeper John E:
Washer came from the city building and
was Knocked down by a brick He was
badly injured about the head, and had
to receive medical attention.
Shortly after midnight the mob broke
into a hardware store and stole all the
firearms and ammunition they could find.
including guns, rifles and revolvers, and
proceeded to the city building and opened
fire on the defenders, and finally set fire
to the Columbia hall, which adjoins the
city building, burning it to the ground.
POLICE CHIEF GOES INSANE.
Akron, Aug. 23.-Guards are strung
along Main street to keep back the
crowds of curiosity seekers.
The excitement has calmed down and
new the people of Akron are ruefully
contemplating the smouldering evil
dences of the wild fury of the mob. 1t
is not likely there will be further trOu-
BILE Only flame SCARED walls of the
city hall and great heaps of ashes
mark the site of Columbia hall, which
stood next to the city building. Fire
completed the havoc wrought by dyna-
mite at the city hall.
Groups of firemen are pouring water
into the smouldering ruins. Chief of
Police Harrison is reported insane over
the awful events of last night. The last
seen of him he was driving rapidly out
of the city toward the south.
Nine companies of the Fourth regi-
ment arrived at 9:20 this morning. A
special meeting of the council was held
at 10 o'clock.
In the destruction of the municipal
building the city has lost all the rec
ords of the city clerk and also the rec
ords of the city engineer. City Engineer
Payne said the loss in his department
would be fully half million dollars.
CASUALTY LIST.
Akron, O., Aug. 23-Thousands Of peo-
pie came to this city today to see the
ruins of the buildings destroyed by the
mob last night. The city hall has been
totally ruined by dynamite and fire. Com
pany c, Eighth regiment, of Canton. and
the Fourth regiment, from Columbus.
have arrived There has been no further
rioting today
and injured:
Killed:
GLEN WADE, aged II years. son of
Lillian Wade, Empire hotel. shot through
the heart.
RHoDA DAyIDsoN,. aged 4, daughter
through brain.
Fred vorwick. buckshot wound in alb
dou1en.
Injured