Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-09-26
GIVEN COATS OF TAR.
Two Divine Heaters Are Roughly
Handled at Mans
field, 0.

Mansfield, O., Sept. 24.-Two Dowie
elders, Silas Moot of Lima and Ephraim
Bassinger of Bluffton, were stripped Of
their clothing and painted with tar by Il
mob of $500 Mansfield citizens yester-
day. The two elders were roughly han
died by the mob, and Elder Moot, who
showed a disposition to resist was beat
Ell and kicked into submission.
After the tar had been applied the two
elders were marched through the streets
and greeted with cries of Two little
boys in black, Hang Them will you
know enough to stay away from Mans
field nCW?'
They presented q sorry spectacle with
great quantities Of tar dripping from
their hair and boards. The two marched
arm in arm at the head Of the procession,
the target for missiles of all descriptions.
Moot's clothing hung in tatters. The
right leg of his trousers was entirely gone
and exposed the black tarred flesh. Both
wore stiff hats, smashed almost down
over their ears. Bassinger's clothes were
not torn and he wore 4 macintosh.
Elder Moot Shows Fight.
The two elders arrived in the city at
$50 o'clock Sunday morning and were
recognized as soon as they alighted from
the train. They endeavored to hire Il
cab. but were refused. The two started
w ihlc INC Nlly DuI Nt1C SOOll lllClt tpl-
ed by a crowd Of 200 people. Moot
showed fight and was kicked, pummeled,
and his right eye and nose were badly
dlstigured. BaSsinger was also roughly
handled
The two were taken to the Richland
Buggy company, a mile distant, and or
dered to take off their clothes. Bassinger
Cbeyed, but Moot refused and almost had
his clothes torn from him in shreds.
The two were placed in vat and coy
cred from head to foot with tar poured
over them with buckets and applied with
brushes. They were then allowed TO re-
sumo their clothing, and were paraded
through the streets until a squad of po-
Hcemen rescued them.
Scrubbed at Police Station.
They were taken to police headquar-
ters. where lard vaseline and benZne
were applied to the elders, and, after a
removed and the elders were given a
bath and provided with a change Of
raiment from a local clothing store.
Every train as it arrived was met by
large crowds, as it had been rumored
that William H. Piper of Chicago, over
seer-at-arge of the Dowieites, was to ar
rive i'll the city. Had Piper arrived his
life would have been in danger, as indig-
nation against him is high.
Elders Moot and Bassinger were taken
to the Erie depot at noon. followed by
jeering crowds, and sent on to Lima
The two elders were anxious to leave
the city, and said that they would never
return If it was in their power to pre-
vent it.
Willing to Stay Away.
Crowds Of people visited the homes of
local Zionites today, as it had been ru-
mored that other Dowie elders were liz
the city, but their search was unavailing
A DOwieite from Crestline who came to
Mansfield to attend the Dowie services
was mistaken for an elder and narrowly
escaped rough treatment before his iden-
tity was established.
The excitement subsidized Immediately
upon the absence of DOwie preachers
from the city. Several local Zionites are
moving to more congenal towns