Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-08-28
MOB RULE IN AKRON.
ATTEMPT TO LYNCH A NEGRO IN
AN OHIO TOWN.
Lookup, County Jail and City Building
Successfully StorIned by the Crowd
Scenes of Riot and Bioodshed in
Which Two Persons Are Killed.

A mob of several thousand frenzied
persons in Akron, Ohio, infatuated over
an assault upon the little daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Theodore Mas by Louis Peck,
a colored man, searched the city prison,
the county jail and the old court Rouse
for the negro, engaged in battle Of bull
lets with officers OF the law, set FIRE 10
Columbia Hall, adjoining the city build
ing, and threatened to destroy the latter
structure.
Peck was arrested Wednesday and
murnurs of gathering trouble caused the
sheriff secretly to transfer the prisoner
to Cleveland The report that he had
confessed spread rapidly and the mob
gathered soon after dark.
1t was about $50 o'clock " hen the mob
surged down the street to the city pris-
on. With shout from the leaders the
doors were battered down and rush
made for the prisoner. The officers Of
fered no resistance and TO satisfy the
mob that Peck had been removed piloted
committee in search of the cells and
building.
The search was fruitless and with a
yell, Now for the county Jail; give us
the niger and we will deal with him"
rush was mode for the latter building
and it was soon in the hands of the fren-
zied crowd. After. a thorough search of
TIE private apartments the mob started
to batter down the big iron doors. Dep
uty Sheriff Stone mounted chair in
front of the prison doors and implored
the crowd to disperse, giving his word
that Peck was not within. He offered to
allow committee to- make 4 search from
top TO bottom, and this satisfied the
crowd that the negro had been struggled
away.
Then the mob rushed across the street
and forced open the doors of the county
court house. The building was soon
packed and all rooms searched except
those of the treasury department. start
was made to tear off the iron doors of the
latter department, but this was soon
abandoned and the mob rushed back to
the city prison, crying for the blood of
Peck.
Hundreds forced their way into the
jail for the second time. insisting that the
negro was there somewhere.
Mayor w e. Young FASTENED to the
building, and mounting the steps called
upon the crowd TO dispense, pledging his
word that the prisoner had been escorted
out Of town. Cries of indignation greet
ed the executives announcement and he
was denounced on all sides for allowing
the colored man to escape the clutches
of the mob.
At 10 o'clock the mob began to attack
the city prison for the third time. In
the excitement someone fired a shot,
which was followed by a fusillade. The
officers in the building appeared at the
windows and began to shoot over the
heads of the people. A man armed with
a shotgun leveled his weapon at the Off
GERS and they We're soon made me target
for the mob's FIRE. An indescribable
scene followed. Several of the policemen
fell wounded, others We're struck by
bricks and other missiles hurled by the
mob and the return fire of the laws Off
GERS wrought havoc in the ranks of the
mob. Il is certain that thirty or forty
persons were wounded in the melee and
two are known to be dead.
Following the shooting, Columbia Hall
was set on fire and within short time
had burned to the ground. This building
adjoined the city prison. and the flames
were soon communicated to the jail Not
content with firing the buildings, the mob
determined to prevent the iremen from
attempting to stay the progress of the
flames. The hose was cut at every OPP
portunity and one fireman was shot.