The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-28
(From a staff Correspondent


Akron, Aug. 25.-over against the old
Summit county court house were rang
stern and silent. Down toward the rail-
road track, 200 yards away, hurried
company of so men, their rifles at a
trail, watching every move of their
commanding officer. Upon the court
house steps, high above the street, stood
twelve guardsmen, their guns to their
shoulders, covering the crowd below.
There was cold lead in those CUPS.
Their young colonel advanced to the
left of the little squad. His head was
thrown back; mis- chin was set squarely;
his eyes never wandered for a moment
from the crowd in the street below.
From him would come the command,
FIRE" if any were given. Motionless
as statues, these men stood. The sun
glittered on the bright barrel of one
rifle, and got in a guardsman's eye. He
pulled down the rim Of the big brown
ment his colonel gave him one swift,
apprehensive glance, then turned his
attention again to the street. The tab
leau was perfect as, from out the
shadow of the big arch, three men led
trembling negro. The prisoner look
ed at the soldiers, then at the 200
people in the street below, and groaned
audibly. The crowd jeered first, then
shouted. Col. Potter's IL men slowly
swung their rifles around until they had
a group of five or six directly in range.
Across the street, through yard and
down toward the railroad track ran the
three men, nearly carrying the all but
fainting prisoner. STEADY, men," said
the tall officer at the tracks, as the
prisoner came on across the railroad.
The crowd pressed down toward the
railroad. Scarcely a word was spoken
audibly, except an occasional muttered
oath from the crowd. The soldiers
stared at the people, the people return
ed the gaze, and the hurrying officers
loaded their prisoner on the waiting
train. The engine moved slowly out.
and the crowd broke into wild shout.
The soldiers from the railroad were
marched slowly back across the street
to the court house. The cordons about
the sidewalk and court house yard
melted away at word from the COM
manding officer. The picture faded
away before the very eyes of the crowd
and more thrilling, impressive pic
ture there never was in the eventful
history of Summit county.
IN FOURTEEN MINUTES TINE.
Peck the negro, whose crime aroused
Akron to a wild carnival of rioting and
bloodshed, Wednesday night, was
brought into the city at 3:13 Friday
afternoon, given his hearing, and sem
fenced and put aboard the train for
Columbus all in IA short minutes. Ak
ron was taken completely by surprise
and the plan arranged jointly by the
civil and military authorities was car
ried out without the omission of q /
single detail. At 2:30 Friday afternoon
only eight people in Akron knew
certainly that Peck was coming to Ak
ron There were many rumors, some
of them based on the widest conjec-
lures. No activity could be seen about
military headquarters, at the court
house, until just 3 o'clock, when Major
Titus, of the Fourth regiment, gave
the oder, forward" to company d,
and the so men swung into the street
and marched rapidly to the Market
street crossing Of the Valley tracks.
half block from the union station
Scarcely had the company arrived when
the C.,A.& G. train pulled in from Cleve-
land. There were not 80 people at the
depot, and for moment these scarcely
noticed little group which tumbled
hastily out on the platform and ran to
waiting cab.
The little group was composed OF
Prisonkeeper John Washer, Deputy
Sheriff e. X. Fauser and the prisoner,
Louis Peck.
STRAIGHT TO THE COURT HOUSE.
The driver did not whip his horses
into wild gallop. He drove at
moderate speed until he turned the
corner into cross street, and then he
urged his horses mercilessly. Two men
only could be seer inside the cab. The
prisoner was crouched down within the
cab. A company Of the guard spread
out on the sidewalk as the court house
was reached. and closed in about the
carriage as the prisoner. handcuffed,
his arms roughly grasped by the Of
ficers. was quickly hustled into the
court room.
A special srand jury had found the
1ndicfment against the prisoner It {
efoloet a ne e3tstuoon. Judge d. J.
/. Z. n, I. 4! ~ !. \.