Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-09-20
BRUTE NEARLYLYNCHED
Saved by Officers After a Fierce
Fight With Frenzied Mob.
MALTREAreD sIx-YEAR-oLp GIRL

Mob Stormed the Butler, Pa. Jail and
Battered In the Door In Their ef-
forts TO Secure the Brute-SeveraI
Persons Injured.
Butler, Pa. Sept 15.-Shortly be
fore midnight Saturday night a fren-
zied mob of about 1000 men surround
ed the county. Jail, clamoring for Jo-
seph Bennett, 8 weli-known character,
who brutality maltreated the 6-year-old
daughter of John Wagner. a tailor,
who lives near the West Penn depot.
Bennett was discovered with the lit
tie one In his arms, and was only saved
from lynching at the time by the OPP
perfume arrival OF a number of police
men. Bennett was safely lodged in
the Jail, and the maddened crowd de-
termined to take him forcibly from
the prison and hang him. During the
exciting hours that followed, a door
Of the Jail was battered in, one man
was shot and several others were in
jured.
The story OF Benefits crime and the
resultant occurrences are about as
follows: Bennett, who has been in
trouble many times before, had been
drinking all day Saturday, and in the
evening induced the child to accom-
pany him to a store, where he bought
her candy. Bennett was finally locat-
ed by Lewis Patton. under a box car,
in a dark corner of the yard Patton
took the child from Bennett and had
her sent to her home. She was terri
bly, abused and is in a serious condi-
ton. The clothes OF the brute were
sufficient evidence of his guilt A
large crowd soon collected.
The streets were crowded with peo-
The streets were crowded with peo-
pie, and all seemed TO join the mob
in the middle of the street Shouts of
Lynch him." Get a rope" were
raised. Then the mass OF people
crowded around the prisoner and be-
gan beating and kicking him. After
struggling for half an hour the off,
GERS succeeded In getting their man
inside the prison. The baffied mob
then, with one accord, yelled: Smash
the Jail" The cry was echoed and re-
echoed and II seemed but q moment
until probably IS men came through
the crowd with a rush. bearing a
heavy timber. which had been Sc
cured at n new building nearby. Wild
cheers rang out as the people OWNED
that an effort to force the prison was
about to be made
The crowd had a rope ready and had
selected tree near the jail to which
IL was intended To hang Bennett A
rush was made to the side door OF the
prison. and before the officers were
aware Of the intention OF the mob the
door went down beneath a fierce blow
from the battering ram- Deputy
Sheriff j. Rainey Hoon was inside this
door. however. and with drawn re-
volver prevented q rush into the fail.
In the rush made upon the Jail Dep
uty Sheriff Rainey Hoon was struck
on the head and rendered unconscious,
but recovered quickly after being car
ried into the sheriff's private apart
ments- The sheriff himself had re-
ceiyed number OF cuts and bruises.
Policeman Joseph Dougherty was
knocked down and sustained a num-
Der OF deep cuts on the head and body.
Louis Hill had his right leg broken.
George Klein who was among the
mob, was shot in the leg by one OF the
guards. None OF the wounded are
seriously hurt During the night the
mob made three separate attempts to
get into the prison, but when the last
attempt was made the fierceness OF
the attackers had materially de-
creased.