The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-08-27
Man Given Coat OF Tar by Pleasant
Prairie Mob F!ees When Con-
fronted With Insanity Charge.
PROSECUTIONS MAY CONTINUE.
Attorney Claims that County's RECORD Has
Been Besmirched With Mob'Rule and
Guilty Parties VIII be Prosecuted.

/ John Schm;tz, of Pleasant Prairie,
the man who was tarredNby mob on
Monday night fed from the city Tues
day night to avoid facingta trial for in
sanity and it is possible that the men
in Pleasant Prairie who besmirched
the record of Kenosha county by re-
sorting to mob rule may escape the
punishment which they so richly de-
serve. Tuesday night sawHtrrbu1ent
times IN Pleasant Prairie. Many ct the
men who had been accused,of assisting
in the tarring of Schmitz slept with
their clothes on awaiting the call of the
sheriff and his deputies while other
members of the gentlemen mob we're
busy trying to fix the matter up SO as
to allow the ringleaders to escape
prosecution. 1t was alleged that the
mob was composed of the hoodlums of
the Prairie but it was also noticeab BILE
that men prominent in affairs in the
village were very active in making
efforts to hush the matter up.
Schmltz seems to have been unpopu-
lar IN the neighborhood and several of
his enemies decided that he must be
forced to leave the village. Just after
8 O'Clock Monday night, mob of some
ten men went to the cottage where
/ Schmitz lived and demanded that he
quit the town. Schmitz was obdurate
and at that time it is alleged that the
men broke into the house and dragged
! Schnitz out into the yard. Schmitz
| pleaded for mercy, but the men, rihing
the house and taking the butchers
| money and account books with them,
/ dragged him to a vacant lot near the
Pleasant Prairie station. None of the
men were masked, and they seemed
to fear little from detection. AS soon
as the vacant lot was reached, one of
the men in the party ran over to
store nearby and secured bucket of
melted tar and while members of the
mob hurled vile epithets at Schmitz
another member of the gang went up
behind him and poured the tar down
his back. Schmitz shouted with pain
and begged for mercy, but the gang
insisted that Schmitz agree to leave
the township and this he refused TO do.
When the clothing of the man had
been saturated with the tar, one OF the
members of the mob walked up with
cigar and announced that he wonld |
set FIRE to the tar. This brought cry
of pain from Schmitz, and the wiser
members of the mob gathered round
and prevented the burning of the man
It was said afterward that the threat
ened burning was meant simply toll
scare Schnitz and that the mob had no
intention of such an action.
The coat of tar had taken a good
deal of the fight ont of Schmitz and
when he came to the city Tuesday to
demand the arrest of half a dozen of |
the men connected with the affair of |
Monday night he was Immediately
followed by some of the men of the
town who took deep interest in the
case. Summonses were issued Tuesday
for witnesses and complaints were
drawn up for the arrest of the guilty
parties and at this time it dawned up
on some of the men that Schmitz was
insane and should be confined in a |
mad house. With this happy thought |
as guiding star an application for an
examination into the mental condition |
|of John SchHaitz was scared from
Judge Slosson and q bench warrant I
was issued for the arrest of Schmitz. |
In the mean time Schmitz had heard
of the proceedings in the county court
and dreading the terrors of the mad
house fed from the city. He left on
the 11:40 train Tuesday night and it is
not thought that he will return to the
city. No EFFORT is being made to get
him to have him appear in the county
court for the examination.
With Schnaitz gone, the attorneys
have little evidence with which to pro-
coed against the mem ers of the mob,
and District Attorney Buckmaster
states that the case will proba bly, be |
dropped.
Attorney Sturges fails to take this |
view of the matter and stated We'd
nesday morning that the names of |
the ring leaders Of the mob had been
secured and that he would proceed
against them and make an effort to
prove their guilt without the presence
of Schnaitz.
The affair has reused great deal Of
indig nation among the people of the
county and they claim that the fact
Schraitz may have been mentally un-
balanced only enlarges the crime of the
men who attempted to tar him. The
case is not ended with the disappear
ance of Schnl;tz, and if he can be To-
Gated he will be brought back, and even
though he be judged insane, an effort
will be made to secure his testimony
for the conviction of the members of
the mob who maltreated him.
ORIENTAL RUGS.
| Mr.. E. Taminosian, an Armenian,
80