Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-09
RlOTNC IN KANSAS CITY
Religious Fanatics Attack Probation
Officer Who Asks Questions.
RATTLE NEAR THE CITY HALL
Men Open Fire on Pstrolmen ~ They
Leave s~tstiOn--ORe Killed, -Four
Fatally and Tive Seri-
ousIy Hurt.

center. a riot, in which religious fanatics
and police were the participants, and in
which hundreds OF shots were fired, this
afternoon resulted in the death Of one po-
lcemAn. fatal injuries to four, and slight
to two other persons.
The dead.
ALBERT o. DALBow, a ~patrolmsn.
Fatally injured:
John sharp. known as Adam God. a street
Michael Mullane. patrolmGn.
Patrick Clark, a police sergeant.
Lola Pratt, aged 70 years
Seriously injured:
Harry z. Siege. policeman.
George NJ Holt, probation oflcer.
The trouble occurred al 4 O'Clock in the
afternoon, when the streets were crowded
with persons who daily frequent the busy
market and city hall district. While the
battle was in progress participants trav-
erged an entire block. the fatal stages OF
the fight being enacted directly across the
street from an entrance to the police sta
ton.
start of the Trouble.
George NJ. Holt, probation officer Of the
Juvenile court and a pioneer in the work
Of saving boys from the streets in this
city, went to Fifth and Main streets TO in
vestigate a case Of alleged abduction which
had been reported to him. Near the street
corner he came upon Sharp, who. sur
rounded by his companions. was exhorting
a crowd Of street loafers. With Sharp were
A. J. Seller, a woman and five children.
The children ranged in age from 3 to IA
years. The officers suspicious were
aroused by the manner in which the
woman attempted to secure money contri-
buttons from the crowd, and he decided
that she and her male companions were not
proper persons TO have the custody OF
young children.
The woman announced that she and
Adam God" would conduct services at
CreiEhton's or Poorman's mission. one
block north. tonight. whereupon she and
her companions started in the direction
Of the mission. Officer Holt then accosted
the woman and inquired as to the identity
Of the children. The woman replied
sharply thai the officer had better attend
to his own business. " Adam God" whose
long flowing white beard and hair gave
him the appearance Of a patriarch. threat
ened the officer with physical violence.
Officer Holt never goes armed and he
found himself at a decided disadvantage
when the preacher and his companions dis
played revolvers. He stood his ground.
however. and Adam God struck him a
heavy blow behind the ear, making an
ugly wound with his revolver.
Holt then started for the police station
for assistance, and as he moved away the
preacher tried to shoot him, but Sharp
was so excited he dropped his revolver as
he attempted to draw il and when he
picked it up and snapped it at the officer
the cartridge failed to explode.
Three officer shot.
Officer Holt rushed into the police sta
ton and warned the officers To prepare for
trouble. The police sergeant in charge
ordered Patrolmen Charles Dalbow and
Harry r. Siege to go out and arrest Sharp
and his followers.
The r~eligionists were whiting fifty yards
Of the police station when the officers
stepped into the street. They served notice
on all who CHANGED to hear that they would
preach right under the caves OF the police
station and the police cannot prevent us
The officers were not prepared for the vol
ley OF bullets which met them almost i'm
mediately after they appeared On the scene.
Dalbow was killed instantly and a bullet
passed through Stege's arm. Other officers
rushed into the street and a general battle
ensued. But the officers were unable to
shoot without endangering the lives Of in
nocent persons. Lieutenant Clark, who had
come into the street unRrmed, was shot in
the eye and Patrolman MullAne WIS shot IN
the back as he hurried into the police
station for achievements.
In the meantime a riot eail had beer
sounded and policemen were appearing from
all directions.
The officers crowded in on Sharp and hin
followers, firing as they went, but taking
great care not TO inJure any OF the chi.
dren, and when the firing ceased Adam
God" lay fatally wounded. shot through
the head.
During the firing there was a great scat
terment Of spectators and when the ba.tl,
was over the police and their antagonist
had the block entirely 70 themselves. tn,
children. who in the ea.ly part of the figh.
tugged at the garments OF the Office sns
tired to hamper their efforts. ran into tn,
P~oOrman's nilsson, where they were late,
taken in charge by the officers. Tee wo
man, who was arrested. would not dasclos,
her relationship 10 Adam God" but SD,
said she belonged TO q band Of trlvslinl
evEngelists and that they had a housebos
on the river.
The seriously injured were taken to hos
pitfalls. 1t Is said the trouble today mark
the end Of religious exhortauOns on tn
streets Of Kansas City.
II Is not known what sect Adam Goo
represents except that he IL against al
other creeds except his own.
Girl Shot by Police.
II was later learned that Sharp's NAL,
companion was Louis Pratt, father Of tn,
five children He was uninjured and wal
taken in charge by the police. The woman
ana the children escaped and fled to Z
houseboat, where they lived on the Mis-.
souri, river.
Hastily calling al the available reserves
into action the police, fifty in number. fol
lowed. When the police arrived the woman
had barricaded herself in the houseboat
where she defied the officers. tSanding OF
the porch Of the boat with q shotgun which
she had procured from inside. abe shoutet
to the officers:
Come on, you hends." The boat was bu
q few feet from the banks OF the rive,
and several Of the more courageous off
GERS. taking up the vomAnis challenge
dashed toward H. Taken aback. the womal
dropped the weapon, and seizing two O
the children, she ran TO the back OF IN,
boat, cut loose a row boat and began L
row into the middle Of the Missouri river