The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-10
POLICE BATTLE
WITH FANATICS
PatrOlman and Young Girl
Dead as Result.
THREE FATALLY WOUNDED

OHiCcr 10 investigate CONDUCT OF
Band of Street Preachers-Leader,
Known as Adam God, Resents In
reference and Opens Fire = Riot
Call Brings Reinforcements and
100 Shots Are Exchanged.
Kansas City, Dec in the very
shadow of the city hall in this city,
and less than a half mile from the
business center a riot in which re-
ligious fanatics and police were the
participants and in which a hundred
shots were fired, resulted in the
death of policeman and a young
girl, fatal injuries to three and slight
injuries to two other persons
The dead: Albert o. Dalbow, pa
trolman; Lola Pratt, aged Is.
Fatally injured: John Sharp, known
% Adam God, street preacher; Mi
chael Mullane, patrolman; Patrick
Clark, police sergeant.
Slightly injured: Harry E. Siege,
policeman; George M. Holt, proba-
ton officer.
The trouble occurred at an hour
when the streets of the business
market and city hall district were
crowded with people. While the bat
tie was in progress the participants
traversed an entire block, the final
stages Of the fight being enacted d.
Tectly across the street from an en-
trance to the police station.
George M. Holt, probation officer
Of the juvenile court, and pioneer
In the work of saving boys from the
streets in this city, went to Fifth and
Main streets to Investigate a case of
alleged abduction which had been re-
ported to him. Near that street cor
uer he came upon Sharp who, sur
rounded by his companions, was ex-
horting crowd Of street loafers.
With Sharp were A. ]. Seller, wom-
an and five children. The children
ranged in age from IA to years. The
ofacer's suspicious were aroused by
the manner in which the woman at
tempted to secure money contribu-
tions from the crowd, and he decided
chat she and her male companions
were not proper persons to have the
custody of young children.
The woman announced that she
and "Adam Cod would conduct SER
vices at Creighton's, or Poor Mans
Mission, one block north, 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 Immediately
assumed an attitude of resentment
and replied sharply that the officer
ness"
The officer persevered in his in
euiries, when adam God," whose
long flowing white beard and hair
gave him the appearance of a patri-
arch, threatened the officer with
physical violence. Officer Holt was
not armed, but stood his ground, and
"Adam God" struck him a heavy
blow behind the ear with a pistol,
making an ugly wound. Holt then
started for the police station for as
sistance, and as he moved away the
preacher tried to shoot him, but
Sharp was SO excited that he dropped
his revolver as he attempted to draw
It, and when he picked it up and
snapped it at the officer the cartridge
failed to explode.
Officer Holt rushed into the police
station and announced that a relig-
ious fanatic, armed to the teeth, was
at the very threshold of the police
station, and he warned the officers to
prepare for trouble. The police ser
geant in charge ordered Patrolman
Charles Dalbow and Harry E. Siege
to go out and arrest Sharp and his
followers
The religionists were within SO
yards Of the police station when this
officers stepped into the street. They
gave evidence Of being in a frenzy OF
rage, and with profane abuse they
served notice on all who CHANGED to
hear that they would preach fright
under the caves of the police station
and the police can not prevent u.s."
The officers were not expecting
serious trouble from such an insig-
nificant band of street preachers, and
were not prepared for the volley of
bullets which met them almost i'm
mediately after they appeared on the
scene. Dalbow was instantly killed
and bullet passed through Stege's
arm. Other officers, hearing the
firing, rushed into the street, and a
general battle ensued. The. officers,
as they stepped from the building, of
fered themselves as targets to their
opponents in the fight, but were un-
able to shoot without endangering
the lives Of innocent persons.
In the meantime a riot call had
been sounded and policemen were
appearing from all directions. Thor
oughiy aroused, the officers closed in
on Sharp and his followers, firing as
they went, but taking great care not
to injure any of the children. When
the firing ceased adam God" lay
fatally wounded, shot through the