Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-25
Sought to Avenge the Murder of
a Patrolman Who Had Ar
rested a Greek.
THIRTY BUILDINGS WRECKED
Two Boys Wounded by Birdshot and
several People Injured - Two
Lcg!slnt"rS and n Lawyer In
cited the Crowd--poIice
Unable 10 Control Mol,

omaha. Neh Feb. 21.--Bent on
ward Lowery. who was shot Friday
night by Greek prisoner, some 1000
mon and boys to-day partly wrecked
30 buildings in the Creek quarter OF
South omaha and created n riot dur
ing which two boys were wounded
with brdshot and n dozen other per
sons were injured with missiles Of
various sorts used in smashing build
ines occupied by Greeks.
The riots followed q mass meeting
at which two state legislators and an
attorney harangued the crowd
The police were helpless for almost
three hours TO dispense the rioters,
and Greek residents and business mon
with their wives and children fed in
pnnic from tho quarter attacked while
the mob wreaked vengeance on prop
erty.
The police gained control about six
o'clock but were unable to dispense
the crowd which thronscd the streets
in the quarter where the trouble oc-
CURED.
The injured boys are Frank Sweeney
way Of tho contents Of shot gun
frei into the crowd by the Greeks. it
is said. The other persons injured
were foreigners.
The onslaught Of the mob on the
Greeks was made in three divisions the
main attack centcring in the principal
Greek quarter where the maddened
crowd began its work Of destruction by
throwing stones and bricks through the
windows Of store. and houses known to
ne occupied by Greeks. The stocks OF
the store. were quickly laid waste.
Two Blocks east another crowd smashed
tho front o. saloon and several men
attempted to pillage the interior A squad
or police charged the crowd and pre-
vented the mob from getting the liquor.
Ii waa NJ this place that the two boys
were shot and the other persons injured.
A third crowd attacked a confection-
cry store kept by Demos brothers. The
big plate glass windows Of the place
were quickly smashed. tho doors We're
kicked in and the stock md show cases
destroyed Mrs. Mary Demos and her
aFed father. who were in the store mar
rovly escaped death at the hands of
the mob
TIE three attacks were made almost
simultaneously and the destruction was
completed before Chief Briggs could
gather scattered force which is not
great at any time.
| Meantime Sheriff Rrailev was notified
| and collected all the deputies possible
and rushed them to South omaha t.
aid the police.
% i11t cd
/ Rumanians who were mistaken for
I Greeks.
The police finally collected in suN!cicn
numbers to surround every home ant
business place Of the Greeks. l,'lt IT wq.
nearly Impossible IN keep hacl; thu
crowds Chief briggs asked tho Oman;
police department to send police officer,
to South Omaha as moro so-ious trouhl.
VS. Anticipated TONIGHT After consider
ing the legal and other phases Of TN,
case, IT was decided not to comply Will
tho request Sheriff nrailov decided t,
swear in a largo number a. deputies
cAU-SE or THE RIOT.
The riot grew ont Of the arrest If ,
Greek last Friday night hv Patrol
man Lowerv. While on tho way tn
police STATION tho Greek sud,Ierl,
whipped out a revolver ard sho
Lowcry ia death and escaped. \ qrlcl
! and unsuccessful attempt was mad,
later to lynch the Creek and thcn
I mass meeting was called for this af
! ternoon to take some action with re
gard to Greek residents. The mas
| meeting was addressed by state Rep
rcsentatives Jerry Howard, j. r
I ~