The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-22
WHITE WOMAN
ASSAULTED BY
NEGRO FIEND
DiabOfiCaI Outrage PeTpetrated
at 0ttumWa, Ia, and an
Uprising Follows.
MOB BENT ON VENGEANCE
FOR SERIES OF CRIMES
NATIONAL GUARD HELD IN
READiNESS-THOUSANpS OF
CITIZENS SURROUND JAIL.

OAtulIlN e. Id. 2 CD. ia iAtiEu UN
the brutal attack by a negro upon
Mrs. Charles NJ. johnson. the invalid
wife of "a travelling salesman. a mob of
600 men and boys tonight surrounded
the Jail, thirsty for vengeance upon the
unknown culprit. -Four negroes were
locked Up as suspects, and John Jun
kin, d negro suspected Of the murder of
Clara Rosen two weeks ago, was
hustled out Of town to avoid the mobs
fury. Company G of the national
guards was held in the barracks i'm
readiness fer action.
Awful Crime Committed.
Mrs. Johnston was in bed with her
4-year-Old child at 3 o'clock this morn
ing when she awoke to find d negro
bending over her. Before she could
scream for help the negro seized her by
the throat and began to choke her.
Despite he weakness, as the result of a
recent operation. Mrs. Johnston fought
desperately. She tore herself loose and
cried out At the same time the child
screamed. The negro became alarmed
There was a curtain pole an inch in
diameter. which was used as window
prop. within reach. The negro grabbed
this and beat the woman until she be-
came unconscious.
Citizens Wildly Excited.
How long the negro remained is not
known. The cries Of the child finally
aroused the neighbOrs- They found Mrs
Johnston lying on the floor unconscious.
BY her side was the curtain pole stained
with blood. The news spread rapidly.
Soon armed posses were on the track OF
the fleeing negroes. Members of the cit
liens guard were posted III places where
foarnf The hnr0nz 0f the
groes were placed under guard. The city
Jail became the point Of attraction for the
excited men who formed the nucleus or
the mob. The trail of Mrs. JOhnstons
ssssiIant was followed by bIoodhounds
to a deep Tsviue near Ruttedge camp.
three miles from Ottumwa, but was there
lost.
Mines Searched for Fisnd.
The mines were searched with the help
of miners, but the man had disappeared
Other posses Of armed men searched 9TH
er parts of the country all day. While
this was going on, the crowd around the
Jail continued to grow. Threats were
made freely against the negro Junkln, and
the police became alarmed for his safety.
Toward night the officers took him out
Of the jail by rear door. He was
placed in an automobile and taken to
ChiIIicothe ten miles west of the city,
train and taken to Abba, where he was
locked up
Mob Yelled Its Hate,
The mob contented itself with yelling its
hate as the first. second and third sus-
pect were brought in to Jail. The police
had been provided with a good description
of the guilty negro by Mrs. Johnston,
and after each man was brought IN they
announced to the crowd that the man cap
tured had no part IN the crime
The men of sober minds in the crowd
argued with the more violent to give the
r,r1srr q r6Gnra first II felt fine
night wore on that the danger point Of
concerted action on the part of the thou
sands had passed. Sill, there were evil
dences of unrest in the more isolated parts
Of the city.
Many Recent Grimes.
There have been a number Of assaults
on white women by negroes within the
last two years which contributed toward
arousing the people. The first was an as
sault on Mrs. George Mcbride. A colored
man was tried for the assault but was ac-
quilted. Mary mahoncy. the next victim
died in hospital. and Oscar Hogan. COL
ored. is serving a life term in the peniten-
tiarv for the crime. Agnes Yates. q tele-
phone operator. was followed home from
work and attacked. A negro was charged
with the assault but the jury acquitted
him. Mrs. John irwin was assaulted by
Leroy Edwards, negro who was con-
viCted and given a life sentence The muir
der Of Clara ROsen and the assault upon
max.
Rosen Murder Suspect,
John Junkin. ColoTed. the only suspect
now held in the Rosen case. Is booked on
a charge of larceny. Thus far there has
developed little evidence to connect him
with the murder. and many believe that.
owing to similarity Of crimes. the RoseB
murder and the Johnston assault were
committed by the same person. Late to-
night two more negroes were brought to
the city fail through a crowd which
blocked the street. There were cries Of
( Lynch themI' but the main body Of the
mob seemed willing to await definite news
that the police and posses have arrested
the right man.
Tonight the physicians attending Mrs.
Johnston ssy that she will recover unless
the shock to her heart proves too great.
An examination also showed that the at
tack with the curtain pole did not injUre
her internally. though there is danger OF
blood poisoning from the wounds. Com
mereial travellers of the city raised purse
of 81 go as a reward for the arrest and
conviction Of the assailant.