The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-02-25
UNDER MOB RULE
NEGRO AROUSES THE IOWANS

INLukO nNOO0k<0 HI fOtF AN0
Attack on Woman Alone With Baby
stirs Whole Town-KilIing Of n
Policeman I'm Omaha by q Greek
Causes q Riot I'm That Town
Fifty Greeks Houses Wrecked i'm
Revenge for the Murder-A Third
Outbreak is at Dayton.
-Ottamwa.Iowa, Feb. 21.-Lack OF
a leader is all that has saved Ottum-
wa so far tonight from adding an
other bloody chapter to the history
of race riots in the United States.
A mob of men and boys, which
has increased from 100 to more than
1000, gathered around the city Jail,
thirsty for vengeance on the negro
who committed a criminal assault on
white woman early to-day.
placed in the city Jail and one in the
county jail, and threatening demon
strations have been made, no man
has been daring enough to lead the
mob in the work it wanted to do,
and it seems likely at late hour
that peace may be preserved.
John Junkin, a negro suspected of
the murder of Clara Rosen, who was
slain two weeks ago, was taken out
of town secretly by the police fol-
lowing the early manifestation of
mob spirit.
The cause of the uprising is the
same as that which started the
Springfield Ull.) mob on its MUIR
derous, pilaging night of terror last
summer.
Mrs. Charles M. Johnston, the in
valid wife of an Ottumwa travelling
salesman, was in bed with her 4-year-
old child at 3 o'clock this morning,
bending over her. Before she could
scream for help the black seized her
by the throat and began to choke
her.
Despite her weakness due to a re-
cent operation, Mrs. Johnston fought
desperately. She tore herself loose
from the assailant's hands and cried
for help. At the same time the child
screamed. The negro became alarm
ed and, seizing wooden curtain
pole used as a window prop, beat
the woman with the stick until she
became unconscious.
The cries of the child finally
aroused neighbors, who found Mrs.
Johnson lying on the floor uncon-
scious. BY her side was the curtain
pole, stained with blood.
News of the assault spread rapid
ly, and the quiet streets soon sound
ed to the running feet of angry men,.
The police called out the vigilants
and before daylight armed men were
searching for the negro.
The trail of Mrs. Johnson's as
sailant was followed by blood
hounds to a deep ravine near Rut-
ledge mining camp, three miles from
Ottumwa, but there it was lost.
While this work was going on, the
crowd around the city Jail continued
to grow in size.
Trouble started again when
searchers began to bring in suspects
captured in the surrounding country.
The police had been provided with
a good description of the guilty ne
gro by Mrs. Johnson, and after each
man was brought in they announced
to the crowd that the men captured
lice announced that they expected to
get important information concern
ing the guilty man from the negroes
held in the Jail, and the mob
waited.
Other Assaults i'm the Past.
Although the Staying of Clara
abandoned excavation of house, the
head beaten to pulp with rock,
first aroused the mob spirit, which
spread over the town to-day when
the attack on Mrs. Johnson became
known, there have been a number of
assaults on white women by negroes
within the last two years that con-
tributed to arouse Ottumwans.
iceman's Death.
Omaha, Neb., Feb. 21.-Bent on
avenging the murder of Patrolman
Edward Lowery, who was shot Fri
day night by Greek prisoner, some
5000 men and boys partly wrecked
thirty buildings in the Greek quarter
of South Omaha to-day, and created
riot in which two boys and man
were wounded with -birdshot and a
dozen other persons were injured
with missiles used in smashing build
ings occupied by Greeks.
The riots followed a mass-meet-
ing, at which two State Legislators
and attorney harranged the crowd.
Dayton (Ohio) Man Arouses Frenzy
of a Crowd.
Dayton, Ohio, Feb. 21.-With two
detectives standing within few feet
and hundreds of people passing, Lee
Beckmam sprang from behind a post
and threw his arms around Mrs.
| Mary L. Hynd in an attempt to drag
her into an alley.
Mrs. Hind was accompanied by her
| husband, who seized the assailant
and received blow in the face
| which knocked him down. Still
struggling with the screaming wo-