Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-03-04
bLOODSHED AND RUIN
MARK WAR ON GREEKS
MODS i'm South Omaha Burn and
Wreck Houses of the
Foreigners.
FIGHT THE POLICE IN STREETS.
Legislators Address Meeting That
Starts Riot-Two Vicious At
tacks Are Made.

others injured by heavy missiles, and
thirty houses partly destroyed by fire
and axes as the result of race riots
between hundreds of men of South
Omaha, Neb. and the members Of the
Greek colony there.
There were two nIobs concerned in
the affair. a second crowd renewing the
attack Sunday night after the first had
been dispersed by the police in the
afternoon. There have been fifteen ar
rests made and the police are guarding
the Greek settlement to prevent il third
outbreak
As precaution the South Omaha
fire and police board issued an order
that all saloons in the city shall rs
main closed until further orders.
The attack on the Greeks followed 2
mass netting where violence was urgsJ
by the speakers, among whom We're two
members of the State Legislature and
Il former city attorney. The meeting
was called after hundreds Of men baG
signed petition in which the Greeks
were charged with serious crimes
against girls and women
The speakers referred to the murder
Of Patrolman Edward Lowery. who WIS
shot and killed on Friday by a Creek
whom he had placed under arrest. Tie
slayer had been arrested while in the
room Of IN American girl.
March Upon Greeks Begins.
When the meeting broke up, with the
intention of meeting again at night. Il
crowd of more than 1000 men started
toward the quarters Of the foreigners
III the neighborhood of 26th and q
streets. They were determined to pun
Sh some of the leaders of the Greeks.
but when two of the mob. Frank Swee-
ney and Joseph Gamble, both young
boys, were injured in the attack on the
first house by shots fired from the III
terror, some began to apply the torch
Two blocks east another crowd
smashed the front of saloon and at
tempted to pillage the interior, when
a squad of police charged the crowd
and prevented the mob from securing
tire liquor.
A third crowd rushed to oath and l.
streets and attacked confectionery
store run by Demos Bros. The big
plate glass windows were quickly
smashed, the doors kicked in. and the
stock and show cases destroyed. Mrs.
Mary Demos and her aged father were
in the store and both narrowly escaped
death at the hands of the mob.
The three attacks were made almost
simultaneously and the destruction
was complete before Chief of Police
Briggs could get his scattered force
together and stop the depredatiOnS.
Meantime. Sheriff Bradley was notified
and collected all the deputies possible
and rushed them to South Omaha to
aid the police. 1t took some time to
get the force organized and during the
interval Greeks were attacked On every
hand.
1t was thought that the officers were
in control, but at 0 O'Clock the mob had
gathered again and it renewed its at
tack The first disorder was at 3Oth
and Q streets, where the rioters smash
ed in the plate glass front of Greek
grocery store
The proprietor, Dionisios Catapodis.
and his family were in the rear of the
store, and as the husband came out he
received a shot in the leg. a squad of
officers reached the place in few min
utes and succeeded in getting the
wounded man 20 the police station in
an automobile by stealth.
At o'clock the fire department was
called to 2Sth and r streets, where Il
large two story double frame building
was in flames. Thirty Greeks had been
CHARTERED in the place, but all are be-
lieved to have escaped. The building
was entirely destroyed, however. The
besieged Greeks defended themselves
with firearms, with which they appar-
emily were all equipped. They fired a
fusillade out of the windows, one shot
hitting Charles Estroyl in the head 1t
was this scrimmage which undoubtedly
enraged the crowd into setting fire to
the building.
A moment later the fire department
was called to sd and Q streets. where
the mob had set fire to a Greek grocery
and residence. The rioters beat two
of the Greeks into Inconsistencies and
started downtown with the third. beat
ing him as they went. The police sue
ceeded in getting the man away and
took all three of the injured men to
tho tofinD