The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-22
SOUTH OMAHA MOB
ATTACKS GREEKS
WRECKED 80 BUILDINGS occu
PIED BY FOREIGNERS AND
TWO BOYS WE'RE SHOT.
THE MURDER OF A POLICEMAN
BY a Greek Led to Riot that Lasted
Three Hours Before the Police
Force Could Gain
Control.

Omaha, Feb. 22.-Bent on svengins
the murder of Patrolman Edward
Lowery, who was shot Friday nigh
by Greek prisoner, some 1900 men
and boys yesterday partly wrecked &c
buildings in the Greek quarter OF
South Omaha and created a riot dur
ing which two boys we're wounded
with bird shot and dozen other per
sons we're injured with missiles Of
various sorts used in smashing build.
lngs occupied by Greeks.
The riots followed q mass meeting
at which two state legislators and an
attorney harrangued the crowd.
The police were helpless for almost
three hours to disperse the rioters
and Greek residents and business men
with their wives and children fed In
panic from the quarter attacked,
while the mob wreaked vengeance on
property.
The police gained control about
o'clock, but were unable to disperse
the crowd which thronged the street
in the quarter where the trouble oc.
Cured.
The injured boys are Frank Swee.
ney and Joseph Gamble, who got in
the way of the contents Of a shotgun
fired into the crowd by the Greeks, II
is said. The others injured were for.
eigners and after their wounds were
dressed they were sent home.
While only about 900 men attended
the mass meeting and later started
the riots. hundreds of other persons
Joined In the work of destruction as
soon as II was under way.
The onslaught of the mob on the
Greeks was made in three divisions
The main attack centered at Twenty
sixth and Q streets. the principal
Greek quarter
Mob Demolished Stores.
The crowd began it's work of de
struction by throwing stones and
bricks through the windows of stores
and houses occupied by Greeks. In 6
short time havoc was made with the
fronts of these places and the stocks
of the stores were quickly laid waste
Two blocks east another GROVE
smashed the front Of saloon and sew
eral men attempted to pillage the in
terror. A squad of police charged thu
crowd and prevented the mob from
getting the liquor. II was at thi
place that the two boys were shot ant
the other persons injured.
A third crowd rushed to Twenty
fourth and l. streets and attacked
confectionery store kept by Demo
Bros, The big plate glass windows o
this place were quickly smashed, tn
doors were kicked in and the stocl
and show cases destroyed. Mrs
Demos and her aged father who wcr
in the store narrowly escaped deaf
at the hands of the mob.
Three Attacks Made at Once.
Tho three attacks we're made a
most simultaneously and the destruC
tion was completed before Chic
Briggs could get his scattered fore
together and stop the depredation'
Meantime Sheriff Bradley was notlfie
and collected all the deputies poss
BILE and rushed them to South Oman
to aid the police,
The mob assaulted many Italian
and Roumanians, who were mistake
for Greeks.
At 9 o'clock last night the mo
again began depredations and riC
calls came in from several places. A
Thirty-second and Q streets the mo
set fire to the house of Greel
Three men were taken from the plac,
After being severely beaten, two {
them were put on a passing. stree
car while the other was taken ava
by a portion of tho mob who intende
to put him on board on outgoing trail
II is not known what was done wit
him. The fire department extinguishe
the blaze. Charles Nestroyl, a men
ber Of the mob which was trying
break into building, suffered a guI
shot wound in the forehead.
At Twenty.eighth and streets I'll
mob set fire TO double frame bull
ing occupied as boarding hous
twenty-five or 30 Greeks made
their home. The building was d
stroyed, but all the occupants escape