Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-07-14
POLICE SAVE NEGRO
FROM MOB OF 200
GORDON AROUND CITY HALL PRO-
TEcTs PRISONER WHOSE
LIFE is SOUGHT.
CHARGED WITH ATTACKING YOUNG GIRL
CoIored Man Is Captured by Posse,
After Which a Crowd Forms Who
Cry "kill Him" and
"Hang Him."

Massillon, o.-The city hall police
station was surrounded by cor
don of police, armed with loaded riot
guns in preparation to resist the
threatened attack of a mob of farm
ers and railroad men, assembled north
of the city, bent on doing violence to
Harvey Mickens, "a, negro. With
cries of xiii him." Hang him." a
mob approached the building shortly
after the armed men had taken their
positions. The crowd was leaderless
and after Chief of Police Ertle had
talked to them, the mob dispersed.
The prisoner in an auto was taken
secretly to the county Jail at Akron.
The negro had been arrested, charg-
ed with attacking Myrtle Evans, 16-
year-old daughter of Richard Evans of
Newman. The alleged assault was
made in a secluded place along the
Pennsylvania railroad tracks north of
the city. Mickens was captured by
officers after a long chase on a loco
motive and hand car which were
pressed into service. He was brought
to the city under heavy guard and
lodged in the JAIL So violent were
the threats of the mob that Chief of
Police E. M. Ertle at once ordered
out the entire police force and armed
them with riot guns, loaded with buck
shot. The chief, for the first time in
the history of the city hall, took pos
session of the keys to the Jail.
The girl is at the home Of her father
in serious condition from the shock.
Physicians are caring for her. She
carries deep bruises and marks upon
her arms which bear evidence of the
violence of her struggle with the ne
gro. Mickens, in his cell, nursed a
sore thumb which Miss Evans bit dur
ing the encounter. He declined to dis
cuss the case except to admit that he
took hold of the girl. He denied the
girls statement that he had attempted
to drag her into the underbrush along
the track when he accosted her. Ac-
cording to Miss Evans, she was walk
ing from her home to this city when
in lonely place two miles north of
here she met Mickens. He spoke to
her and then suddenly grabbed her
by the arm. She screamed and tus-
sle followed. The girl is big and
strong and put up hard fight against
the small negro. She finally got his
thumb in her mouth and bit down
hard. The negro let go of her and
fed up the track. She turned and
ran mile at top speed to shanty
occupied by switchman, where she
breathlessly told her story.
u. T. Shoemaker, Pennsylvania
yardmaster, was near by and bearing
the girls story at once ordered his
men to quit their posts, board a switch
| engine and go in pursuit of the negro.
While the men were preparing to
leave, police headquarters was noti-
| fed and Motorcycle Policeman August
| Siefert, started out. On a road which
parallels the railroad track, he over
| took the posse and boarded the en-
| gine. Upon receiving another mes
sage, Chief Ertle started out in an
automobile. Near the scene of the
alleged assault. the railroad men left
engine, took hand car and continued
the chase. In the meantime Chief Err
tie had caught up with the flying
posse and officers and men began to
scour the countryside. A large mob
of farmers had left their harvest fields
and joined the chase. Woods and
fields were searched. Two miles from
the spot where the alleged assault
took place, two boys caught sight of
the negro lodging in behind bushes
along a fence. They summoned the
officers who entered the thicket. Mick
ems surrendered without struggle.
Cries of lynch him" went up from
the mob and the officers at once hur-
ried the negro across the fields to the
place where the yard engine was wait
ing. They brought him to the station
here, where he was locked up. When
the negro was brought in a crowd
gathered about the Jail, but was dis
persed without difficulty. Later, how
ever, police headquarters received
word that 200 men had gathered in
the north end of the city, prepared to
march on the city hail. batter down
the cell doors, take the negro out and
lynch him. Chief Ertle at once
strengthened his guard, sent out Off
GERS and prepared to spirit the negro
to the county Jail if necessary.
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