Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-28
Sheriff Appeals to Governor
to Declare Martial Law
to Check Further Vio-
lence by the Mob.
POLICE FIRE ON MOB
WITH FATAL RESULTS
Crowd Of 5000 Storm Po-
lice Station as Outgrowth
of Quarrel Between the
Mayor and Editor Looney

Rock Island, ILL.,. March 27,-sherif
0. L. Bruner OF Rock Island county to-
day telegraphed Gov. Charles s.
Deneen for regiment of soldiers to
use in placing the city of Rock Islend
under martial law as a result OF last
nights fatal riot and threatened re-
petition of mob violence.
| The sheriffs action was taken after
Mayor II. M. Schriver and the other
municipal commissioners had held
long conference with leading citizens
OF all political Affiliations
| Martial regulation" said Sherift
Bruner, lis the only thing that will
check the rising tide of violence. With.
lout soldiers in sufficient force and un-
der rigid orders to put down the first
attempts to renew last nights attack
on the police the situation tonight Will
be extremely grave l am not an
alarmist, but the situation now is be-
yond all ordinary control. A few com.
panies Of militia, fear, Will not be
tenough."
The mob attacked the city Jail last
might in an attempt to release sympa,
lthizers with John Looney, publisher
ICf weekly paper which had severely
criticised Mayor Fl. M. ScEriver.
During the last three days the peo
pie have been stirred UP over the con.
ltroversy between the editor and the
mayor and last night the police ar.
rested two speakers who were address
ing the crowd. This infiamed the
friends Of Editor Looney and they be.
gan to hurl stones at the police and
break windows of the police station.
! Police Fired on Mob.
Mayor Schriver. who was directing
the police, ordered the officers to Are
on the mob. One man was instantly
killed and about a dozen were wounded
The mob dispersed but reformed
after an hour and attempted to procure
arms from hardware store. The po-
lice surrounded the store and were
able to drive back the mob.
The sheriff. shortly before midnight
asked Gov Deneen for state troops to
assist the police In preserving order.
The local militia company and
company from Moline, five miles away
reached here before daylight and
company from Galesburg arrived
Iearly today.
| Fear Attack on Militia Tonight.
Despite quiet in all quarters Of the
city this morning sheriff, police and
militia prepared to resist a resumption
tonight Of the rioting which resulted
in three deaths and the wounding Ct
Bruner said: although everything
Hooks peaceful now, there is an under
J current of vicious feeling against the
police and expect to see an attack on
the militia by the mob. My deputies
: report that number of desperate
characters In Davenport, Moline and
Rock Island are today carving
around the word that they will run the
militia into the Mississippi river to.
night. This feeling, in my opinion.
will get stronger as they day goes on
Last nights fioting continued prac-
tically unchecked for three hours.
THE police said there were more than
five thousand persons in the mob
which surged through the down town
streets pulling car trolleys from the
wires, overturning wagons and In
other ways seeking to block public
thoroughfares.
Two Dead Men Identified.
After the attack on the police sta
! tion had been repulsed by the volley
from the weapons of the officers, the
authorities found q dozen dead or
wounded men in the street. Two OF
J the three persons killed were identi-
! fed early today as J. G. Kelly, black
smith Of Silvis, village a few miles
1up the river, and l.. II. Orman, shoe
7 merchant OF this city
j Kelly is said to have been one Of
many who came to Rock Island from
neighboring communities, bent on
mischief.
}, 1t is stated, even, that the riotous
/ conditions here may be repeated in
, Moline where local politics reflect
!, much the same status as caused the
, Ioutbreak against Mayor H. NJ Schriv-
er of Rock Island. There is to be q
/ political meeting In Moline tonight and
, the outcome Is awaited with some ap-
lprehension
Mayor issues Statement.
Mayor Schriver issued the follow