The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-01-10
The Chief Knocked Down
with A Chair By Vim Rice
Negro Then Bit The End Of
One Of Chiefs Fingers
Gce Locked Up In Steel Gage
In County Jail

Chief Of Police r. 8. Clements,
while attempting an act Of kindness,
was vicIousIy attacked by William
Rice. a negro, at the home Of jerry
latherns on Mansfield avenue at
about noon Wednesday. The chief
was felIed to the floor by a blow on
the head when Rice attacked him with
q chair and later In the scuffle, which
followed, the end Of the chiefs little
finger on the right hand was bitten
OF. From the very start Chief Glenn
ents was at a disadvantage and would
probably have Jared very badly had
not number Of men hurried to his
rescue. Rice Is now In the steel cage
at the county Jail.
At ~ o'clock Rice, who boards at
the Latherns home, was sitting I'm a
room and was seen suddenly to fall
10 the floor by Mrs. Latherns who hap
pened in just at that moment. She
was frightened and called Chief Glenn
ents who arrived In short time.
Rice was lying on the floor giving ut.
terance to random words and appear
ed to be insane. The chief attracted
his attention and asked the cause of
his trouble. No Intelligent answer
was given but the officer did not ex.
pect violence on the part of the negro
AZ there was apparently no cause for
any However after short time
without a moments warning, Rice
seized a wooden chair CLOSE at hand
and swung It savagely at the chief.
The chair seat struck him on the fore.
head. cutting long deep cash and
knocking him to the floor. He was
badly dazed by the blow and was
hardly prepared to engage In the
Struggle that followed Immediately at.
Aerward. In spite of his condition
Chief Clements backed the man about
the room In an effort to secure an ad.
vantage of some kind He smashed
u window when he almost hurled the
negro through II, but could not get
him down on the floor. The Chief was
pressing his thumb against iRice's
nostrils with the intention Of shutting
on his breath when his hand slipped
and the little finger entered the mans
mouth. Teeth quickly closed over II
and the finger was bitten squarely OF
At the first joint. The negro's teeth
passed through the leather glove
which the chief was wearing and did
mot even stop at the bone. The mem.
bcr was severed.
The fight was Il fierce one and, nc.
cOrding to IA statement made by the
officer shortly afterward. <Rice would
have probably been the victor had not
the disturbance been heard by per.
Sons outside the house. Mr.. Roger
Peltcn. who resides across tho street,
FASTENED In and found the officer and
the colored man locked In fierce strug-
Gle. lie seized a heavy paper cutter
Ws~'s s"o '"eVh''oh VI uniHS " oI tne
ncEro's skull but II was dashed from
his hand before he could use Il. Fin.
ally the united efforts Of the two men
torced the vicious black to the floor
where he was held until the arrival
of Ohicer William Hough who has.
&sned 10 the scene In the patrol wag.
IN. A man by the name OF Wright
assisted In the work OF holding the
man down before the patrol arrived.
No trouble was experienced in
oringiug the handcuffed man to the
Jail where he was placed behind bars.
Tho injured chief made his way to
che y. Shut home nearby where Dr.
y. l.. singrey was called In attend.
ance. A large number of stitches
vefe necessary to close the wound
Inflicted In his forehead. The finger
was dressed and anti-toxin was admin
lstercd AZ q precaution against blood
poisoning. Rice is slated as held for
warrant and charge of mayhem may
bsI made against him.
Rice has been working at a local
glass factory for some time and has
been boarder ut the Latherns home
1e narrowly escaped charge Of va.