Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-06
beaten TOR
ATTACKING PRIESTS
REV. Q. |. seuRasf q oss
MONIES sEArE 3 40 e.
vEatlv Aso.
KIDNAPPED AN S>kEh Pan u
AWAY IN AuroMo0iL8
Roughly Handled and Wssnsd Net -
Rsturn-is Now in HespitaI In Ssst.
Gus condition-Assauit FoIlo~s NseA
at Meeting at Which 8purssem AS
oussd Catholic Prieo<hood.

Denver Coio.. April S.-Physiciano
attending the Rev. Otis l.. Sturgeon. OF
Des Moines, Iowa, who was kidnapped
last night by unknown perscn& taken
to lonely point north OF the city,
beaten and released with q warning
not to return. today refused to per-
init any one to visit the patient ana
expressed uncertainty As to the OUT
come Of his injuries.
SpurSeon was brought 70 local
hospital early today. After 4 thorough
examination physicians reported that
in the beating administered by his KID
napers he suffered q broken nose and
other serious injuries. Efforts of the
police to learn the identity of Spur
geon's assailants had been unsuccees-
ful UP 20 noon.
kidnapping Follows Riot.
Tho kidnapping last night followed .
small riot Saturday night during =
lecture in whih Spur6eoh ACCUSED the
Catholic priesthood OF immortality.
Seven men are said to have visited the
hotel and overpowered Police Sergeant
George Merritt. who. =!:h sc.-S$ec=..
was placed in a high-power automo-
bile. Shortly thereafter Merritt wAs
released and the kidnapers continued
their flight to point twenty-four
miles north Of Denver. There Spur.
geon was beaten and released after
being given 1910 by his assailants.
Finally he reached the house Of
Deputy Sheriff George w. Rucker, OF
Adams county. where no was located
by city detectives and brought to the
hospital. (.
Saturday Nights Riot.
Angered by his attack on the prisst-
hood of the Catholic church, scores ~
his audience in a hall hero Saturday
night attempted to do bodily harm 70
the Rev. Otis Spurecon. of Dee eGoineG.
and did succeed in throwing q detective
bodily from the hail. breakfnR M moeo.
A riot ensued which was broken ~ by
the arrival OF a detail Of police with
night sticks drawn. Tho officers ss-s
oorted Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon to his hotel.
Considerable publicity had been
given the Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon's subject
thru the action OF the board OF trua-s
tees OK M6tnOulbt CnuFCH o0tuSO8y
night. ss.
Church Refuses Permit.
II had been advertised that the
preacher would cpeak in that church.
but when the officers Of the church
learned the nature of tho speech. the
Rev. Mr.. Spurseon was denied use Of
the church. Saturday night he tried
to speal, in a hall used for religious
purposes.
great crowd had assembled 20
hear his utterances and scarcely had
he begun before boots and outlaws
were directed at him. Detective Axtell
attempted to quiet the incipient riot.
He was mistaken for defender Of
the Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon.
Police Summoned.
Many hands caught hold Of him ana
before identity was established he had
been thrown to the street. sustaining
painful injuries. The police. alert for
trouble mt the meeting. were hastily
called and before the mob could lay
hands upon the Rev. Mr.. Spurgeon q
patrol machine loaded with police Of
flcers had reached the scene. wadins
into the crowd the uniformed officers.
swinging their clubs briskly. rescued
ers.
Detaile Of Kidnapping.
More than fifty men Sunday night
went to the hotel in Denver where
Spurseon was staying. In front OF the
hotel was standing Police Sergeant
George Merritt. The men surrounded
him and pinned his arms to his side.
while others went into the hotel and
cAtp No -hn In
shirt siec"es They did not give him
an opportunity to secure his coat.
A high powered automobile wAA
standing at the curb waiting. When
the men with their prisoner came
down stairs, he and seven OF hts cap
tors entered the machine and were
dashed away out of Denver. TIE po-
lice serg cant then was released but hs
was unable to arrest any OF the men.
When the car reached q point be-
yond Henderson, Colo. twenty -four
miles north Of Denver. Rev. Mr..
Spurgeon was taken to the railroad
tracks, given 80 cents by each OF his
abductors and told to init the track.
He was warned against returning to
Denver.
The last seen OF the preacher he was
walking north on tho railroad track.
Sheriff schloo, Of Adams county. was
notified OF the AFFAIR and set out in an
automobile In an attempt to find Rev.
Mr.. Spurgeon ana relieve him OF the
necessity Of walking to some other
town.
Rev. Mr.. Sturgeon was to have adj
dressed a crowd In local
night. He asked for police protection
In view OF the riot OF Saturday night.
This was refused him. but the police
said that Officers would be sent to nis
assistance in event Of another riot
Rev. Mr.. spurgeon preferred to run NO
risk and did not All his engagement.
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