The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-08


The fire mounted higher and high
er until towards 10 o'clock Wilson
avenue the entire length of the vii
lage was in flames. No attempt was
being made to eXtinguish the flames
or save the thousands of dollars in
property being carried away or de-
stroyed.
Early il the evening the mob had
attacked the postoffice. 1t was a small
building md the dozen or more men
who entered it made short work of
it. 1t was stated that the men robbed
the strong box before applying the
match to the building.
One of the most costly buildings in
/ the village was the banking house of
G. V. HamOry. A saloon near it was
fired and the flames. spreading to the
bank, soon doomed the structure
A dry goods store near Seventh
street and Wilson avenue shared a
building with a saloon. a party of
rioters who selected it for their prey
made the mistake of attacking the
dry goods store first. AS they ap-
preached the door a man appeared
at a window in the living quarters
above the store and fired one shot
from his revolver. A rioter who had
not been ide ntified this morning. fell
dead in the street and the rest fled.
At dozen or more places in Will
son avenue barrels of whisky with the
heads gone stood in the roadway. and
surrounding them were men and
women gulping down the raw LIQUOR
or passing it to friends in the crowd
who could not get close enough to
help Themselves.
Don Stolen Clothing.
A number of clothing stores fell a.
prey to the rioters. Men began ex-
changing their old clothes for the loot
they had seized. This change of ap-
parel was made in the street lighted
almost to noon day brightness by the
flames from half a hundred burning
buildings Once the rioters We're
frightened. A passenger train steam
ing along the railroad tracks at the
foot of the hill, slowed down as it ap-
preached the burning building, a
/ shout, THE militia is coming rang
out and for minute or two there
was a pause. But when the train did
/ not stop the orgy went on.
By this time so much property had
/ been destroyed and the mob had be-
come so inflamed that the better citi-
Zens of the town had fled. Many
| others took the street cars to COM
munities further away The convic-
ton was growing that if the disorder
spread to Youngstown nothing could
save the city.
Finally a dozen or more citizens, led
! by Oscar Diser, city solicitor of East
Youngstown and former member of
the Ohio legislature gathered at the
police station, and pleaded with po-
lice and other city officials to attack
the rioters. 1t was almost midnight
before a force of some forty armed
men had gathered in Wilson avenue.
Then with Diser in the lead they
moved down the street.
A block away the rioters were loot
ing the last building in the block and
the citizens fired over their heads
They ran but finding no one had been
killed they turned and sent shot after
shot toward the posse.
No one was hurt and the posse fired
again. This time half a dozen OF
more rioters went down and the mob
tore down the street. The panic
gathered strength and scores of mer
their pockets bullying with loot Stun
bled over each other in a mad rush tC
get away.
Posse Chases Mob.
The posse followed closely and
wherever possible chased the rioters
J into side streets, men being detached