Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-09
Miners at Collinsville, ILL.,,
Enraged By Socialistic
Orators Remarks, Lynch
Him, Defying Police and
Mayor.
GERMAN PRAYERS
PRECEDE DEATH

with his arms crossed, ROBERT PraSer
who was lynched last night at mid
night for alleged disloyal remarks
prayed in German for three minutes
before he was strung up, according te
statements today by members OF the
lynching party.
Prayer wss coal miner and yester
day at Maryville, ILL.,, in an address to
ninsrs on socialism, he is said to have
made seditious remarks. Miners there
became angry and when they threat
aned to do him bodily harm he es
capped to Ccllinsville,. his home. Some
Of the miners, however, followed, col
lected a crowd. took Prayer from his
home and led him barefooted through
the styeet, waving an American flag.
/ POLICE ANE oVERPOWERED
! The policc, fearing violence, rescued
jPrAesr from the crowd and placed
him In the CITY hall. Later = larger
Imob gathered in front OF the hall and
demanded the man. Mayor ]. H,
k6iaGsl counseled calmness but the
police force of four was overpowered
and Prayer was found In the basement
LOT the ball hiding beneath a pile of
hlfng, He was dragged down the
street and beyond the city limits, the
srswd threatening to shoot if the Of
'Acess approached.
| One mile west OF the city the rope
,by which Prayer had been led was
thrown over the limb Of a tree. He
was then asked IL he had anything to
say. His answer was to drop to his
'knsss and pray In German for three
minutes. Without another word he
was pulled into the air ten feet and
allowed to hang. The mob then dis
persed.
NATIVE OF GERMANY
The police said that Prayer while
In their custody had declared he was q
registered enemy alien, that he was
born in Germany but that he had
taken out his first naturalization
papers and had hoped to become an
American citizen.
CollinsvNle is twelve miles east of
st. Louis and is in that section Of
southwestern Illinois that of late has
been active against alleged disloyal
lists.
LAST LETTER TO FAMILY
Before the rope was placed about
his neck, Prayer wrote the following
note in German:
Dear Parents: Carl Henry Prayer,
Dresden, Germany. must on this, the
fourth day of April, 1918, die. Please
pray for me, my dear parents. This is
my last letter and testament. Your
dear son and brother, Robert Paul
Prayer"
shows NEED FOR LAW
Warrington, D. c., April 5.-Until
the federal government is given pow
or to punish persons making disloyal
uttosances, department of Justice Of
ficials fear more lynchings, such as
that Of Robert Prayer at Collinsville,
III, last night This was the first re.
port reaching hare of such extreme
violence 10 a German, although
omcials who have observed the gen.
sral feeling against Germans have
4eakDd such occurrences. The govern.
1nent has no authority to take action
against the lynchsrs.
I was pointed out that as soon as
01gress passes the pending bill max.
Ing It federal oHense to speak or
write obviously disloyal criticism OF
the United States in the war, the gov.
eminent can punish these acts and re.
duce the danger OF mob action.
CABINET DISCUSSES LYNcHING
Attorney General Gregory took to
the cabinet meeting today report Of
the 1ynching Of Prayer for discussion
with President Wilson. The govern
mont IL expected to denounce the
mob's lawless act, and to express the
hope that there will be no repetition
elsewhere.
Ofhcials made plain that they de.
plored the incident, both because Of
the effect in this country and also be-
cause 1t is feared reprisels may be
made in Germany on Americans.