Evening star., 1918-04-05
mob HANGS GERMAN
IN ILLINOIS TOWN
Robert Prayer, Miner, Accused
of DisioyaI Utterances, Exc
cuted by Lynchers.
CASE TAKEN TO PRESIDENT

BY the Associated Press.
SPRINGFIELD. ILL.,. April 5.-After
long-dfstance telephone conversa-
tiOns today with federal and county
authorities at the scene of the lynch
ing Of Robert Prayer at COllinsville
last night. Gov. Lowden shortly be-
fore noon called n conference Of At
torney General Edward J. BrundaEe
and Assistant Adjutant General
RIchings J. Shnnd. I'm the executive
Offices to consider the outbreak
which hax aroused Washington.
COLLINSVILLE, ILL.,, April 5.-Robert
p. Prayer was lynched by mob last
night at midnight for alleged disloyal
utterances. Kneeling with his arms
crossed, he prayed in German for three
minutes before he was strung up. accord
ing to statements today by members of
the lynching party.
Prayer was a coal miner and yester-
day, at MaryviIle, ILL.,. in an address to
the miners on socialism, is said to have
made remarks derogatory to President
Wilson. Miners then became angry. and
when they threatened to do him bodily
Some of the miners. however. followed
him. collected crowd. took Prayer from
his home and led him barefoot through
the street waving an American flag.
Police Interfere.
The police. fearing violence. took Pra-
ger from the crowd and placed him in the
city hall. Later a large mob gathered
In front Of the hall and demanded the
man. Mayor ]. H. Sigel counseled calm
ness, but the police forcs of four was
overpowered and Prayer was found in
the basement of the hall, hiding beneath
the street and beyond the city limits. the
crowd threatening to shoot if the officers
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 asked il he had anything to say.
His answer was to drop to his knees
and, with arms crossed, to pray in
German for three minutes. Without
another word he was pulled into the
air ten feet and allowed to hang. The
mob then dispersed.
Prager's Alleged Statement.
in their custody. had stated he Was =
registered enemy alien. that he was
born in Germany. but that he had
taken out his first naturalization pa
pers and had hoped to become an
American citizen.
Collinsville- is twelve miles east OF
st. Louis and is in that section of
southwestern Illinois that of late has
been active against disloyalists.
Writes Pathetic Note to Parents.
Before the rope was placed about his
neck Prayer wrote the following note
in German:
Dear Parents: Carl Henry Prayer.
Dresden. Germany: 1 must on this, the
4th 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 PRAGER"
.'proclama tior." in which he stated his
loyalty to the United States and to
union labor; and told of his difficulty in
entering the miners union.
Prayer yesterday afternoon put up
posters at the Maryvilie mine, pro-
claiming his loyalty to the government.
When the miners. left the workings
they were incensed by the proclama- a.
tions and began to hunt Prayer
Walter Clark, mine superintendent at
Maryville, said today he was convinced
there was no truth in the charges that
Prayer had boarded powder while en-
ployed at the mine. Miners have ex-
pressed fear that German spies would
get into mine and attempt to blow
it up.