Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-29

But then protests began to be heard.
I'VE won't stand for hanging the
mayor" several men shouted.
Then two officers cut the rope. car
rled the mayor to an automobile and
rushed him to a hospital
The mayors law firm is at present
defending two negroes charged with as
saults on white women. The police as
sert that that fact had much to do with
some of the remarks made by members
of the mob.
Courthouse in Ruins
The fire :nat was started in the court
house left that structure a mass of
ruins. The property was valued at a
million and a half dollars. The dam
age to the records could not be esu-
mated early to-day but it is believed
many have been destroyed beyond
reclamation. Statistics vital to county
affairs since the county was originated
are believed to be badly damaged.
For several hours the lives of more
than 100 prisoners in the county Jail
was endansered by the flames in the
lower floors OF the building. II was
finally necessary to send them all to the
roof Sheriff Clark stood off the angry
mob until the flames caused the pris-
oners themselves to take action. They
at first decided among themselves t.
throw the negro from the roof to the
pavement below and leave him to the
destruction OF the mob. At this moment
.he mob that had gained entrance to
the burning building pushed past Sheriff
lark and his deputies and forced their
way into the cell corridor and there
.he negro was turned over to them.
Body Mutilated
Throwing a rope around his neck
.hese men, numbering about fifty, drag
ged him to the ground floor, down stiff
ling stairways and through binding
smoke 20 the street. When they appear
I'd at the Harvey street entrance to the
courthouse they were greeted by a
bowling mob of thousands.
Brown was practically dead before
ne was hanged. Two bullets were fired
INTO his body as he was dragged through
The crowd.
Crowns body was mutilated beyond
recognition. Riddled by A thousand bull
cts. 1t was first placed over a fire of
.arred fagots. 1t was not permitted to
-cmain there long. however, and was
soon being dragged through the streets
at the end of rope pulled by fifty
members of the mob. Late in the morn
ng. what remained of the torso was
lung to a trolley pole at one of the
most important down town intersections
In Critical Condition
Mayor Smith was still in a critical
condition this morning reports from the
hospital indicated. 1t was stated that
lie had recovered consciousness but thai
was too early to make any definite
statement as to his condition.
Mayor Smith is SO years old and is
Democrat in politics. He is a lawyer
md practiccd his profession unit
:hosen mayor a year ago last May tc
ucceed James c. Dahlman, who had
ield that office for II years.
Sheriff Michael l.. Clark to-day told
he story of how Brown finally came into
he possession of the mob.
Sherir's Story
The deputy sheriffs had orders t.
,old Brown and they did all in theil
,ower to do So" said Clark '.Wher
he flames and smoke crowded us of
he fourth floor, Commissioner Ringer
.hlef Eberstein, Mayor Smith and som'
police officers started for the frcigh
elevator. The last men into the eleva
or were Smith, Ringer and Eberstein
The women prisoners were screaming
It the top of their voices We tool
fifteen women prisoners and released
hem rather than have them burn il
heir cells. They escaped from tn
building.
Later we took the male prisoner
nut of their cells when 1t became to-
rot there and led them to the ROOT
they were panic stricken. The colore'
prisoners seized Brown and tried {
,ush him over the cornice into the crow,
,elow, but white prisoners and deput
!heriffs restrained them.
Il was on my way up stairway t
he roof when a mass of bodies tumble
lown over my head and sprawled on tn
loor beneath me.
THE colored prisoners had bolted b
ne with Brown in their clutches. The
lurried him to the floor below an
urned him over to a crowd of 80 o
nore who had climbed into the windo,
rom an extension ladder. That wa
he last / saw of Brown.
We had 126 prisoners in the Jail Sun
lay morning. We released fifteen VIC
nen. Three men prisoners escaped.
THEODORE LANGLITZ CARRIER