The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-09-29
OMAHA UNDER
MARTIAL LAW
Mayor Nearly Killed; Negro
Lynched by Mob; One Dead
Continued From Page One

Continued From rage OUc
most Unconscious from the beatinss
he had received. and with the rope
around his neck. were;
"Ill give my life IL necessary, but
I'll not surrender the negro. I'm go
Ing 10 enforce tho law
A tall, weildresscd man saved the
mayors life when he cut the rope
just as the mayor was being lifted
Off the ground. Police reinforce.
ments with drawn pistols beat back
the mob and the mayor was ruHhed
away In an automobile,
At the hospital this morning IL
was said the mayor was still In
critical condition. but II was believed
he would recover.
Poiicc Overpowercd
The mob last night broke into
pawnshops and hardware stores 20
obtain firearms and ammunition.
II overpowered every policeman on
tho streets. The police did not re-
sort To weapons. They were easily
overpowered and usually nurren.
dered their clubs and guns without
resistance.
The mob set fire 10 the courthouse
when IL was unable 20 break past
Sheriff Clark and his deputies Some
one obtained gasoline. which was
set on fire on tho first floor. Police
extingsiiHhcd this blaze. but the mob
obtained more gwoiin. and soon
flames were darling from the first.
second and third floors.
sheriff Clark then took tho pris.
oner 20 the roof Snipcrn climbed 20
the roofs OF nearby buildings and
fired on the little group on the roof
Of tho courthouse. When the flames
reached the fourth floor and firemen
had arrived. the mob took the fire.
mems ladders away from them and
climbed 10 the roof
Clark was forced 10 surrender his
prisoner. who was taken down the
u ider. The mob tore practically ev.
cry stitch Of clothing off the back
OF the black. and his body WAS prac.
tlcaiiy nud~ when tho telephone pole
ser. he was iynched was reached.
The uerros body had not been
hointed six feet when rifles. shot.
guns and reviewers were turned loose
upon ~. A. tho FIRST bullet struck
the negro. b- t~isched spasmodicaily
several times After that life seemed
10 have left the body. but his arms
were famed back and forth several
times as bullets struck them. The
firing continued for about ten min.
utcs
After men In the crowd took the
body down. they tied II 90 the end
OF n police patrol wagon which they
had taken from the officers and
dragged IL about the city. Kerosene
and gasoline were poured on large
number Of railroad ties and other
lumber. and the body thrown into the
biaxe.
A crowd estimated at 1000 men.
women and children saw the body
burn Many pushed thru the crowd
In an effort 10 set pieoen Of the body
for souvenirs. The rioters stopped
automobiles and took gasoline from
tho ianks 10 pour on tho blaze.
A psee. OF the rope was left on the
pole. II was cut into small bits and
distributed to mei..bers OF the crowd
for souvenirs.
Thirty. ono mon were arrested by
police In connection with the riotin..
All were found 20 he carrying guns
and ammunition and are being held
without bond
Light sentences imposed on negroes
for attacks on white women are be-
iieved 10 have incited the mob 10
take tho law into its hands. Ne
braska laws do not allow capital
punishment for criminal assault
Forty Women Attacked
In Omaha and Council Bluffs
thsre have been over 20 attacks on
women in the last two months. Pub
Tic feeling ran very high. In Council
Bluffs returned soldiers. numbering
several hundred. former q vigilance
committee. headed by Col. Donald
McRa~. and have pa,rolled the
streets all night for several weeks.
The negro iynchcd last night held
UP Miss focback and her escort.
Milton Hoffman. a cripple. while
they were returning from the the
atrc Thursday night. After robbinE
both. the negro held Hoffman at hay
with n revolver. dragged the girl TO
n ravine and assaulted her.
He was arrested Friday night
While police werc taking him 10 the
station that night a mob tried to
seize him. The police frustrated this
attempt only after hard struggle.
during which police reserves were
called out Both Miss Loeback and
Hoffman positively identified Brown.
Forty-five negroes were deported
from the city Saturday on orders OF
Police Judge Fitzgerald. All were
hired by a railroad company for
: bridge work and given their choice
OF accepting or going TO jail.
Police say following the Chicago
race riots scores of Chicago negroes
came here
| Mayor smith II extremely unpopu.
lar with certain elements In the city.
] his stand In labor troubles having
been characterized by union men as
decidedly unfair to union labor. Pc.
: uuons recently were circulated for
his recall. They were thrown out
on the ground OF irregularity and du.
plication.
Smith II n former law partner OF
c Constantine ]. Smythe, now chief
g justice OF the District OF Columbia.
i, When the mob closed In on him
! last night. they shouted:
Shoot him. Hang him, He's no
y better than n niger. The niggers
!. elected him. Let's get him and then
, some OF the rest OF the city officials. 4"