The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-09-29
ATTFMPT tn LYNCH MAYOR
WHEN He APPEALS TO men.
RIOTERS SLASH HOSE
KEEP FIRE GOING
Overturn and Burn Police Pat
rol While u. S. Troops Rush I
to Restore Order

OMAHA, Sept IA lynching which
developed many characteristics Of
race riot held this city terrort1ed TOT
nine hours to-day q.
Msyor Edward p. Smith was himself
saved from lynchinE by . poncemAn
who. It was reported, cut the rons IRON
around the mayors neck while hie con.
rades clubbed off the mob. AT mioniSnts
It was said that the mayor WAs uncoa.
scious in hospital -
The riot centercd about the new couo-2
~ court house building which 1A1a net
ON fire in the efforts to reach WHlie0E
Brown, a negro charged with AttncE
Agnes Lobeck, . white girl, tewt0ypS
ago. S.al.
with the flames mounting gteo41l4
from floor to floor Sheriff Aich1At
Clark and his deputies fought . 1Fim
battle of hours to save Brown ffom
those who clamored for his life, but at
IL o'clock with the cries OF the lee or
more prisoners on tho top floor-ehs
jail floor-ringing in his ears. he vas
compelled to surrender the prisoner.
The latter was hustled to "a electric
light pole and hanged. ~.
The mob spirit began to manifest II.
self during the afternoon. but It was
not until q gun store had been looted
that the sheriff considered the situation
serious He swore in extra deputies and
also brought in some police In uniform.
determined that the law should take It's
course despite the peculiar Strocity OF
the crime charged against tho negro.
OMAHA. Sept, 2S.-William Brown
colored, alleged to have assaulted
white girl, was dragged from the coun-
ty Jail at II o'clock tonight and hanged
IL al RAI1 q
Of nine hours by an immense mob TO
wrest him from tho sheriff.
Sheriff Michael Clark and his depu-
ties held the fort in the top story OF the
court house. where Is located the pail.
with a hundred prisoners. until the
building became a seething mass OF
fiames, and he was forced TO submit.
After tho lynchinS the firemen wers
for the nrst tinae abIe 70 get stream on
the flsmes. Al the sArn0 time add
extension ladders Nsre sent to the tn IA
and fourth floors where many Of
occupants Vere standing on wiNpeW
led res on the one side OF the building
that had not been touched by the flames.
Tho entire fire department was on the
scene and many OF the trucks were
rushed to fire houses to secure extra
hose.
The negro was pulled out Of the south
side Of the court house. giving the nee-
men an opportunity to work on tho
north side where the fre started. AZ
soon as the mob had accomplished It's
primary object. It began to diminish.
The work Of rescue then began. 1t
was Ii pparcnt that the Jail story. on the
NTH floor OF the building was becoming
intensely hot.
Shortly before midnight the hre IA the
court house was brought under control,
the mob dispensing fast and 1t was be-
lieved that the shcriffs force and the
prisoners were safe ass
The lynchinE followed IN Aftesnoon
and evening fraught with mob demon
strations seldom recorded. When the
first rumblings Of . possible attempt TO
lynch Brown were heard during tho
forenoon, Sheriff Clark called In al his
regular deputies and swore In number
Of others. The first act that Indicated
the mob was IN earnest was parade up
Harvey street by about nifty men who
detrained from street cars few blocks
from the court house. They tore up
Harncy street at double quick and wore
at the sherffs headquarters before he
realized what had happened.
Appealed 20 RolioA.
Appeals were made to the police sta
tion for help and few uniformed men
were hurried to the place. In the mean.
time the central station telephoned
every man on the force and those on
the south side to report at once Being
Sunday many OF the men could not b
found. The result was that several
thousand persons had gathered on the
south side Of the court house before the
police could arrive in any considerable
number.
Assaulted Crippled 0AfL
Tho assault with which William
Brown was charged was committed on
Agnes Lobeck carly in the week. With
an escort crippled beyond tho point
of resistance, Miss Lobeck met her A.
sailant a few blocks from home In the
southern part Of the city. He held the
fro1&21oa6 ~ YARN EUH.l