The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-09-29
MAYOR SMITH STILL In
CRITICAL CONDITION
He Protested Against the
Lynching of the Negro,
Whereupon Mob Seized
the Mayor and Started to
Hang Him from a Pole
Thousands of Bullets Were
Fired into Negroes Body.

Omaha, Sept. 29.--After night OF
mob rule, during which negro was
lynched, an attempt made to hang the
mayor of Omaha, Edward P. Smith, the
county court house burned, one man shot
and killed, and perhaps forty Others in
iured, the city was quiet to-day under
patrol of federal troops from'For Crook
and Fort Omaha.
The mayor was at hospital in criti-
cal condition to-day as result OF the
attempt made by the mob to hang him
10 trolley pole because he advised
against the 1ynching of William Brown,
q negro, who was in the county jail,
charged with attacking a white girl on
the outskirts of the city early last week.
Mayor Smith was seized by the mob
on 18th street, near the courthouse,
about 10 o'clock and was Threatened
with lynching. He was hustled to Bar
ney street and stopped at the foot OF
a trolley pole on the cross arm of which
was coil of rope.
"Giye up the key TO the Jail, if we
can't get the niger wen lynch you;
hes no better than the niger; he's a
negro lover the mob yelled.
Get that rope" someone shouted. 1t
was pulled down by loose end, but
was not long enough to reach. man
climbed the pole and with knife cut
the rope. It was brought down and
placed around the neck of the mayor.
Throw it up over the pole and
string the mayor up" yelled a dozen
voices. The mayor was the center Of a
crush so great that it almost overthrew
an automobile standing near.
The rope was placed around his neck
Appalled, at the possibility of numbering
khe cityS chief executive, some of the
mob protested.
eve don't stand for hanging the may
brl that won't get us the Niger; let him
=. go; tell him to get out Of here
Then two officers cut the rope. carried
che mayor to an automobile and rushed
!him to hospital.
a The mayors law firm is ait present de-
Tending two negroes charged with as
saults on white women The police as
Eert that fact had much to do with some
of the remarks made by members of the
mob who had hand in the attempt
against his life.
Splendid Courthouse in Ruins.
The fire that was started in the court.
house left that structure a mass of ruins
The property was valued at a million
and half dollars The damage TO the
records could not be estimated to-day
but it is believed many have been de-
stroyed beyond reclamation. Vital sta.
4istics accumulated since the county was
organized, are believed to be badly dam.
aged.
For several hours the lives Of more
khan 100 prisoners in the county iai
were endangered by the flames in the
lower floors of the building Sheriff
Clark stood off the angry mob until The
flames caused the prisoners themselves tx
cake action. They at first decided among
themselves TO throw the negro from tbs
roof to the pavement below and leave
him to the destruction of the mob. II
was at this moment that the mob that
had gained entrance to the burning build
sng, pushed past Sheriff Clark and hi,
deputies and forced their way into tn,
cell corridor. Here it was that the ne
gro was turned over to them.
Throwing rope around his neck
these men, numbering about fifty
dragged him through binding smoke t,
the street. When they appeared at th,
Harvey street entrance TO the court
house they were greeted by bowling
mob of thousands.
Frightful Brutality Shown.
Brown was almost dead before hi
form was strung to the light pole. Twt
bullets were fired into mis- body as h,
was dragged through the crowd. H,
did not utter a word during the prep
arations and was given no opportunity
to speak before being stretched full
length before the gaze Of the mob.
The body was terribly mutilated Rid
died by a thousand bullets, it was frs
placed over q fire of tarred faggots. /
was not permitted to remain there long
however, apd was soon being dragged
through the streets at the end of rop,
pulled by fifty members of the mob
This spectacle did not end until late il
the morning hours, when what re
mained of the torso was hung to troll
1ey pole at one of the most importan
downton intersections. The arrival o
downtown intersections The arrival o
disperse.
Police Were Cutters.
The destruction of the courthouse cam,
rs a result of the lack of police protec
tion for the firemen when they attempt
I'D to run hose lines. Many of the fire
men, however, entered the building ant
assisted in the work Of rescung the pris