Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-31
Mob Storms County Jail Bef,t
on Reaching Negro Arrested
in Connection With Murder
of White Woman.
STORES LOOTED TO
SECURE FIREARMS
Two Members of Machine GUN
Company Killed and Many
CoIored Persons Are Re-
ported to Be Dead.

Knoxville, Tenn, Aug. 3l.-Aftcs
the storming of the Knox county Jail
Saturday night by a mob bent on
reaching Maurice Mayes. a negro
arrested early in the day in con-
nection with the murder of Mrs,
BERTHE Lindsey, race riot oi
serious proportions broke out in
Knoxville early today. ...@
Soldiers of the Fourth Tennessee
national guard turned machine gun
on crowd of armed negroes al
Vine and Central avenues after
battle between whites and blacks
in which two negroes were killed.
Four negroes fell under the machine
gun fire. Firing was continuing al
2:3O and it was impossible to tel
how many have been killed oil
wounded. Seven men, all white. are
wounded in local hospitals as the
result Of the trouble at the jail and
subsequent rioting.
Lieutenant Magney and Private
Henderson, both of the machine
gun company, Fourth Tennessee
national guard. were killed at 1910
a. nj. 1t is said both were slain BY
mistake by bullets from their own
command.
All hardware stores and pawn
shops have bee looted to secure
arms.
Five motor trucks loaded with
members of the mob left Knoxville
with the announced purpose of 60
ing to Chattanooga. to which city
the negro had been taken before the
crowd began gathering about the
jail
Series of Fights
In series of fights between depu-
ty sheriffs, police officers and
militiamen and members of the mob
in the jail corridors and outside the
building, several men were wounded.
Several national guardsmen were
beaten, but not seriously hurt. One
man was carried away by friends
unconscious.
Most of the window glass in the
Jail was shot out; one front win
dow and the main door were bat
tered in and all other exposed VIM
dows we're broken.
Early in the evening it became
apparent that the deputies and po-
licemen on duty at the jail would
be unable to cope with the situation
and cali was sent for troops from
the Fourth Tennessee National
Guard. which is holding its encamp-
ment here Two squads were rushed
to the jail in a motortruck. The
disorder reached its height with
their arrival and missiles of all
kinds were hurled, while fst-hghts
were numerous and promiseuous
shooting outside the Jail began. The
guardsmen were soon strengthened
by the arrival of full company and
it became possible then to clear the
Jail corridors and the yard.
Killed in Her Room.
Mrs. Lindsey was shot to death
in her home as she was preparing to
leap from a window. Her niece.
who was sleeping with her, was
threatened by the same negro. The
two women were alone in the
house.
Mayes. who had been arrested 10
days ago for prowling about
house occupied by another white
family, was taken into custody in
connection with the murder an hour
after the crime was committed. He
denied his guilt. but fearing posi-
BILE violence, Sheriff Gate took
Mayes to Chattanooga later in the
day.
Ready for Mob Coming.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Aug. 81
When informed that five motor
trucks filled with men had left Knox
vile for this city to obtain the negro,
Maurice F. Mayes, who is held in
the couty Jail here. Sheriff Bess,
after calculating the number of men
in the five trucks, remarked: "All
right; let 'em come. | have got
rootu for that ,,,,pv -, ;,;fo