The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-10-02
MAI. GEN. WOOD IN
COMMAND AT OMAHA
Eight Hundred Regulars and
Officers on Riot Duty.
CITY QUIET AFTER LYNcHING
Condition of Mayor Smith, Who Was
Attacked by Mob, Gradually I'M
proVing-Physician Says Elk
ecutive VIII Recover

from Forts Omaha and Crook, Neb.,
and Camp Dodge, Ia, on riot duty,
along with several hundred special Off
GERS organized by the American Lee
gion to help preserve order, officials
were confident there would be no fur
Their outbreak of the race rioting which
resulted in the death of two persons,
injuries to several score of others, an
attempt to lynch Mayor Ed Z. Smith
and the partial wrecklng by fire of
the county courthouse.
In addition to these forces II Off
GERS and 250 men from Camp Funston,
Kan, and 20 officers and $50 troops
from Camp Grant, ILL.,, arrived here to-
day. Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, COM
mander of the central department of
the army, reached the city and took
charge of military operations.
Machine Guns Ready.
There are plenty of arms and am
munition TO supply the troops, some
of whom have machine guns for use
In the event the necessity should arise
A heavy downpour of rain had the
effect of keeping people off the
streets.
Today judges of the district court
here will decide whether grand jury
Investigation of the race rioting shall
be conducted. At the same time Gov.
Samuel Il. McKelvis is to be in the
city to give any advice he may deem
necessary to the situation.
The condition of Mayor Smith, in
jured by the mob when it attempted
to lynch him, was gradually improv-
ing, according to his physician, DIR. e.
g. Henry. Doctor Henry said there
was no doubt but what the mayor
would recover.
Order Is Restored in Omaha.
The city was quiet following the
rioting which resulted in the injury
to the mayor the lynching of William
Brown negro, accused of recently
attacking Miss Agnes Lobeck, white
girl; the death of one white man, the
injury to several score Of whites and
negroes and the partial destruction of
the new S1.50O,O00 county courthouse
which was set on fire by members of
the mob.
With federal troops patrolling both
the negro and downtown sections of
the city it was believed that the au-
thorities would be able to prevent any
possible fresh disorders, which Logan
when a mob set out to lynch Brown.
The troops were ordered to the city
from Forts Omaha and Crook.
Announces Rioting Is over.
"Rioting In the streets of Omaha
has been suppressed and the situation
is In hand" said proclamation issued
here by Lieut.-Col. Jacob w. S. Wuest,
commanding officer of Fort Omaha,
appealing to all citizens to surrender
firearms and ammunition to the chief
of police, or TO the nearest military
headquarters.
The disorders had their beginning
at o'clock in the afternoon. when
body of friends of the girl alleged to
have been attacked gathered at a
schoolhouse and began to march to
the courthouse where Brown was held
prisoner.
Girls Companion is Leader.
The police were unable to stop the
march to the county building, and as
the day wore on the crowd grew larg-
er in size. In the crowd at the school
was Willard Hoffman, companion of
Miss Lobeck on the night she was at
tucked. Once at the county building
the mob began its efforts to "get the
negro"
Police were rushed to the scene, but
were unable to quiet the crowd. Sew
eral negro policemen were handled
roughly, and members of the mob
gained entrance to the building, de-
spite efforts of police and deputy sher-
ifs to defend the place. Hundreds of
shots were exchanged between officers
and members of the mob with casual
ties on both sides.
Some of the members of the mob
10 the building set 1t on fire. All avail
able firemen were called out, but the
lines of hose were cut by the mob. As
the fire ragged members of the mob
worked their way to the top floor
where more than 100 prisoners, includ-
ing the negro sought by the mob, were
held.
For several hours the lives of the
prisoners had been In danger. and Il
finally was necessary to take them to
the roof of the building. After the me-
gro was In the hands of the mob
however. iremen were permitted to
fight the blaze, which finally was ex-
tinguished. but not until the building
had been Quilted with loss estimated
at $500.0O0.
Wood Calls More Troops.
Camp Grant ILL.,, Sept. 30.-Armed
with machine guns and with extra am
munition for riot duty II officers and
500 Camp Grant troops commanded by
Maj r. X. Stone, which had been or
dered 10 Omaha. left the camp. On or
ders received from General Wood the
number of soldiers for police duty at
Omaha was increased from 300, first
ordered. TO 500 shortly after noon.