The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-29
OMAHA'S MAYOR,
VICTIM OF MOB,
EXPECTED TOLNE

defending two negroes charged with as
saults on white women. The police
assert that fact had much to do with
some of the remarks which were made
by members of the mob who had hand
an the attempt against his life.
The fire started in the courthouse
left that structure 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 II Is believed many have been
destroyed beyond reclamation. Stats
tics, vital to county affairs since the
county was organized, are believed to
be badly damaged
For several hours the lives OF more
than 100 prisoners in the county Jail
were endangered by the flames in the
finally necessary to send them all to
the roof Sheriff Clark stood off the
angry mob until the flames caused the
prisoners themselves to take action,
They at first decided among themselves
to throw the negro from the roof to
the destruction of the mob. 1t was at
this moment that the mob that had
gained entrance to the burning build
ing pushed past Sheriff Clark and his
deputies and forced their way into the
cell corridor. Here 1t was that the ne
gro was turned over to them.
Throwing a rope around his neck,
these men, numbering about so, dragged
him to tho ground floor, down Sitting
stairways and through binding smoke
to tho street When they appeared
at the Harvey street entrance to the
courthouse they were greeted by a
bowling mob of thousands
he was strung up to the light pole, Two
bullets were fired into his body as he
was dragged through the crowd He
was never heard to utter a word and he
was not given an opportunity to speak
before being stretched full length be-
fore tho gaze Of thousands.
Body Is Mutilated.
Browns body was mutilated beyond
recognition. Riddled by a. thousand
bullets, 1t was first placed over a fire
of tarred fagots. 1t was not permitted
to remain there long, however, and was
soon being dragged through the streets
bers Of the mob. This spectacle did not
end until late in the morning hours,
when what remained of the torso was
hung to a trolley pole at one Of the
most important downtown intersections.
The arrival of the federal troops caused
a dispersal Of the mob,
The destruction of the courthouse
came as result of lack of police pro-
lection for the firemen when they at
tempted to run hose lines. Many of
the firemen, however, entered the
| building and assisted in the work OF
quieting the prisoners, some OF whom
had become frantic,
Officers threw their clubs, guns and
badges of authority to the wind and
quit the Job cold. This was especially
| true OF many OF the younger men, who
hove come into the service under the
present administration.
Sheriff Clark today told the story OF
how Brown finally came into the pos
session Of the mob.
"The deputy sheriffs had orders K
hold Brown, and they did all in thei
power to do so" said Clark. "Wher
| the flames and cmoke crowded us of
the fourth floor, Commissioner Ringer
| police officers started for the freigh
elevator, The last men into the eleva
| tor were Mayor Smith, Commissioner
Ringer and Chief Eberstein.
THE women prisoners were scream
| ing at the top of their voices. We tool
Is women prisoners and released then
rather than have them burn In theil
cells. They escaped from the build
| Later we took the male prisoners gu
| OF their cells when it became too no
there and led them to the roof Of thu
building. They were ic-stricken
i The negro prisoners seized Brown anC
| tried TO push him over the cornice int
| the crowd below, but white prisoners
and deputy sheriffs restrained them.
Negroes Take Action.
II was on my way up stairway t.
| the roof when mass of bodies tumblet
down over my head and sprawled OIL
| the floor beneath me. The negro pris
| oners had bolted by me with Brown il