The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-29

The riot centered about the new
county courthouse building, which
was set ON fire in the efforts 10
reach William Brown. negro.
charged with attacking a white
girl few days ago.
With Hie flames mounting
steadily from floor to floor, sheriff
Nike Clark and his deputies
fought grim battle of hours to
suve Brown from those who clam
ored for his life, but at IL o'clock,
with the cries of the 100 or more
prisoners ON the top fIoor--the Jail
fioor---ringing in his ears he WINS
compelled to surrender the negro,
VIII. was hustled to an electric
light pole and hanged.
GUN STORE LOOTED
The mob spirit began to mani
fest itself during the afternoon,
hut ii was not until gun store
had been looted that the sheriff
considered the situation serious.
He swore in extra deputies and
also brought in some police in uni
form. determined that the law
should take its course despite the
ntrocity of the crime charged
against the negro.
BY dark the streets in the vicin-
ity of the courthouse were blocked
for several squares. Chief of Po-
lice Eberstein mounted box and
attempted to address the crowd.
but was unable to make himself
heard, and only with difficulty
made his own escape. 1t was at
this time that the mob began
bronx win IN tho
house and shortly afterwards the
cry of ''Fire'' was heard.
Firemcn were already on the
ground. but members OF the mob,
upon whom they had turned
streams of water. had cut the
hose and 1T was useless. Other
Sire companies brought more hose.
but it was similarly rendered use
less.
POLICE HELPLESS
Meanwhile the progress of the
flames could TO an extent be
judged by the smoke curling
from windows. Every available
policeman was ON the scene by
o'clock, but they were impOtent i'm
the bands of the thousands ar
rayed against them, and troops at
Fort Omaha and Fort Crook were
appealed for. At IL o'clock, how
ever. the lynching was over and
the crowd beginning TO dispense
before the soldiers entraincd for
the city. For hours 1t was not
known whether Sheriff Clarke ana
the prisoners were alive or dead.
There WAS no way to get word in
or out of the building. Some
faces. supposed to be those of dep
uties. could occasionally he dis
cerned through the Obscuring
smoke at the WINDOWS and from
time to time the cries of the jail
prisoners. now Imprisoned as well
by flame and smoke. could he
heard above the shouts and cries
of the mob.
sheriff Clark rs believed to have
surrendered brown only when the
threat of death to his deputies be-
came too menacing. With the dis
persal of the mob after the lynch
ing firemen were able to get water
on the flames. which, 1t Svas re-
ported, were checked at the fourth
floor. one story below the jail. :
The original members of the MO
we're augmented by hundreds of other.
apparently equally determined t
ynch Brown They yelled for thei
prisoners and attempted to get int
he courthouse. The few police OF
icers who had arrived were able t
leep them from breaking in the door
or only short while. A negro OF
icer was among those to report fo
luty at the courthouse. put his pres
,nce only angered the crowd He wa
he first victim of violence, bein
,adlv beaten.
The sheriff then coupled up thrs