The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-17
RACE RIOTlNG FLARES UP


HIVE huVtHtV y AufiLO VI
tContinueo frSm Para One)
kins and Col NJ. r. MacLean, as
sistant adjutant general. on the tele-
phone MacLean explained that the
only available militiamen were at Kan
sas City. Kan, or Wichita, as an lola
company. recently organized, was not
yet ready for service
Hopkins suggested calling American
Legion veterans in that vicinity for
help.
Lieutenant Ball soon had eighty vet
Grams of independence well armed with
shotsuns and rifles. A call was then
Seventy veterans came from that town
by motor cars and before morning, $50
legionnaires were on guard.
Man Hunt the Cause.
!! Murder of Wharton yesterday morn
ing was the torch which caused the
riots to flare up. He was shot down
by d negro with a shotgun. The black
escaped. And a man hunt was on.
Before night, nearly a thousand armed
men had participated in the drive
for the murderer.
During the day. five negroes had
been arrested in connection with the
i Wharton killing and four of them re-
leased; Noble Green, negro. was held;
as Ralph Mitchell, who had chased
Wharton's murderer, Thought" he was
the man.
When members of the posse learned
that Green had been partially ideati-
fled, that he had been found at home
| in bed with his clothes on, that the
shotgun with which Wharton had been
killed had been found and that shells
of the same brand had been discoy-
! cred in Green'ss home. a 1ynching
seemed almost certain.
| Only a plea by Mitchell to the
a
/ to storm the Jail, that he was mot
sure" Green was the man, and a prom
Use that officials would not spirit the
prisoner away, prevented Judge Lynch
/ Mitchell promised that if the mob
would wait until morning when he
would make a second attempt to
identify. the prisoner. that he would
help lynch him." if he was the right
man.
Insists He's Innocent.
Green continued to insist today that
| he did not kill Wharton. Officials
| however, reported finding in his pos
J session half plug of tobacco of a
brand of which box had just beer
opened in the Wharton store before
the owner was killed.
/ Green also was found to have paid
day and to have paid other debts
| about town.
Authorities predicted Green would
be tried at an early date.
Ralph Mitchell, a baker, today post
lively identified Nobel Green, held in
the city Jail here. as the negro he saw
flee from the store of r. r. Wharton
white, who was shot down yesterday
by a robber.
Officials Fear Trouble.
When word of the Identification
| went out. officials were fearful thai
a spark would be ignited which woult
result in an attempt to lynch Green
| Mitchell saved the negro from a mol
of about one thousand last nigh
which gathered about the Jail by urg
ing them to wait until he had an ep.
portunity today to view the prisoner
| Green today was placed with a shot
gun in his arm, cap pulled down ovel
his eyes. to face the witness of the
robbery. Mitchell stepped into thu
corridor. looked intently at the Negro
and said to officers:
That's the man."
! At a conference of city Officials II
was decided to permit Mitchell to see
the prisoner as he had promised tbs
/ mob last night Mitchell today re.
He said he had heard threats agains
his life. Purchase of arms was shu
off yesterday by order of city authori
ties
MIS-. w marion, WIDOW OF the SIAN
merchant. said she hoped no further
| trouble would occur but wanted the
F, slayer of her husband punished.
Negro Leader Arrested.
A negro appeared in front of the
city hall this morning nd claimed hi
was a federal officer from Topeka
Just as he remarked that he was go
ing to his room to obtain a revolver
American Legioners who are patroll-
/ ing the city placed him under arrest
Green is held in a cell on the TOP
| floor of the city hall. Only one stair
i way leads to him. The condition OF
! all the wounded was reported favor
able this morning and 1t was expected
they would recover.
Chief of Police Hall displayed bull
let hole in the rim of his hat this
morning He was fired on early to-
l-day by an unknown assailant.
Finger prints of Green were taken
this morning and they will be COM
pared with impressions left on the
| cash register in Wharton's store. A
l.wallet belonging to the slain merchant
was found today near the home OF
| Green. Green was found last night
at home in bed with his clothes on.