New Ulm review., 1920-09-01
ASSAULT SEVENTY
YEAR OLD FARMER
DRUNKEN HOODLUMS AT SAINT
JAMES ATTACK MEETING
OF LEACUERS.
HURL MISSILES AND DAMAGE
FARMERS AUTOS. MAYOR
DEPLORES AFFAIR.

st. James seems to have definitely
joined the group of towns where no
farmer is safe unless accompanied by
an armed body-guard, judging from
the disgusting exhibition at that place
last Monday night, when a crowd of
several hundred youths, some of them
said to be under the influence of liquor,
attempted to break up meeting OF
Nonpartisan farmers who had gathered
there from every township of the
county to discuss matters connected
with their organization.
The meeting had been called earlier
IN the week by written invitations
which were sent to some of the most
active League farmers in the different
parts OF the county. 1t was strictly
private and no non-members were
admitted. During the progress of
the meeting some pupils of Herman
Halslet editor of the rabid St. James
independently, learned it was in pro-
gress and about 10 o'clock about 40
or 30 of them had gathered outside of
the sample room Of the Boston hotel,
where the meeting was being held;
and commenced to shout through the
windows at the assembled farmers.
Vile eplhts and slurring remarks were
passed freely, until the farmers closed
the windows and proceeded with their
evenings affairs.
Get Fire Hose Out.
As the windows were being closed,
someone shouted "get the fire hose
and drown them out" A group of the
mob went to the fire hall and helped
themselves to several lengths of hose,
together with hydrant wrenches and,
IN a short time had a stream of water
going. Before the water could be
thrown on the door and windows of
the sample room, however, Mr.. Learn,
proprietor of the hotel, appeared on
the scene, and at the point of re-
volver held the crowd at bay. For
time it appeared as though they would
rush him in spite of the weapon, but
a number of the local business men
came to his assistance and as a result
the crowd, which by this time had
grown to immense proportions, con-
tented itself with shouting insults at
the assembly.
The meeting disposed of the business
bo of
Mr.. Learn, marched out in a body and
entered the rear door Of the hotel.
The frebrands in the crowd, however,
when they saw their prey slipping out
of their reach, ran around to the front
of the hotel, blocking the porch and
front street, waiting to attack the
farmers when they came out. Others
watched the alley entrance.
While passing out of the sample
room and later on the street quite a
number of missiles were thrown, in
Guiding sulphur candles, and these
would have blinded one if they struck
the eyes. few cases were reported
where tobacco juice was spit on the
clothing of the farmers while passing
through the crowd, in an attempt to
spoil clothes and show the contempt
that these particular people had for
Watonwan county farmers.
Vandais Get Busy.
Gottfried Miller, and two friends
n ia1I fou L. n
out through the crowd which at once
started making insulting remarks to
them, but they kept right on to where
their car was parked in the center of the
street, and without saying a word got
in and started the motor. The
moment the brake was released the
crowd gave push to the car and nearly
wrecked it on the curbing. There
upon some member of the crowd stole
the cap off the gasoline tank in the
rear while others ripped off one of the
rear top rests, tore the top and ripped
off his number plate. Two boys ap-
peared with a board which they
secretly inserted between the spokes
of the rear wheel so that when the car
started up the wheel would be smashed
but this was discovered in the nick OF
time. After holding the car and killing
the engine several times, Mr.. Miller
was able to get out Of the crowd, but
not before one Of the cowardly hood
lums had reached into the rear seat and
struck one of his companions blow in
the face.