Evening star., 1921-04-21
AMERICANS BEATEN
| BY POTSDAM MOB
Chicagoan and Wife, Mistak-
| .en for French, Rescued
by the Police.
By the Associated Press.


BERLIN. April 2O.-James f. Tobin-
son and his wife. residents of Chi
cago, were attacked by crowd of
German men, women and children
Tuesday as they sat on the terrace
Of Sans Souci Park, following the
funeral of former Empress Augusta
Victoria
The Americans We're rescued by
security policeman and two German
civilians, who locked arms and sur
rounded them, accepting a pelting of
sticks, stones and umbrellas in de-
fense of the coupe until they were
able to escort them to the police sta
ton in POtsdam. Here a patrol of
extra policemen was summoned and
dispersed the crowd.
During the attack the policemen
and the two German civilians were
unable to quiet the crowd, members
of which were shouting, Foreign
ers,' French people, Nor could
they entirely shield the Americans.
Mr.. TobinSon was beaten about the
head and shoulders. and his wife re-
ceived bruised nose, also her hat
was torn from her head, her hair
was pulled. and she was struck on
her arms and body by umbrellas.
AbsoIved From Blame.
Potsdam police headquarters. in its
report concerning the case said:
The Americans were not to blame,
and they desire that there be no fur
ther mention of the affair.
"rrhe mob said Mr.. Tobinson to-
day. was melted by an old woman,
who thought We We're French. The
crowd attacked US and chased us
from Sans Souci Park to Potsdam.
ii Is my oDinion that We would have
, been killed except for one policeman
and tWo%sierman civIijans. me po-
lice, however. did all that was pos
Sible. l cannot complain of their
conduct and desire to make no rep
Presentations to the German govern
ment"
Mrs. johnson who is a graduate
. of a college in Valparaiso, Ind, which
her husband. a civil engineer, also
attended. said:
in Sans Souci Park, speaking Eng
lIsh. here were three women ST.
ting in the same seat. The one near
and declared We were French. They
began abusing foreigners. l could
not understand what they said. but L
realized that the women We're very
angry.
stones Begin to Fly.
"a crowd gathered. Among it was
a number of children. To the chill
s.ren the old woman declared We
had spoken in French words deroga-
tory to the former empress. Neither
of us understands French. One of
the old woman's companions tried to
explain that We had not spoken at
all about the dead. former empress
but that we were discussing the
beauty of the park and regretting We
had no films tor our camera
The crowd. however. drew nearer,
shouting that we were French, and
the chI,uren began to throw stones l
was SO frightened L thought L was
choking. The crowd struck my hus-
band with canes and umbrellas. He
tried to protect meas we ran. and
then two civilians and the policeman
came to our aid. There were several
hundred persons following US before
we reached the police station.
Mr. Tobinson. who said he resided
at 274S West Washburn avenue, Chi
cago, when questioned at the police
station, declared he and his wife
were born in Russia. Mrs. Tobinson,
he asserted, is the daughter of Ameri-
can parents but that he is a natural
lied citizen. He said he could speak
neither Russian nor French. He has
been in China for Thomas w. Sim
mons & Co, but now is In business
for himself.
Tobinson in an automobile to Wansee
Id put them on a train bound for
Berlin. The Americans were greatly
suaIed by the notice taken of them
by the crowds in the train and stop
ped off at the first station and took
"a Iater.train for Wiesbaden.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tobinson have been
married for five months. They have
visited China, Japan and Italy, and
Mr. Tobinson also has made trip
40 Siberia.