Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-04-27
CROWD FORMS OUTSIDE
CHURCH To WAIT FOR
REV. SIMMONS
TRIES TO PREACH.
SPONSOR OF ANTECATHOLlC AD
DRESS MANHANDLEO AFTER
LEAVING EVIDENCE - BEARS
SCRATCH OVER EYE WHERE
BLOW WAS STRUCK.


LA Sale, H., April %. lSprCialD
Famed to white heat by the az
tempted return to his former pulpit
Of Rev, w. r. simmons uustcd la
Sale Baptist preacher, smouderins
sentiment against the preacher broke
out anew last night and resulted in
the clcrgyman's being roughly han
died by a crowd estimated at frum
two to three hundred iratc persons.
The attack on Rev Simmons. which
occurred in front Of the Baptist
church. whittier he had gone 10 de.
liver sermon, was the elimination
Of a growing sentiment against hun
since the night Of March . (. when Ell
NJ. Erickson, a sclIstylrd cNmoHe,
delivered a lecture in which ho 8r.
raigucd the Roman Catholic church,
its priests and members OF the sisto"
hoods.
Pastor Struck by One Man.
Last nights affair. according to the
police was participated in by a crowd
that filled the sidewalk i'm front of the
church where it waited the exodus
of Rev Simmons from the cdidce. A
lew friends who had remained loyal
to the minister were in an automobile
which was held In readiness to rush
him to place Of safety in event IN
attempt was made to do him bodily
harm,
Some one i'm the thrOng reached for
the clergyman. Others Joined I'm tn"
demonstration. and before Rev. Sim
mons could be shot into the waiting
car he was badly iostIcd Some wit
man. and as evidence of the treat
mont is said to carry deep scratch
over his left eve where glauciug
blow left its mark on his face
While the excitement was at its
peak the friends Of Rev simmons
managed to ret him into the ear and
It lrapcd from the curb and raced
madlv from the scene The minister
was hurried over to Peru. where he
called at the police station and de-
mandCd protection from purSuers in
other cars. who are said to have fol-
lowed him in his fight across the two
towns. The Peru police offered him
shelter until the excitement had died
down ana he could find a better place
for concealment
Jeers and Kisses.
As the automobile sped away icers
and hisScs arose from the crowds lin
ing the walk near the church and
there were cries of Get him." but be-
vond the one or two autos that took
IN the pursuit few attempted to follow
the .rctreatipg machine carrying the
pastor and his friends.
Was Ousted by Church.
Rev simmons return to La Sale,
after a several weeks absence from
the citv did not become generally
known until earlier in the week. Then
word was sent ont that the preacher
intended to occunv his old uulpit,
from which ne had been DISCHARGED by
tbo church trustees. last night Be
cause of feeling against him as a re-.
sult or his admission that he sub
ecribed ia all the alleged ex-monk said
of the Catholic church it did not take
long for crowd to form to make a
demonstration against his return t.
tho citv from which he fed shortly
after Erickson's appcarance in ia
sale Rev simmons up to about a
wnnl, ago staynd away from La Sale
hut is said 70 have come back about q
wack apo to mack M his household
goods in prcnaration for leaving {.
toln anothnr charge
In cXnlaining his reasons for bring
ing Erickson to lecture in La Sale
Rev simmons said he wanted q gir