The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-31

Many Are Beaten After Mob
0verpoWers Firemen
and Police.

31.-Following an al night riot
in which a crowd Of 5000 per-
sons stormed q meeting Of 500
klansmen, and defied police and
firemen to disperse them, quiet
was restored this morning when
the last of the klansmen left the
city under police guard.
During the nights rioting many
persons were injured, none seri-
ously. Heads were cracked as
the angry citizens charged upon
the klan's meeting hall, resisting
the efforts Of police with tear
bombs, night sticks and revolvers,
and streams Of water played from
fire hoses to dispense them.
Many KIansmen Beaten.
The rioting was the worst attend
ing any meeting Of the khan In this
section. As the crowd stor1ned the
hall there was q stampede Of kIans-
men in all directions. Some Of the
sheeted knights Jared i'll when they
fell into the hands OF the angry
citizens. They were badly beaten
when rescued by police and State
constabulary summoned to the
scene.
| Other klansmen could not make
GH. IL. l.aH1N 400
knights in the hall at daybreak, he.
sieged by q dwindling crowd OF at.
| hackers. As police saw the ranks OF
the besiegers being thinned with
the coming OF day, they urged the
klansmen still in the building to
flee.
Police Communicated . big COW
cred auto truck and while they
stood guard some Of the knights
were hustled into the vehicls.
Others fled in groups Of twos and
threes through q rear door under
police guard.
AS the truck sped away q shower
OF bricks and stones were hurled at
it. At the county bridge, leading
into South Amhoy, another anti-klan
crowd swarmed about the vehicle,
but police on the running board
beat them off and the vehicle
reached a zone Of safety.
Police arrested three men charg'
ing them with carrying concealed
weapons.
| Rioting Worst Known.
The rioting was the worst New
Jersey has experienced.
The police fought with clubs until
they were outnumbered and over
whelmed. Then they resorted ia
tear gas bombs, which they tossed
into the midst of the surging ms IS
OF Khan enemies. The mob met both
attacks with stones, and the whole
city fire department was summoned
to back up the police.
| The firemen, $50 strong, turned
every stream they could into the at
lacking forces, but the bolder mem
bers Of the mob, advancing under q
barrage of stones from their corr
rades, slashed every hose line with
axes and knives, and the last lille
Of defense for the Klansmen gave
way.
Mob Holds Sway.
| For a time the mob held the city
helpless in its grip, while heavy re
Inducements of the State cohstabu
larry were being rushed from the
nearest stations In response to ar
emergency call to Trenton, capital
Of the State.
During that period the mob mem
bers dealt severely with the hooded
knights, forcing them to flee In con
fusion from Odd Fellows hall, where
they had gathered. driving them or
the run through the streets, kicking
stoning and beating them.
Some Klansmen Show Fight.
The great majority Of the Klans
men stood not on the order Of the
going. Some, cornered, or unwill'
ing to join their fellows in fleeing
to safety. showed fight. Many
such had their white shrouds and
much of the rest Of their clothing
rescued by policemen only after
storming forces likewise suffered
some casualties. particularly in
their earlier encounter with the
police, but they greatly outnun.
| bered the members Of the secret
order and came off victorious.
The wide dispersal of the fleeing
Klansmen served to separate the
elements of the mob, and thus a
pitched battle was averted, at least
| for the time being. But some
| klansmen as they ran shouted
threats to come back 10000
strong. Perth Amboy men, deter
mined that the Khan shall not rule
In their city, hurled back defia mt
threats to meet the invaders "2O, 900
strong"
Police In Readiness.
Chief Of Police Neil Tonneau. fear.
ing that both sides would reorsanize
and clash in q riot of more serious
consequences, held every man Of his
| force on duty, while the firemen
were modified in their engine houses
| awaiting a second call to back up
the police, and hurry calls were sent
to the State constabulary to lose not
second in reaching the city.
For several days prominently dis.
played placards had advertised the
ku Klux Khan meeting, which was
to take place last night in Odd
Fellows Hall. Members of the 40.
ciety began to assemble at the hall
before o'clock. They put on their
robes and masks inside and beran
their ceremonies.
Steel Plant Cute Aoure