The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-09-07
Mob Faces Tear Gas, Night Sticks and Fire Hose in
Assault Perth Amboy Hall
LAWLESS CROWD STORMS KHAN
xxx

|
Perth Amboy, N. j., Aug. 30.-A
crowd of 5000 persons broke up a
meeting of the Ku Klux Klan in ODD
Fellows hall tonight, rs policemen
and $50 firemen being unable to drive
back the throng that stormed the
building. The mob was so completely
foreign that odors of garlic and stale
fish filed the air for blacks in the
vicininty of the lawless, anti-Klan
heathens.
Firemen drove trucks into the mass
of people, but Of no avail.
A hurry call was sent for State
police in Trenton.
Patrolmen fired shots in the air,
threw gas bombs and swung their
night sticks, while the firemen turned
| streams of water on the fighting
throng.
The leaders of the mob were
knocked down by patrolmen when
they first started to advance toward
the hall, but after they had been car
ried away another attack was started
This time stones were thrown and all
windows in the Odd Fellows hall, as
well as many others in nearby build
ings were broken.
Hurl Tear Bombs in Vain -
Police Chief Tonneson then ordered
his men to throw tear gas bombs,
and 13 of these, the towns entire
supply, was exploded. The crowd fell
back, but advanced again, hurting
more stones. It was then that riot
cali was sound and $50 fremen dash
ed to the scene.
After the firemen had run their ap-
paratus directly at the surging mass
of humanity and had failed to dis
perse the crowd they attached base
lines to every available hydrant and
drenched the rioters with several
streams of water. Daunted for a
few seconds the crowd fell back. Sew
eral of the more sturdy, however,
braved the water and cut the base
lines with axes and knives while
those in the crowd threw stones at
the firemen.
Klansmen Assailed
Chief Tonneson, in the meantime,
had ordered the Klasmen to leave the
building. Clambering out of win
dows, down fire escapes and through
every available exit, they were met
by their assailants and many hand
to-hand fights ensued.
AS one man darted from the crowd
some one shouted, ''That man has a
gum" To save the Klansmen a
patrolman grabbed him, showed him
into an automobile and rushed him
to the police station. Other cars
loaded with mobbers followed, but
the Klansman was rushed through
the and hid him in a stable at the
rear. After searching the station,
those who had followed returned to
the scene of the fight.
As some of the Klansmen broke
away from the fighting mass they
shouted, "We're, coming back-10,0 600
strong" Call right" came the ans
wer, "we'll be waiting for YOU"
Meeting Widely Advertised
The Klan meeting had been widely
advertised, notices having been post
ed in Perth Amboy and vicinity for
the past few days that it would be
held. Chief Tonneson took some pre-
caution against possible trouble as
the result of somewhat lesser dis
turbance that occurred at a Klan
meeting several months ago. He
stationed uniformed patrolmen and
plain clothesmen on the inside of the
ball ad at several other points in the
vicinity. ..... NJ
The Klansmen gathered soon after
8 o'clock, donned their robes and be-
gan their ceremonies. Soon little
groups began to form in front of the
building, the number being augment
ed until it was estimated that at
least 5000 persons were in the
crowd. Men in the front ranks de-
manded admittance to hall and when
they were refused, the fight began.
Chief Tonneson declared, after
quiet had been restored, that he knew
the investigators of the mob action
and promised the arrest of prominent
local men.
Perth Amboy, N. j., August 31.-
Battling between the Ku Klux Klans-
men and mobs was resumed on the
streets of Perth Amboy this morning
as members Of the order tried to es-
cape from Odd Fellows hall, where
they had sought refuge during an>at-