r
1
Inn
Ak-Sar-Ben Dates,
Electrical Parade
Wednesday, October 1
Auto Floral Parade
Thursday, October 2.
Coronation Ball
Friday, October 3
Con. T. Kennedy shows every
afternoon and vaning.
X
OUR ARTISTIC ROTOGRAVURE PICTURE SECTION MAKES THE SUNDAY BEE UNIQUE.
The Omaha
Da
Bee
VOL. 49 NO. 89.
CHn4 u mm-Iu tttr May a, IM. t
Oatha K 0. ndtr act at kUreb 3, 1171.
OMAHA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1919.
By Mll (I iw). Dtllit. WW: Unity. I2.M:
Dally mi ., M-M; hWM Nk. MtH Mtn.
TWO CENTS.
M : i
rHERt
THE WEA"
Showers and warmer Tuesday;
Wednesday partly cloudy.
, rtourly tmprratnri
10
11
M
....SO 1
....-to t
....80 1
....49 4
,... 5
.v. .50
....' i 1
...61 S
. ..VJ
..XI
. .35
. .5
..ST
. .7
..M
RIOTERS
WILL FACE
CHARG
AK-SAR-BEN WILL
SHOW PARADES
AS ADVERTISED
ES
Sunday Rioting Will Not Inter
fere With Carnival of Fun
Ordered by Samson.
ATTENDANCE FIGURES.
Vk"
r
County 'Attorney Shotwell De
clares He Will Prosecute
Participants in Lynching
Denies Alleged Interviews.
DISTRICT JUDGES MAY
SUMMON GRAND JURY
1919. 1918 ;
Wednesday 6,316 5.884 ; -
Thursday 9.7 IS 7,567 j
Friday 9,534 8,016 I C
Saturday 16,058 20,501
Monday 2,340 3,651 ,
2G Men Arrested Since Riot
for Carrying Concealed
Weapons and Investigation.
Nine of Them Negroes.
County Attorney Shotwell de
clared yesterday ''that every instru
ment of the law will be used to bring
to justice the men who participated
in setting fire to the court house and
lynching the negro Sunday night.
District Judge Kedick said he will
' call a-meeting of the seven district
court judges within a few daysto
consider the calling of a special
grand jury to take action against
those implicated. A large amount
of information is already on hand
with the names of many participants
in the reign of terror of Sunday
n'ght.
Want Brute- Punished.
"We officials have the same feel
ings as other meij," said the county
attorney. "We are just as anxious
to ' prosecute brutes who assault
women, as -any other men are.
"The negro who was lynched
would have been prosecuted to the
limit of the law, and in the ordinary
.processes of the law would have
been more severely punished than
' his death punished him.
"There is not a single instance
, on record in this county where a
man convicted of rape failed to get
a heavy sentence, and not a single
. instance where a man convicted of
rape was paroled,
i Denies Interviews
"Interviews purporting to coinc
from me have been published in
some papers which were ridiculous.
One stated that after the police
judge bound prisoners over to the
district court, the county attorney
failed to file complaints. " That is
ridiculous, because the binding of a
prisoner over to the district court
is in itself a complaint and must be
prosecuted. '
"Another alleged interview repre-
scnted me as saying hearings on
such cases would be secret. This,
too, was absurd, because under the
Jaw all trials must be public.
"While I am county attorney T
assure you such cases as these will
be prosecuted with all the power at
my command." ,
28 Men Arrested
Twenty-eight men have been ar
rested since the riot for carrying
concealed weapons and for in
vestigation. Nine are negroes and
had pockets full of ammunition, po
lice say. . Bond for each was set at
$25. -
.. Those arrested were: D. Smith,
(CoHtinatd on Tgt Two, Column One.)
Omaha is going to prove itself
equal to the emergency by continu
ing the silver anniversary of Ak-Sar-Ben
with that spirit which gave
birth to the expression, "Business as
usual."
Paraphrasing that expression, it
might be said, "Ak-Sar-Ben as
usual," as J. D. (Dad) Weaver of
the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben re
marked yesterday afternoon.
Tomorrow is the date for the elec
trical pageant, which will be the 25th
successive annual event of the kind
held under the auspices of Omaha's
i great organization, whicn now has
a membership of 5,000 live-wire men
! of the metropolis.
Will Hold Pageant.
' A description of the 18 splendid
i floats appeared in The Dee last
Sunday. Those who have had the
privilege of viewing these floats at
the Den on North Twentieth street
have no hesitancy in. saving that the
! pageant this year will be a marvel
of the craftsmanship which has been
a factor in making Ak-Sar-Ben fa
I mous throughout the land.
' "Famous Love Stories" is the
! theme upon which Gus Renze, chief
I artificer, and his crew have been
i working for several months in their
i wonder workshop. More than 600
men will occompany the floats,
which will be illuminated by 10,000
lights worked into their designs, in
addition to myriad of lights with
which the downtown district will be
emblazoned. '"? '
Soldiers Will Aid.
The officials of Ak-Sar-Ben em
phasize again the automobile floral
parade which will be shown Thurs
day afternoon, 2 o'clock. The elec
trical parade will move promptly at
8 tomorrow night. Ten bands of
music will appear with the electri
cal parade and eight with the auto
mobile parade.
Incidentally, Omaha will have as
guests, under circumstances not ex
pected a few days ago, quite a
gathering of soldiery from Camp
Dodge, Grant and Furiston. They
are not here on an errand of pleas
ure, but they will be in evidence dur
ing the hours of the parades.
Carnival Grounds Open.
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, com
manding the Centra! department,
United States army, also will be in
Omaha. The original plan was to
have him here Wednesday night as
a guest of honor, but information re
ceived yesterday indicates that he
will be here today.
The King's highway continues to
be the mecca of pleasure seekers,
who are enjoying the entertainment
bill of fare offered by the Con T.
Kennedy carnival shows. The carni
cal grounds are open every day, 1
to 11.
GOVERNOR
TO PROBE
LYNCHING
by Attorney General, Comes
to Omaha to Investigate
Riots and Their Causes.
mm
S :
Douglas County Court House as It Looked
Morning After Siege By Howling Mob
BUSINESS MEN, MEET
TO DISCUSS PLANS
COLLEGE YELL
GREETS MERCIER
AT PRINCETON
Phone Girls Remain
. On Duly Doing Bit
to Suppress Rioting
Accorded Greater Ovation by
Students Than Any Hero
of the Gridiron.
'. During the excitement, rioting
and destruction which ran rampant
in Omaha Sunday night and all day
Monday, there was one body of
girls, unheralded, unapplauded, and
overworked, who remained at their
tasks with never a break, serving
the public in a period o stress, one
of the worst in the history of
Omaha.
The operators employed by the
Nebraska . Telephone Co.. sitting
quietly at their boards, answering
hundreds of emergency calls made
by unthinking seekers after informa
tion, performed a service the value
of which cannot be overestimated.
Many of the girls were forced, by
the ' unusual number of calls, to
remain in their chairs for 14 or 18
'hours. All of them were called
back to overtime work Monday, and
are still on the alert, subject to call
at any moment.
" The people of Omaha can never
properly express their gratitude to
these girls for the no less than
noble . attempts to do their bit in
the face of the swarming hoards of
frenzied populace which placed de
mands far beyond reason upon their
shoulders, with never a thought of
thankfulness or consideration.
Princeton, Sept. 29. A mightier
yell than ever greeted any victorious
hero of the gridiron echoed over
Princeton when Cardinal Mercier of
Belgium was welcomed with the fa
mous "Siss! boom! ah, tiger, tiger,"
from hundreds of students' throats
as he rose in Alexander hall to re
ceive the degree of Doctor of Laws.
The ovation lasted several minutes.
The special train which brought
the cardinal and his suite from Phil
adelphia was met at the station by
Presid'.-nt Hibben and members of
the faculty.
The prelate was escorted to Alex
ander hall, where President Hibben
delivered an address of welcome.
The president compared the dis
tinguished visitor to St. Augustine,
"'pleading not for mercy, but for
justice." He declared the Belgian
primate belonged not merely to his
own church, but to churchmen the
world over.
In reply, Cardinal Mercier said
that he came not as a member of
the clergy, but as an individual, "as
the representative of the people of
Belgium to express our thanks and
appreciation to your university for
your acts of kindness shown us dur
tng the conflict"
Police and Sheriff Increase
For ces Regular Army
Troops Patrol Streets and
Break Up All Crowds.
Governor McKelvie and Attorney
General Davis arrived in Omaha at
3:40 o'clock this morning to start
an investigation of the riots and the
causes leading up to it.
Reports from Lincoln say the gov
ernor and the attorney general will
attempt to determine the source of
the blame for the lack of action on
the part of Omaha authorities that
might have averted the riots.
' Representatives of the business
organizations of Omaha took
prompt action yesterday to . set
the - community right in the eyes
of the public regarding the lynchr
ing. A meeting was held in the
city hall attended - by representa
tives of (the Omaha Chamber of
Commerce, the Knights of Ak-SarT
Ben and other business men. At its
adjournment, the meeting author- j
ized the following statement:
The disorder of Sunday night does
not represent the spirit of the peo
ple of Omaha. Prompt action has
been taken by the public authori
ties, supported bv the law-abiding
people of Omaha, to prevent further
outbreak.
Police Force Increased.
1. The city authorities ' have
been authorized to add from 300
to 500 more to the police force.
Further additions will be made as
occasion may require.
2. The sheriff has been instruct
ed to appoint special deputies to
remain in charge of the court house
and guard the public property there.
3. In response to a call from the
civil authorities in Omaha and in
the state of Nebraska, General
Leonard Wood has instructed Col
onel Wuest to have the streets of
Omaha patrolled by regular troops
of the United States army. Full
protection will be afforded to all
persons threatened with disorder
and no further attacks or outbreaks
of any kind will be permitted. Arms
carried by private citizens must be
surrendered. No crowds will be
permitted to congregate where dis
orders may arise.
4. Those persons who took part
in the mob violence last night are
in the eyes of the law guilty of
murder. Civil government will be
immediately restored in the city of
Omaha and all criminal participants
in the mob will be promptly prose
cuted. EVERETT BUCKINGHAM,
FRANCIS A. BROGAN,
RANDALL K. BROWN,
HOWARD H. BALDRIGE,
TYLER BELT.
J. E. DAVIDSON. 1
S. S. CALDWELL, ..
L. C. NASH,
JOHN W. GAMBLE.
GEORGE BRANDEIS.
Committee.
Legion Members Volunteer.
, The executive committee of the
legion issued the following state
ment: " .
"Whereas. The basic purpose of
the American Legion is to uphold
and defend the constitution of the
United States of America, and to
maintain law and order, and
"Whereas, An emergency exists in
the city of Omaha, today,
"Therefore, The Douglas county
post of - the American Legion,
hereby pledges itself, to the restitu
tion and maintenance of law and
order in the city of Omaha, and calls
upon its members, individually, to
volunteer immediately, to act as spe
cial deputies, in support of the
legally constituted authorities of the
city, in the carrying out of this
pledge.
"EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE."
More than 400 members of the
American Legion gathered in the
council chamber of the city hall early
in the evening and remained all
night, ready to respond to any call.
Formed, Into Platoons.
The men were formed into 10 in
fantry platoons, one medical, one
machine gun, and one home guard
platoon. Each platoon was made up
(fontlnard on r Two. Column Two.)
Tho abov photo (hows the fire destruction on first and second floors. In the' foreground at the right,
the telephone pole from which the negro, Brown, was hanged is shown. - ' r
TWO NEGROES
SHOT DOWN BY
MASKED MOB
Taken from County Officials
Near Montgomery, Ala.,
and Riddled With
Bullets.
WILSON NOT TO
WORK OR WORRY;
V BEGINS VACATION
Visit of Belgian King and
Queen Will be Postponed
Until He Is Better.
MAYOR RECOVERING
PROM RIOT INJURIES;
RAIN SCATTERS MOBS
Observation Balloon and Powerful Searchlights Aid
Troops in Guarding Black Belts and Scene of I
Lynching Trench Helmets Worn by Riot Squads
Manning Machine Guns Mounted on High-Powered
Auto Trucks Military Zones Maintained by
Army Forces at Nightfall.
Montgomery, Ala'., Sept. 29. Two
negroes, Miles Phifer and Robert
Cr6sky, the latter a discharged sol
dier, were taken from county offi
cials about five miles from Mont
gomery and shot to death by a mob
of about 25 masked men. Both ne
groes were charged with having as
saulted white women.
, The two negroes were being taken
to the state prison at Wetumpka
for. safe keeping when the mob held
up the automobile carrying them.
The mob forced the county officials
to surrender their arms, led the ne
groes into a wood and opened fire on
them with, shotguns and pistols.
The negroes were in the custody
of three deputy sheriffs when the
mob blocked the road and demanded
that the prisoners be turned over
to it.
Realize Resistance Useless.
Realizing that resistance was use
less, the deputies gave up their arms
and the negroes. Leaving one of
their number to guard the officers
the members of the mob took the
negroes into the wood, released them
and told them to run.
Completely frightened the negroes
made little effort to get away and
were only a few yards distant when
the mob opened fire. Phifer was in
stantly killed, his body being rid
dled with bulle, but Grosky lived
for several hours after he was shot
down.
The negroes had been granted a
preliminary hearing , earlier in the
day and their trials set for Friday.
The mob began organizing soon
after the result of the preliminary
hearing became known arfd because
of the dangers the authorities de
cided to take the prisoners to the
state prison.
Posse of Armed Men Pursues
Negro Who 'Attacked Woman
Merchantville, N. J., Sept. 29.
Headed by Sheriff Lippincott of
Burlington county, a posse of more
than 100 armed men surrounded a
swamp near Hainesport in an effort
to capture a negro who is alleged
to have made an attack upon Mrs.
Mary Notsey of this town. Threats
of violence were made by some
members of the posse, but the au
thorities declare they are able to
protect the fugitive should he be
caught, and that law and order must
be preserved. ...
In a statement. Mayor Sonnett
said: "There will be no lynching.
If the prisoner, when caught, at
tempts to escape, however, he will
be immediately shot." -
AH the roads and bridges in the
vicinity were guarded by farmers
armed with shotguns. A powerful
searchlight was played continuously
over the swamp.--
Washington, Sept. 29. Under an
absolute' prohibition against work or
worry, President Wilson began the
vacation which has been prescribed
as the cure for his attack of nervous
exhaustion. ,
After another troubled night he
slept from early ' morning until
toward noon, and in the afternoon
was taken for an hour's automobile
ride.. The remainder of the day. he
spent quietly secluded in his "room
or talking with members of his
family, his attention being kept
scrupulously away from , executive
business of any form. So thorough
will be the effort to prevent him
from doing any work that he will
not be permitted, for the present, to
see any of the senate leaders in
charge of the fight for ratification of
the peace treaty. White House of
ficials believe it essential that this
subject, which has occupied such a
large place in the president's mind,
be put entirely aside.
Royalty's Visit Postponed.
The visit of King Albert and
Queen Elizabeth of Belgium to the
White House also will be postponed,
it was announced definitely, because
of Mr. Wilson's condition. Instead
of being received by the president
at the end Of the present week, the
king and queen first will make their
tour of the country.
"Slightly Better."
, After a day of rest President Wil
son is described as "slightly better"
in an official bulletin issued tonight
by Dr. Cary Grayson.
The bulletin, which recorded the
first change to be officially noted in
Mr. Wilson's condition since he was
taken ill last Friday, did not give de
tails. King Albert Wires Sympathy.
On Board U. S. Ship George
Washington, Sept. 29. King Albert
of Belgium, on learning of the ill
ness of President Wilson, sent a
wireless message of sympathy to the
president and also requested that he
be kept informed as to his condition.
King Albert, Queen Elizabeth and
Crown Prince Leopold spent a quiet
Sunday, reading, promenading the
decks and receiving informally a few
of their friends.
Monday the George Washington
was favored with perfect weather.
New York Liquor Dealers
Stock Up for Short Spree
New York, Sept. 29. Nc .:ing, it
is said, on one of Broadway's famous
"rumors" that within a week Presi
dent ' Wilson would cast wartime
prohibition into the- discard by pro
claiming demobilization completed,
New York liquor dealers began
"stocking up" for a brief "wet"
period until 'next January. With
huge quantities of bonded whisky
arriving here from Kentucky, restau
rants and saloons began enrolling
bartenders and waiters ' previously
"laid off "
4
SCHWAB PLANT
l? BETHLEHEM
STRIKE CENTER
Union Leaders Say It Is Crip
pled, While Officials
Claim Nearly All Em
ployes at Work.
By The Associated Press.-
Results of the great offensive and
counter-offensive scheduled to usher
in the second week of the steel
strike, by means of which capital
and labor hoped to break the dead
lock developed after the first few
days, remains in doubt
In the Pittsburgh and Chicago
districts, the strategic points on the
industrial front, both sides made de
termined efforts to push forward,
oipe with the hope of resuming full
operation, the other of crippling
more plants. The chjef struggle,
however, was waged for control in
the mills of the Bethlehem Steel
company, whose 40,000 employes
had been commanded by union lead
ers to join the ranks ef the strikers.
Reports Do Not Jibe.
Here are the reports issued from
rival headquarters dealing with the
Bethlehem objective:
"The employes reported to work
this morning in such numbers as to
provide for practically a full opera
tion of all plants," E. G. Grace,
president of the Bethlehem com
pany, said.
"Charles M. Schwab's big plant at
Bethlehem is completely crippled,"
said William Z. Foster, secretary of
the strikers national committee.
Elsewhere results of the day's
economic battle were equally ob
scured by conflicting claims. The in
dependent plant of Jones and Laugh
lin company, in Pittsburgh is "50 per
cent out of action," according to
Foster, but according ' to company
officials, it is little affected. The
Carnegie company and other con
cerns in the crucial Pittsburgh,
salient claimed men were returning
"in goodly numbers" while unionists
heralded failure of the United
States Steel corporation to "stam
pede " their forces. .
Stubbornly Contested. -
From Chicago came reports that
the struggle for control in that cen
ter was being equally, stubbornly
contested, without apparent material
gain for either side.
The Weirton Steel company sus
pended operations at its plant in
Clarksburgh, W. Va., posting notices
that the mills would be-closed .in
definitely for repairs. This shut
down was characterized' by labor
leaders as a lockout.
The threatened "invasion" of
West Virginia by Ohio strikers to
enforce a. walkout in the Weirton
mills did hot develop. Ohio guards
men held mobilized in Steubenville
armories- for possible disturbances
were 'not called into action.
6
Mayor Smith Rapidly
ImprovingfSays He'll
Be Out In Day or Two
Mayor ' Ed P. Smith was im
proving rapidly last night in Ford
hospital. Officials at the hospital
said that he was bright and cheer
ful. He has a large bruise on his
neck, they said.
To a close friend, who was al
lowed to visit him, he remarked,
"I am all right, I'll be out in a
day or two and back to work."
Italian Houses Dissolves.
Rorreir Sept. 29. Parliament has
been dissolved. Elections will be
held November 18 and Parliament
will then reassemble.
Mayor Smith, who narrowly escaped death at the hands
of the frenzied mob which Sunday night lynched Will -Brown,
the negro accused of criminally assaulting Agnes " '
Loeback, 19-year-old white girl, and terrorizing the entire
community, early this morning was reported to be resting
easily at the Ford hospital.
The attending physician announced the serious injuries
sustained by the city's chief executive would not prove fatal.
Col. J.E. Morris of Fort Crook, Neb., has been placed in
complete authority over the soldiers and policemen charged
with maintaining order in the city. Colonel Morris is making
his headquarters at the police station. His orders to the
patrolmen are given through the police captains.
Calm is Restored.
Lieutenant Conklin of Fort Omaha late last night re
ported that he had headed a. squadron of soldiers in making
a canvass of the city. Calm hasten restored, he reported.
Small groups of men show a disposition to congregate -here
and there in anticipation of danger. Lieutenant Conklin
reported. They are easily convinced, ho tvver, there is xur .
occasion for fear and are dismissed to their hbnres57'C2NNir
The heavv rain which visited the .
C'.ty early last night is believed to
have proven a benefit to those who
have undertaken to restore quiet. ;
Specials Are Disarmed.
J Police Commissioner Ringer swore
in 25 special policemen, issued them
badges and furnished them with fire
arms. They were stationed at Twenty-fourth
and Cuming streets, just -on
the edge of the "black belt." ,
When the men began to patrol the
streets, soldiers on guard . in the
district rounded them up in a fire -hall,
disarmed .them and took away
their badges. The badges were re- .
turned.and the men sent home.
Friction, which threatened to re
sult seriously, took place between
twp negro lieutenants and. several
white pedestrians. The difficulty '
was settled, however, by white sol
diers, who put an end to the argu- -'
ment and disarmed the negroes..
Remove Negro Prisoners. -
Twenty-five negroes were taken -from
the Douglas county jail yester- '
day. afternoon and sent to the peni
tentiary at Lincoln for safe keeping.
i hey were accompanied by deputy
shenffis and it was said they would -not
be brought back until it was
certain it would be safe for them to
return. . .. . -
Two of the prisoners were suffer-
ing from gunshot wounds while they
wure on, the roof of the court house,
wners they were forced to flee from
the flames. Their wounds are not "
serious. Two of , these- negroes
were serving jail sentences and 23
were being held for trials. .
The soldiers and police have been
besiegad by mothers and wives look- '
ing for scores of men said to-have
oisappeared since the riot. - Among
those who reported missing hus- -
wnwa! lTS- WiIIiam -Landry.
2213 Howard street. Mr. Landry has -not
been nome since 1 o'clock Mon
day morning. . '
Use Observation Balloon. ' :
; During' the early hours of the -evening
observation balloons at the
a i "4"n scnooi were
raised to an elevation which com
manded a view of the "black belt"
a few miles away, centeri; i,t '
Twenty-fourth and Lake 6
Powerful flashlights were train Ftn
this district, where thousands' of
negroes reside. The negroes .quite
generally observed the recommenda
tions issued during the day by the
military authorities, that they should
remain in their homes after night- .
all. A detachment of soldiers has
been stationed in the Lake street
district with machine guns and other
equipment. Order prevailed through
out the district during the evening.
Legion Members Respond. v
Members of the local chapter of
the American Legion, who respond- j
ed to a call, are quartered in the city
hall, where they have opened a tele
phone exchange. They are well
equipped with a battery of automo- J
biles and are ready to respond in-
stantly to any call. .
A military zone has hrn t
lished- on. four, streets surrounding
the court house, which was the
scene of the lynching and incendi
arism Sunday night. The soldierv
are also stationed in the South SM
district and at central police stRtion.
. company oi soldiers troni Camh 1
(ruotiniml nn I'M Twn. Ooloma Oaa4 j
Boy Killed Leading
Raid on County Jail
Was Lotiis Young, 1 7
The youth who was killed while
leading a charge to the third floor of
the court house Sunday night has
been identified as Louis Young, 17
years old, of 317 North Seventeenth
street.
The body was identified 24 hours
after it had been taken by the Cole
McKay undertaking parlor by Mrs.
May Dressen, the boy's grand
mother. 1
Young is survived by Mrs. Dres
sen and three brothers, Orvil of
Omaha, and George and John, ad
dresses unknown.
Automobile Party
Held Up and Robbed i
by Trio of Youths
Three masked and armed youths
staged a daring holdup at the east
end of the Locust street viaduct at
12:45 this morning, robbing an auto
mobile party on its way to East
Omaha. '
All three of the bandits appeared
to be about years of age.
W. V. Hutt,- 506 South Twenty
first avenue, driver of. the car, lost
$40 in cash and a check for $100 to
the robberst ,
Mrs. E. H. Messereau, 2515 Daven
port street, who, with Hutt, occupied
the front seat of the car, was forced
to hand over a cameo ring and her
wedding ring. When she wept and
pleaded with the holdups to return
her wedding ring one of the youths
pressed a gun to her side and
ordered her to "shut ap."
Lose Rosen, 524 South Seven
teenth street, and Miss E. Ross, 2515
Davenport street, occupied the rear
seat of the car. Rosen lost his'
watch and $30. Miss Ross sur
rendered a diamond ring and $5. .
Police Sergeant Samuelson and a
squad of police instituted a search
of the vicinity within 15 minutes of
the robbery but found no trace of
the bandits.
All Sailings to Great
Britain Are Canceled
Washington, Sept. 29. All sailings
to ports in Great Britain have been
cancelled by th shipping board be
cause of the strike oi railway work-
ers there.
JOL.