Publication information

Source:
Sunday News
Source type: newspaper
Document type: article
Document title: “Mob Violence in Chicago”
Author(s): anonymous
City of publication: Charleston, South Carolina
Date of publication: 15 September 1901
Volume number: none
Issue number: none
Pagination: 2

 
Citation
“Mob Violence in Chicago.” Sunday News 15 Sept. 1901: p. 2.
 
Transcription
full text
 
Keywords
lawlessness (mob rule: Chicago, IL); anarchism (public response); Francis O’Neill (public statements).
 
Named persons
Emma Goldman; Martin Mullens; Francis O’Neill; John L. Whitman.
 
Document


Mob Violence in Chicago

 

An Attempt to Storm the Jail and Lynch the Anarchists.

     Chicago, September 14.—Prompt action on the part of the police of the Chicago station to-night thwarted the scheme of a crowd of men who had planned to break into the county jail and take the Anarchists confined there and lynch them.
     Jailor Whitman was informed early in the evening from detective headquarters that a crowd of five hundred men intended storming the jail and lynching the Anarchists. Acting on this information, he held all of his day force and day guards there and took extra precautions concerning the doors. About 11 o’clock a crowd of one hundred men marched from State and Illinois streets to Dearborn avenue, where the jail is located crying: “Break down the jail!” “Take the Anarchists out and lynch them!” and “Hanging is too good for them!” The leaders were stopped at Illinois street and Dearborn avenue by Officer Martin Mullens, who commanded them to disperse. Just then other officers arrived and dispersed the crowd.

EMMA GOLDMAN SAFE.

     “Emma Goldman is still at Harrison street police station,” said Chief of Police O’Neill when his attention was directed to a story that she had been spirited away for fear of mob violence. “There is no occasion for alarm and there is no reason for her removal from her present quarters.”
     Early this morning about one hundred men started for the women’s annex of Harrison street station, loudly threatening to lynch Miss Goldman. They has waited in front of the bulletin board until all hope was gone, and then started out to execute vengeance. After proceeding a few blocks, however, cooler heads in the crowd succeeded in checking the excitement, and somewhat later the crowd dispersed.
     At 12.30 o’clock Chief of Police O’Neill issued an order to all police inspectors that all reserve officers should be held on duty in citizens’ clothing and all gatherings in the neighborhood of the county jail should be broken up at once.