Nearly Lynched a Chinaman
| Newspaper: | Evening star |
|---|---|
| Publication Date: | Thu, Mar 27, 1890 |
| Published at: | Washington, District of Columbia |
| Page Number: | 5 |
Article Transcript
CHICAGO, March 27.—Wee Lee, who keeps a laundry in the basement of 214 West Chicago avenue, narrowly escaped lynching last night at the hands of an infuriated mob of Polanders.
About 8 o’clock last evening three young Polish girls named May Wagner, Maggie Polzynski and Julia Schmitt were passing the Mongolian’s laundry when he beckoned them to come in.
The girls went down the stairway and as soon as they entered the basement Wee Lee grabbed the Wagner girl by the arms and dragged her into a back room. There he assaulted her. He threatened her companions with death if they made an outcry.
They ran out of the laundry, however, screaming lustily, and notified a police officer near at hand. The West Chicago avenue patrol wagon was called and when it arrived a crowd of 200 excited Poles were attacking the windows and doors of the laundry with clubs and stones.
It was all that the five policemen could do to keep back the mob. The heathen was taken to the station with great difficulty. The Wagner girl is but fourteen years old and very small for her age.