Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1918 — 16 MEN ARE INDICTED [ARTICLE]

16 MEN ARE INDICTED

RESIDENTS OF COLLINSVILLE, ILL., FACE LYNCHING CHARGE. Accused of Hanging Robert P. Prager on April s—Five Under Arrest and Others Are Sought. Edwardsville, 111., April 26.—Sixteen residents of Collinsville, 111., are under indictment for the lynching of Robert P. Prager in that city during the early morning hours of April 5. Twelve must answer charges of murder, and four policemen will be tried for omission of duty and malfeasance In office. The grand jury made its report in the Madison circuit court at Edwardsville. The five already held for murder are:, Joseph Rigel, an honorably discharged United States soldier; Richard Dukes, Jr., whose brother died In France; William Brorkinelr and Enid Elmore, local miners, aud Wesley Beaver, an fyotel porter. The police officers under indictment are: Martin Ftitchek, Fred Frost, Harry Stephens and John Tobnick. They are liable to a fine of not more than SIO,OOO and removal from office. Rigel has already confessed to having led the mob that marched Prager to the outskirts of Collinsville and hanged him to a tree after he had protested his loyalty.