Editing Staunton, Illinois (section)

====1918 Staunton Riot====
Beginning on February 12, 1918, Staunton experienced two days of mob vigilantism and rioting that gained attention nationwide. Two men were [[tarred and feathered]], with scores of others forced to kiss the American flag and sign [[loyalty oath|loyalty pledges]].<ref>''War-Time Prosecutions and Mob Violence,'' published by the National Civil Liberties Bureau, 1919.</ref> The demonstration was initiated by members of the [[United Mine Workers]], Local Union 755, who decided to "Americanize" the city through vigilante tactics.<ref name="Labor, Loyalty 2005">''Labor, Loyalty, and Rebellion: Southwestern Illinois Coal Miners & World War I''. Carl R. Weinberg, 2005.</ref>
  
The riot began at 9 p.m. at a meeting of Local Union 755 at Labor Temple, where a $100 donation was being ratified to help defend Severino Oberdan from a previous charge of seditious talk that violated the [[Espionage Act of 1917|Espionage Act]].<ref name="Labor, Loyalty 2005"/><ref>"Mob Goes After I.W.W." ''East St. Louis Daily National Live Stock Reporter,'' Feb. 13, 1918.</ref><ref name="Homes 1918">"Drag Pro-Germans from Homes; Force Kissing of American Flag, in Illinois" ''New Castle News'', Feb.13, 1918.</ref> Oberdan's lawyer, John L. Metzen, had been summoned from Chicago by telegram to attend, but after being barred entrance went to his hotel. After Oberdan was accused of being an organizer for the [[Industrial Workers of the World]], a fight broke out, with twenty members of a newly deputized police force (the "American Vigilantes") charging the hall and handcuffing Oberdan.<ref name="Homes 1918"/> Metzen was seized from the hotel lobby, and he was clubbed by police before being marched down a dark street where he was stripped and a bucket of tar poured over his head. Both men were driven to the outskirts of Staunton where they were pointed in opposite directions and told not to return.<ref name="Slacker 1918">"Slacker's Lawyer Gets a Coat of Tar and Feathers," ''[[Freeport, Illinois|Freeport]] Journal-Standard'', Feb. 14, 1918.</ref>

Working under the direction of the [[American Protective League]],<ref>"Tar and Feathers for the Alleged Preachers of Disloyalty," ''[[Mansfield, Ohio|Mansfield]] News'', Feb. 13, 1918.</ref> the mob of men and women was reported to be as large as 400 persons, many of whom began storming homes of suspected pro-Germans and IWW supporters. They were dragged from their homes to a stand where, under threat of being tarred, they were forced to kiss the American flag and sign a pledge of loyalty. These actions were continued into the early morning and resumed the next day. More than 100 homes were visited, including that of former County Clerk William C. Seehausen, who was forced to kiss the flag next to a boiling pot of tar. Brothers Harry and John Mlekush were socialists who had flown the red flag from their home, but were forced to replace it with a U.S. flag and sing "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]".<ref name="Excitement 1918">"Staunton Sees Another Night of Excitement," ''Centralia Evening Sentinel'', Feb. 14, 1918.</ref>

The police did nothing to stop the attacks, claiming citizens were exercising their patriotic duty during a special emergency.<ref name="Excitement 1918"/> Chief of Police Benjamin G. Volentine stated, "No official report of a disturbance has been made to me. The only report I have received is that there are a lot more Americans in Staunton today than there was yesterday."<ref>"Tar Treatment Makes Patriots," ''Washington Post'', Feb. 14, 1918.</ref> Nine alleged "pro-Germans" were arrested on February 13.<ref name="Homes 1918"/>

Metzen claimed he had walked naked for three hours before being helped by some farmers who gave him clothing. When he returned to Chicago the [[Chicago Bar Association]] moved that he be disbarred for unprofessional conduct.<ref name="Slacker 1918"/> Oberdan made it to [[Worden, Illinois]], where he was treated by a physician.<ref>"Tar and Feathers Taken Back Home", ''[[Washington, Indiana|Washington]] Democrat'', Feb. 15, 1918.</ref> Two months later U.S. Marshal Vincent Y. Dallman reported 82 "German alien enemies" living in Staunton.<ref>''[[Arlington Heights, Illinois|Arlington Heights]] Cook County Herald'', Apr. 12, 1918.</ref> In May the Staunton Vigilance Corps of the State Council of Defense posted signs that demanded that only English be spoken in public.<ref>"Get Notice to Speak English," ''Burlington Gazette'', May 17, 1918.</ref> The German language was also dropped from the curriculum at Zion.

The area press gave enthusiastic support to the actions. The ''Staunton Star-Times'' announced that "the members of Local Union 755 [were] to be heartily congratulated on what they accomplished." Other district papers not only supported them but implied that such actions were required elsewhere in the area. The ''Mt. Olive Herald'' congratulated the vigilantes and issued a warning: "To Staunton belongs the honor of being first in the county in a real loyalty demonstration...In the future, anyone with pro-German tendencies will do well to keep their mouths shut." ''The Gillespie News'' commended the citizens and explained that while "we are not believers in mob violence...under the existing circumstances we are for it, and every man who took part in the Staunton demonstration should be given a medal." The ''Chicago Tribune'' commended the crowd for its "zealous Americanism".{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} The governor of Illinois, [[Frank Orren Lowden]], also supported what the local union did. "The people in Staunton who took the ‘Pros to a cleaning are not mobs...They were the best citizens that can be found in the great state of ours."{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}