The funeral of Robert P. Prager, German alien enemy, lynched at Collinsville last Friday morning by
a mob for alleged seditious utterances, was held at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon from the
undertaking rooms of William Schumacher, 2002 South Twelfth street, following information from
the German Government that it would guarantee the funeral expenses. The services were held under
the auspices of the Harmonie Lodge of the I.O.O.F., of which Prager was a member.
A large American flag was spread over the casket, which was covered by flowers sent by unknown
persons. As Rev. W.S. Simon, pastor of the Jesus Evangelical Church, spoke a few words at the beir
of the dead man, there was scarcely a dry eye in the room, which was filled to overflowing, although
no known relative was among their number. The body was taken to St. Matthew's Cemetery, where
it was interred.
While the funeral was being held in St. Louis, a coroner's inquest was being conducted at Collinsville
into the death of Prager with a view to fixing the blame for his death upon members of the mob.
Nearly a dozen witnesses were examined during the day.
Joseph Riegel, 28 years old, an honorably discharged soldier of the United States Army, who is now
living in Collinsville, Ill., testifying before the inquest, is alleged to have admitted that he was the
leader of the mob that lynched Prager and related detailed incidents of the affair.
Riegel said he was in a saloon at 10:15 o'clock, when an officer entered and told the saloon keeper to
close the place. Riegel left and went to Main and Center streets, where he came across a crowd of
angry people in a heated discussion of the "German spy held in the City Jail." He said someone in the
crowd shouted "Let's get him."
At this proposal Riegel led the mob which marched to the City Jail where he says the mayor came to
the steps urging the mob to disperse delcaring the man the mob was hunting was gone.
Albert Kneedler, 19, a newphew of a former Collinsville mayor, testified at the inquest yesterday that
he first saw Prager when he was being taken through the streets by a mob, with a flag wrapped about
his head and shoulders. He said he followed the mob to the tree, witnessed the hanging, but did not
participate in it.
Earl Bitzer was another witness to testify yesterday. The rope with which Prager was hanged is
supposed to have been taken from a garage owned by his father.
a mob for alleged seditious utterances, was held at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon from the
undertaking rooms of William Schumacher, 2002 South Twelfth street, following information from
the German Government that it would guarantee the funeral expenses. The services were held under
the auspices of the Harmonie Lodge of the I.O.O.F., of which Prager was a member.
A large American flag was spread over the casket, which was covered by flowers sent by unknown
persons. As Rev. W.S. Simon, pastor of the Jesus Evangelical Church, spoke a few words at the beir
of the dead man, there was scarcely a dry eye in the room, which was filled to overflowing, although
no known relative was among their number. The body was taken to St. Matthew's Cemetery, where
it was interred.
While the funeral was being held in St. Louis, a coroner's inquest was being conducted at Collinsville
into the death of Prager with a view to fixing the blame for his death upon members of the mob.
Nearly a dozen witnesses were examined during the day.
Joseph Riegel, 28 years old, an honorably discharged soldier of the United States Army, who is now
living in Collinsville, Ill., testifying before the inquest, is alleged to have admitted that he was the
leader of the mob that lynched Prager and related detailed incidents of the affair.
Riegel said he was in a saloon at 10:15 o'clock, when an officer entered and told the saloon keeper to
close the place. Riegel left and went to Main and Center streets, where he came across a crowd of
angry people in a heated discussion of the "German spy held in the City Jail." He said someone in the
crowd shouted "Let's get him."
At this proposal Riegel led the mob which marched to the City Jail where he says the mayor came to
the steps urging the mob to disperse delcaring the man the mob was hunting was gone.
Albert Kneedler, 19, a newphew of a former Collinsville mayor, testified at the inquest yesterday that
he first saw Prager when he was being taken through the streets by a mob, with a flag wrapped about
his head and shoulders. He said he followed the mob to the tree, witnessed the hanging, but did not
participate in it.
Earl Bitzer was another witness to testify yesterday. The rope with which Prager was hanged is
supposed to have been taken from a garage owned by his father.
| From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 11, 1918 LYNCHED MAN IS INTERRED IN U.S. FLAG ST LOUIS Flowers Sent by Unknown Persons are Placed on Casket of Robert P. Prager. FORMER SOLDIER SAYS HE LED MOB Obsequies held in St. Louis and Inquest is Begun by Coroner at Collinsville. |
| Chicago Daily Tribune. April 5, 1918 EXTRA - ILLINOISAN LYNCHED FOR DISLOYALTY Collinsville, Ill. - April 5, 2 a.m. [By the Associated Press.] - Robert P. Praeger, said to be of German parentage, was hanged to a tree one mile south of the city limits here after midnight by a mob of 350 persons. The mob dragged Praeger from the basement of city hall, here he had been hiding. Praeger was accused on making disloyal remarks in a speech he made recently to miners in Maryville, Ill. Forced to Kiss the Flag Praeger early in the night was taken in hand by members of the local loyalist committee and forced to parade barefooted through the streets kissing the American flag at intervals. The police rescued him and took him to the city hall for safekeeping. Later in the night a crowd gathered in front of the hall and demanded Praeger be surrendered to them. Mayor Siegel appeared on the steps and counseled calmness, but the demands increased and the police then took Praeger to the basement, where he was concealed beneath a pile of tiling. Led with Rope on Neck When the demonstrants discovered the man was not to be delivered to them they rushed past a corden of officers and after a short search dragged Praeger from hiding. Barefooted he was led through the streets at the end of a rope and later was hanged. One of the mob is said to have shouted to the police as the party and prisoner passed down the street: "In the morning you will find the body hanging to one of the telegraph poles on the Rock road." The local police issued a statement late last night in which they said Praeger denied that he was disloyal. He admitted he was born in Germany but that he had his first naturalization papers and intended to become an American citizen. Collinsville is a city of 4,000 population twenty miles east of St. Louis. |
Collinsville
Courthouse
Courthouse
