twenty members of a newly deputized police force (the "American Vigilantes") charging the hall and handcuffing Oberdan. 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. Working under the direction of the American Protective League, 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". The police did nothing to stop the attacks, claiming citizens were exercising their patriotic duty during a special emergency. 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." Nine alleged "pro-Germans" were arrested on February 13. 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. Oberdan made it to Worden, Illinois, where he was treated by a physician. Two months later U.S. Marshal Vincent Y. Dallman reported 82 "German alien enemies" living in Staunton. In May the Staunton Vigilance Corps of the State Council of Defense posted signs that demanded that only English be spoken in public. 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