On August 30, 1917 a violent mob of 1,000 held a night rally in front of the armory. They were protesting the attempt by the pacifist People's Council of America to hold a conference in Hudson's prizefighting arena. The crowd then went after the four wiktorganizers in the lobby of their hotel and threatened to hang them. Only after the pleadings of county attorney N. O. Varnum were the four allowed to leave town.