The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-04-02
BLOOD
And Thunder-A Nocturnal At
tempt to Force the County jan.

A ripple Of excitement ran over the city
this morning a. . rumor gained currency
that an armed mob attempted to 60 through
the Jail At the early hour of two o'clock
this morning. It was told upon the streets
that the pavement and cutters around the
Court House were covered With blood, and
that there were unmistakable signs of q
most sanguinary conflict. The accounts, ~
they we're repeated from mouth to mouth.
were Of tine most startling nature, and .
great many hsirs stood upon end At the
bloody recitals. A Blade commissioners
visited the Jail this morning in company
With crOSd Of curious people, and OBJ
tanned the following facts from the iailor,
Ed Disbrov.
He SAYS that at about two o'clock this
morning be heard parties on the stairs Lead
ing to the jail. lie got up and went to the
door, when he discovered number Of men
without, some Of whom had masks on their
faces. Upon demanding "who comes
there?" was answered. 1.-THE Sheriff Of
wabaunsee county with a horse thief"
Disbrow replied, "That's too thin. know
the Sheriff, and do not see him." where.
upon the party who was represented 20
" the horse thief" quickly drew q revolver
and fred at Di.brow. Disbrow WAS at this
time lesa than SIX feet from his midnight
callers. and seizing q revolver fred at the
crowd, but unfortunately did not hit any
one. He fred ten or twelve shots 1t the
crowd As it was scrambling up the narrow
stairway, but he only shot the wall and
stairs full Of holes. He then shot seven or
eight times at the resreating mob through
the windows Of the jailoris room. He claims
to have shot about eighteen times, but
he has no game to show for II. The
blood spoken OF consisted of three small
drops that bear positive evidence Of hav-
ing been there for week or more. There may
be no question a to parties calling at that
unreasonable hour, bat person getting up
out Of deep sleep to meet pistols in the
dark, with the light Of q dark lantern
thrown into his sanded eyes, is apt to see
more inside Of his head than outside.
There may have been ten or fifteen men
there. but they would have to be crowded
pretty thick in the narrow stairway, and
the only thing against this idea il the
fact that ten Of dozen shots we're fired
into the crowd without effect. There were
u.arks, supposed to have been made BY bull
lets, o.. the iron door. fred to all appear
ances from the outside while the door Vas
shut, but the marks we're all too high for
the jailor's head. The general opinion
amooy the prisoners il that there we're from
fifteen to eighteen reports Of firearms. and
none to exceed the latter number. There
are several theories advanced concerning
the affair. II is supposed BY some that the
party were lynchers and had come after the
man True. This is strengthened some. by the
fact that stranger had called at the Jail
yesterday. and while visiting the cells
made special inquiry for True. Others
think that they were members OF the
Shawnee County Protective Association, or
Vigilance Committee, and were going to
make short work Of the horse thieves lately
put in. Others that they were Texas fel-
lows came for the purpose OF relieving
Mcdonald still others Who feel it in their
bones, that it was . put up Job on Ed.
Disbrow. There is no way Of exploding
any Of these theories. II the men were
after any one, the probabilities are, that
they were after True. As the one Who
fred the 6rstshot corresponded in description
to the stranger Who inquired for True the
day before. The third theory Ia improbable,
because there is scarcely any doubt Of
McDonald's acquistal. The last proposition
IL strengthened somewhat BY the fact that
the shots were fired too high to mean
business.
The raiders went west on Fourth street
and have not been heard Of, - no pursuit
vas made. The streets seemed to have
been deserted ~ the shooting failed to
arouse the night patrol until after the fun
had subsidized. A other Developments are
expected, comment IL out of place at this
time.-Topeka Blade.