The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-10-08
MOB LAW IN ILLINOIS.
A Prisoner In the bloomington jail Shoots
and Kills Jailer Franks and is summnrily
Hanged by n Mob.
Especial 20 the Chicago Tribune.l
RIoouINGToN nj Oct L


BLOOMINGTON, H., Oct. L
About $3.50 this evening three discharges
of revolver following each other in rapid
succession were heard in the County Jail.
Then the people on the street began to cry;
"Police police!" and run toward the Jail
building at the corner OF Center and Market
Streets. Immediately rumor prevailed
that prisoners had obtained pistols, had
killed the Sheriff and Jalcr, and were maxi
ing their escape. The fact was q prisoner
named Charles Pierce, horse-thcf,
HAD MURDERED TEDDY FRANKS,
the County Jailer Franks, while changing
the prisoner, Pierce alias Hewlett, from one
cell to another, was murdered in cold blood
by Pierce, who seized the JaiIer's revolver
from Franks's hip pocket, shooting him
three times and killing him instantly. The
third ball, large one, went clear through
the body.
Within few moments after this tragedy
had occurred, large number OF people had
gathered at the north door OF the Jail within
which the body Of Teddy Franks was lying
stark in death Wa king among the people,
you could hear men say: "This is too bad
This comes from the failure Of our courts to
punish crime. He ough: to be hung"
"Don't stir up mob - law and order
man would say. "Let the law take its
course"
"The law be - was the reply.
"There is no law against murder and other
crime in Mclean County. He ought to be
hanged"
Cheers followed this, and other voices
cried: "Take him out"
a rush was made, and the work of breaking
into the Jail was commenced.
For two hours the mob worked at the Jail
with six sedge- hammers and battering-
rams made of great pieces Of timber.
Sheriff Alor and his deputies and the city
police soon ascertained that they could do
nothing to restrain the reckless men and
boys who composed the assauting crowd.
Fully 5000 persons were in the bowling,
yelling multitude. The officers did what
they could to delay the mobs progress.
Several prominent citizens, including
Senator Fifer and others, attempted to get
the ear Of the excited men who were batter
ing the Jail wall down, but in vain. At last
the mob gained admttsnce to the jail, Sc
cured the murderer Of Franks, took him TO
tree on Market Street, near the northeast
corner Of Centre and Market, put rope
around his neck, threw one end across a
branch, and
PULLED THE CULPRIT UP.
One OF the mob climbed up the tree and out
upon the branch to which the murderer was
hanging, and, amid the cheers of the de-
lighted people, pulled the hanging body up
three or four feet and let it drop.
II, la.
cry. The man on the branch would comply
with the request and let the body drop with
dull thud. while the savage crowd would
cheer and laugh. The knot had slipped be-
hind the head of the corpse, and the head
was thrown forward. The eyes stared and
the pale face turned from side to side, a
spectacle which the maddened crowd
seemed to enjoy. 1t cbeered and yelled, and
shouted: "There's law for you'll" g. the
courts |" was cried here and there.
At last the man on the branch caught the
rope, slipped down it, threw his legs around
the neck of the corpse, and jumped to the
ground. The crowd seemed to be delighted
by this feat. 1t cheered, and yelled, and
shouted.
When the lynching was imminent the fol-
lowing dispatches were exchanged.
To Coz. Cultom, Sprinqfeld-Our Jailer was
murdered by a prisoner in Jail tonight An
immense mob is now tearing down the jail to
kill the murderer and probably Patsy DeYine.
! The Sheriff is pOwcrless.
HAMILTON, Lieutenant Governor.
| SPRINGFIELD, oct. Ito the Hon. John NJ
HGmitOn-Tcll the Sheriff to call out the mill
tary company there, If necessary to protect
! lite and property.
s. NJ. CULLOM, Governor
SPRINGFIELD, oct. !. To the Hon. j. ". Ham
| hone Sheriff abiding
citizens will prevent any mob violence. Tel
SIN. CULLoM, Governor
BLOOMINGTON, Oct. Ito Cor. s. NJ Culiom
! The mob broke into the Jail and got the
| murderer OF the Jailer and hung him to Il tree
near the jail The mob did not attempt to
| lynch Devine. The mob is now dispensing,
! and quiet is being restored No other persons
! hurt. The murder was dastardly and the eX-
element is intense. The militia can not be
| assembled. JOHN NJ HAMILTON,
Lieutenant Governor.
! While the work of breaking the Jail was
| going on the greatest excitement prevailed.
| The Sheriff and his Deputies and several Of
| the police force stood in the doors and
! pleaded for peace, and ordered and fought
| the angry crowd, thirsting for the blood Of
! the man who killed the man they all dearly
| loved. The banging Of the battering ram,
the blows of the heavy AK, the clamor Of the
sledge- hammers and the click OF the ham
mer- chisel on the iron doors rang out with
doleful and exciting sound. The yells and
screams Of
THE EXCITED MOB
| drowned down the shouts OF the officers, and
the thousands of people in the rear of
| the aSsailants cheercd continuously.
! There were a great many women in thi,
vast crowd, who plodded with HE rest
through the muddy streets and joined in the
cheering, and occasionally handkerchiefs in
women's hands would 1utter above the