The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-06-14
A MOB,S WORK.
They Take n Desperate from the Gascon-
AIDE County Jail and Hang Him to a
Convenient Tree-The Series of Crimes
that Aroused the Ire of the People.


that Aroused the Ire of the People.
Hermann, Mo, June s.
Last Monday evening the report reached
town that during the night body of men
would come to this place to take Whitney,
the murderer of VIM. Burchard out of jail
and hang him. As the Same report had
been spread on several evenings and no
mob had made its appearance, the Sheriff
and a majority of the citizens who heard
of the affair did not believe there was any
danger of any such thing, and quietly
went to bed. Shortly before midnight
persons who we're still up noticed that an
unusual number of persons were passing
through the streets, and especially
up Market street, but as the crowd was
very orderly, not much attention was at
tracted by their proceedings. Arrived at
the Courthouse, the back door was forced
open and a number of men, armed with
heavy sledge-hammers and chisels, entered
the hall and began to batter down the
ponderous locks of the outer jail-doors,
which soon gave way to the fearful blows
that fell upon them. The rivets holding
them to the door were cut and the locks
fell tothe floor, leaving only the cell door be
tween the prisoner and the infuriated mob.
In the meantime Sheriff Boigner had heard
of the attempt to take out the prlsoner,and,
in company with deputy CHeIlI lnbLAbA eiu
er and Oscar Schultz, hastened to the scene
of action When he arrived at the north
| door of the building, and had just entered
the hall, he was seized by a number of men
| blindfolded and taken outside of the build
/ ing. where he was thrown to the ground
/ and held down by his captors. Deputy
| SheTiffs Mumbrauer and Schultz met with
| a similar fate before they could say one.
/ word in remOnStrance. In the pockets OF
| Deputy Sheriff Mumbrauer his captoIs
| found the keys of the Jail, and without any
further waste of time opened the cell in
| which the prisoner was locked up for the
night, and after tying his hands and fas-
| tening rope around his waist, gave word
| to the crowd outside that they had thel
| man. He was then taken out OF the bulld.
| ing and led down stairs on Front street
| The prisoner looked pale, but stepped
| firm and walked along with the men, whc
had hold of him on either side, wlthOu
| their having to urge him to proceed. IL
| was led out Of town, the whole mob ana a
| small number of citizens of our town, who
| had heard of the arrival of the mob, bu'
| seeing their number did not attempt t.
| thwart them in their undertaking, follow
| ing. When they arrived at the small br1dg'
over the Iron road about $50 yards norti
| of the residence of Mr.. Christ FlelSch, tint
men leading the prisoner were met by
number of masked men, who brandIshed
their revolvers and, after taking hold of . ie
| prisoner. UOIu J00 crowd 10 ldIl bdOh5 a
command whichwas at once Obeyed. Whit
ney was then led under the tree by tltl
masked men and the moose placed around
his neck
THE PRISONERS STATEMENT.
On being told by one of the masked mel
that if he had anything to say he shollld
say it now and be in hurry, he replle1
that he did not think he had killed young
Burchard, but if he had he hoped to be for
| given, and felt bad over his death as
perhaps the parents or brothers OF the dead
man, but at the same time he could not say
| that he did not fire the shot which prov ed
fatal He said he shot at them because he
supposed they were going to shoot at him
and his partner, whose right name he salC
was Collier. He then stated thaT iT ms rs feai @
name was not w Whitney, but ). w. FISHER
and that he had a mother and step-father
: living in Chatham Hill, Va. He was then
asked if he had anything more to say, and
said: ''Write to my mother and tell Her
that | am gone, but for Heavens sake dc
; not tell her in what manner l came to my
death"
He was then reminded by the spokesman
of the masked men, tall man dressed IN a
: white gown, with black mask over his
! face that he had but little time left, and
asked if he had anything more to say. Tie
r | replied:
. & want to live as long as / am permitted
! to. 1 am ready and hope to meet you all IL
Heaven, where hope to go. Good-by for
ever"
= The unfortunate man was then lifted NJ
F., by some of the masked men, while Others
g made the end of the rope fast around the
: trunk of the tree, and Whitney, or Fisher
3 as he called himself, was left dangling be
8 tween heaven and earth.
+ WHY WHITNEY WAS LYNCHED.
g Whitney and his pal, Davis, were a pail
g of desperadoes who started about three
/ weeks ago on a raid through the counties
: of Crawford, Maries and Gasconade. They
. teTrorized defenseless women and pillage(
stores and residences as they progressed
. Even a village blacksmith was robbed of
a. hard earned dollars. Visiting TIT
I residence of Mr.. William Collier IN Gas
g conade County, while that gentleman wa
, away from home, the desperadoes com
PEELED his wife to prepare them mast,
meal On their departure they carrlet
away several valuable articles, including
one of the farmers best saddles. Learn
ing of their actions, Mr.. Collier immediate
! " started in pursuit, having taken the pre-
u caution to arm himself with a Well-IOade
a double-barrelled shotgun. By that tim
Is residents throughout the county had becom
r excited over reports of robbery and plIlag
p that were credited to Whitney and DAVIS
70 With little trouble the pair were tracked I
al Bein. in Gasconade County. They weI
a found at the general store OF Burcnard
y Vieman, where they were negotiating fo
: the purpose of purchasing a pair of boots
= = preparatory to rifiing the establishment
i" They had been there but short time whe
n Messrs. Collier and Burchard, the latter
e son of p. w. Burchard, approached u
id store together. Collier had his gun on n
4 shoulder, but young Burchard was u
proach and opened fire through windo
N as soon as the gentlemen came with
~ range. Whitney and his accomPh'
= fred several shots, the first strikir
70 Burchard in the wrist, the secor
tS entering his left shoulder, and the thil
n piercing his head, causing insta
IL death. Collier also received a ball IN b
a. shoulder, but recovering from his surprls
Of Ieveled his gun and fired, hitting Davis
r the head, killing him instantly. The plucl
r. gentlemen then directed his fire upf
IN Whitney, one of his arms receiving the ~ ~
'N charge of shot. His wound was not serlo'
enough to prevent him from running ava
4. Collier followed, Teloading his gun as
u ran. but owing to loss of blood was COZ
r,eIIed to abandon the chase. Whitney W
Subsequently, placed in custody by. DR..
W. Moore. Of OwensvilIe, on whom
he called to have his wounds dressed. /
=, was turned over to Constable Longhor'
~ escaped, was recaptured near Miller
a landing in Franklin County, and lodg
w in Hermann Jail on May Is.
us An Ineendiary Perishes IN the Flame
or NEW YORK, June 5
1e On May % the artificial, flower fqcto