Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-25
A NIGHT OF TERROR

Ton InOuShuu
a Manifestly Unjust Verdict in 10 Murder
case. Storm the Doors of the Jail III a
Vain Attempt to Lynch the Murderer
The Police Force, State Militia ana the
Mob Engage in n Bloody Riot, in which
Mnslxets and Cannon Are Csed-sixteeh
persons Reported Killed and Many
vounded-In the Meantime the MUIR
derer Escapes.
CINCINNATI, O., March 22.-Mareh ~
Berner, Oh trial for the murder OF
II. Kirk, was found guilty OF
manslaughter. The verdict was declared
privately by the Judge who tried the case
to be an outrage, and the jury, after leaV-
ino court. room, were hooted at by the
with suggestions that they should be
hanged. Kirk was killed in his stable by a
blow of a hammer, robbed OF about one
hundred dollars in money, put into a wagon,
hauled off toward Cumminsville, and
dumped into Mill Creek, where the BODY
was found two days later. Joe Palmer and
William Berner confessed that they did the
murder and robbery.
The manifest injustice Of the verdict so
aroused the ire of the people that a mass
was called to assemble at MUSIC
Hall last evening to give public expression
to their Indignation at the Jury's action.
Accordingly fully ten thousand people gath
cred at the place of meeting. Many could
not get in. Strong resolutions were adopted
condemning the verdict. The meeting was
presided over by Dr.. A. {. kemper,
who made a conservative speech. HIS re-
marks were not intended to awaken mob
spirit, but when the meeting adjourned the
people by common impulse moved down to
Twelfth street., where shouts began to be
uttered: "To the JAIL" and the crowd then
moved bodily in that direction.
AT 9:4O the. riot alarm was sounded sun-
moning the entire police force to the jail.
Vast crowds of people gathered in tina Vi
entity.
The police, upon arriving in the vicinity
of the Jail, commanded the crowd to move
Not being obeyed they fired, but as no one
was hurt it was presumed the police fired
in the air. 1t is said that was the intention
81 the police, they being deeply in sympathy
With the movement to condemn the outra-
seous Berner verdict. A shot or two was
fred from the Jail but the crowd refused to
move.
lat 1890 access to the corridors was OBJ
tanned and the crowd surged into them, and
frbln thence to the cells, but found the birds
hau flown. 1t appears that Berner,
after his sentence, was disguised and
placed i'll a buggy with Deputy-Sheritf
Dominick Devote and driven to Linwood,
where they got aboard the Morrow accommo
daion, and went to Loveland to await the
arrival of Criminal Deputy Joe Moses with
the necessary papers for his committal to
the Ipenitentiary. 1t became known that
Berner was at Loveland and a crowd gath
cred. When the train with Moses aboard
came i'll, and Devote and Berner went to
board it, the crowd made a rush for Berner.
He ran through the car and escaped, and is
still at large.
Later news is to the effect that Berner
was recaptured by the mob, and it is thought
lie has been lynched.
The mol at the jail, not being aware of
the facts concerning Berner's escape, and
enraged at not finding the wretch whom
they sought, turned their crow-bars, axes
and other weapons elsewhere, being deter
mined to ransack the entire prison in the
vain hope that they would be able to find
him, and swearing vengeance on every mur.
derer confined in the prison.
At one o'clock the military were called
from their armory, and entering the jail
tunnel mistook the police for the mob, open
ing fire, killing one policeman and seriously
wounding another. The shots were re.
turned, and two of the soldiers fell badly
wounded. About thirty shots with mus.
kets were fired by the militia for the
purpose of soaring the mob. The result was
that glancing balls struck at least four per-
sons, intlicting injuries Which MAJ be fatal in
the case OF one or two.
At two o'clock this morning the mob
were still at work, swearing to have the
murderers before they desisted, and the in
dications at half-past two are that they will
be successful unless daylight interferes
and puts a stop to further proceedings.
$3.50 a. m.-The mob has just broken in
to a gun-store and are getting arms and am
munition. They have broken into the ar.
mory of the Veteran Regiment and taken
the guns. More firing has been lone at the
jail. The mob are now looking for ammu-
milton, with prospect of success. The First
Regiments armory has been guarded for
three nights in anticipation of this
affair, but the Veteran Regiment, OF
which Sheriff Hawkins is Colonel,
did not take the same precaution. For the
purpose of getting more arms and ammuni-
ton the mob is now in the extensive gun
store of b. kittredge & Co., the largest in
the city.
Loud reports from the vicinity of the iail
indicate either that the mob is firing cannon
or that barrels of coal-oil are being explod-
ed. These were rolled in the lower part O!
the Jail some time ago. The mob has organ
lied, and marched up Main street just now
with fife and drum. Firing still continues,
with the prospect of q bloody battle.
The following is an addition to the list of
the wounded: Jackson Todd, badly
wounded; DR.. Charles Muscroft, police
surgeon, slight wound; Chris Won Seggern,
special policeman, slight wound. 1t is
probable that many who were slightly
wounded went away. Joseph Stern, a men,
Der of the patrolwagon force, who was
shot, is dead.
a. m.-When the militia fired on the
mob and cleared them out of the Jail, one
man was killed in the corridor, and another
mortally wounded, dying on reaching the
hospital. A large number were wounded,
some undoubtedly MORALLY. Officer Num-
was seriously shot i'll the groin by a
rloter. Corporal Rose was badly wound
cd by a stone thrown. Twenty-four
OF the rioters were caught and
ocked up. Officer Joe Stern was shot in
the abdomen and bled to death in "a few min
utes. jackson Tod was fatally wounded in
the left breast. After the mob Quilted the
gun store of kittridge they also raided Pow
elps and another gun store and returned to
the Jail. The militia began firing on them.
n a man, woman and child were shot and
Killed by the militia at Court and Sycamore
streets. They were all laid out in the
Northern Railroad depot.