Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-10-22
Tragedy.
THE PRESIDENT OF A POLITICAL CLUB SHOT
DOWN AS PROCESSION WAS FORMING
THE MURDERER QUICKLY PUT
TO DEATH BY THE
POPULACE.

IAOtspooH- WIS., OSlObS- -
T. A Burton, president of the
Blaine and Logan Club here, was
shot dead by man known as 'Scotty
at s o'clock this evening, while the
Republicans were forming in process
sion on Main street. Seven shots
were fired in quick succession. The
murderer was arrested and hurried
to jail bsfere the immense crowd
could realize what had occurred.
As soon as the fact was made
known there was intense excitement
and hudreds of men in uniform and
carrying their torches hurried to the
Court House yard and demanded
that the prisoner be handed over to
them. Lynch himl Lynch him.!
was the general cry. Hundreds of
men then bssieged the jail Sheriff
Scott, Chief OF Police Clark and a
posse of police stood at the jail door
trying to calm the infuriated multi
tude. The body OF Burton was
taken to drug store, where an ex-
animation showed that lifo was ex-
tinct. Every shot took effect. Those
who stood near the scene say the
man advanced from the sidewalk to
within few feet of his victim and
fired the first bullet into his back, !
when Burton fell to the pavement.
This was followed with six shots into
the PROSTATE mans body and head.
'Scotty' then threw his revolver at
his victim and gave him kick.
All this was done in moment
and before any one could realize the
situation. The motive of the mur
der has not yet come to light. MIR.
Burton was managing the campaign
in this section. The mob finding
that they could not prevail upon the
authorities to surrender the prisoner,
at 1915 o'clock procured cold-chsels,
forced open the doors, and, putting
a rope around the murderers neck.
lynched him.
The officers were not able to stay
the mob, who refused to listen to
argument. From nine o'clock to ten
the Court House yard and square
presented a scene which beggared
description. The mob increased IN
numbers until the entire space on
three sides of the jail was ii dense
mass of humanity, demanding that
the murderer be hung. Torches
flashed above a sea of heads and
white plumes moved resolutely about
the square. The best citizens In the
place were present and watched the
fearful scene with blanched faces
but with 10 expression of sympathy.
He was identified as the man who
did the shooting, and the officers,
when appealed to declared they had
the right man When ne appeared
from the jail, the door was held up
by men who had him in charge, there
was long peculiar vel that went
through the trees and streets, max
ing every one for blocks away rea-
lie without any further assurance
that the awful retribution had been
completed, but numerous men were
soon climbing to the branches of
trees and in q minute one WAS Sc
lected 4 rope WIS thrown to man
sitting on the first strong limb, quick
| ly attached and everything made
ready and after a short pause the
man was strung up.
There were hundreds of women in
the thoroughiares and walks about
the Jail. The excitement grow stead
iiy in force and the mob at last found
leaders with cool heads, who went
methodically about taking the man
from prison and lynching him. Beams
were procured and in a short time
the heavily bolted and barred doors
OF the Fourth street side of the Jail
were battered in by the crowd, which
poured into the first floor rooms
The Sheriff and assistants succeeded
in clearing the room the first and
second time, but ON the third rush
the mob overpowered them and held
their ground. The interior wooden
doors Of the cooking department
yielded like So many plates of glass.
In the meantime the heavy oak door
leading to the main stairway on the
west side was battered down and the
crowd had full possession of the
main corridor. While this was GO
ing on the crowd became almost col
lossal about the place, but aside
fro N the rush of men at the jail the
best order prevailed.
A Herd Of fine Cattle Killed.
READING, October 15-Thomas j.
Edge, secretary of the state board Of
agriculture, and DIR. Bridge, state vet