The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-04-03
The THIRST FOR BLOOD.
The Cincinnati Mob Breaks 0ut Afresh
asNOon and Finally Enters The IsiI.
The Mob Led BY cOIOred Mana Close
Call for the Murdersrs in the Jail.
How Bsrner Was Allowed to Escape from
the Mob at LoveIand.

people. There seemed TO be about 200
men in the lead who took the iniatiye in
all steps but said little. As soon as Ii
was learned in the jail that the mob was
outside Sheriff Hawkins called up Fire
Marshal Bunker by telephone and the
riot alarm was sounded.
The sheriff and posse made all efforts
TO repel the attack. On the way to the
jail the mob secured heavy scantlings
which they used as battering ram.
They began on the north outside door
and knocked hole large enough to adj
NIT mans body. through which the
mob crowded fast. and about fifty
mounted the stairs
Here they were met by q detail of
police aud the sheriff, who were forced
back into the jail Office. By this time
the mob outside had procured long
heavy board, and placing it in the iron
railing in front Of the jail pushed 1t
through the window into the second
story. With this they broke out the en-
tire sash aud inside shutters and
scrambled into the apartment of
Tailor Brady. This successful move
encouraged the crowd who made rush
for the south door leading from the
second story, which is here level
with the pal ement This soon gave
away and the mob went through in
great numbers. The sherifns force
consisted of three men. When the mob
entered these Withdrew hastily
into tue jail proper, leaving
between them and the mob the heavy
grated iron door which separates the re-
ception room from the cell room. This
Is at the foot of the stairway leading up
to the cell room. The reception room
was gained and the mob kept calling,
''glYe US Berner;" give us Johnson"
and 50 on through the list Of murder,rs
confined in the jail.
There seemed to be no leader.
Finally q tall, muscular ne
gro began t. give orders
and the mob quickly ObeYed. The
space was soon cleared and the plank
used as batlering ram was brought to
bear against the iron door. Behind the
door stood sheriff Hawkins and his
men with drawn reYolVers. The sheriff
said calmly that it meant death TO any
man TO enter that door. The crowd
wavered a moment and hesitated. Then
the colored leader gave the words,
"Swing the plank" He was instantly
obeYed, and the gate trembled with the
shock. A mighty shout went up. The
second stroke from the battering ram
made the gate weaken perceptibly. The
third loosened its bolts and it few open.
Sheriff Hawkins had instructed his
men not to spill blood. He attempted
to address the mob, but they flew by
him up the winding iron stairway to the
cell room. They sought Berner, but
soon discovered that he was gone, Then
they went to Johnson's cell, who is one
of the murderers of the Taylor family
at Avondale. The Mortified PRISONER
suffered more than death as he look ed
on at the determined men outside.
The powerful plank was brought up to
batter down the door of the cell but the
smallnesss of the space prevented its use
with effect. besides the deputy sheriff
caught hold of the plank and prevented
its being used.
Meantime Chief OF Police Reilley
hearing that men were in the Jail, en-
tered through The tunnel and from it to
the interior of the jail With his
combined force the men were put out
of the corridors, about the cells and
the mob seemed to be repulsed. Not, a
shot was fired up to this time by the
forces within the Jail. The stairway was
again in possession of the sherif's
forces and the struggle began for the
iron gate. The colored ring-leader was
seized by Lieutenant DUN, struck on
the head and dragged inside. Then
the gate was closed, several
others being arrested about the same
time. The baitering ram was broken in
two and SERVED to make brace for the
gate.
The mob seemed repulsed and the
story went out, spreading through the
outside crowd, which seemed only to In.
flame them to more serious efforts. Ef-
forts were redoubled at all the entrances
and the southern gate to the Jail yard
was broken down. Meantime
sheriff Hawkins sent an or
der to Col. Hunt, commanding
the first regiment militia to report tc
him at the jail with all the men posi-
BILE. About forty men were on duty, ant
these went to the Jail, passing through
the court house and tunnel already
mentioned. Here. occurred the frs
bloodshed. The farther end of the tun
mel was guarded by Officers Phil. Num-
Won Seggorn. AS the soldiers ap
preached by threes, with guns pointed
Officer Won Seggorn threw up his hands
and shouted: "For Gods sake, dom
shoot here; you'll kill your friends
Without needing the warning. the com
mand ''f1re" was given and volley wen
rafting through the tunnel. Office
Num- fell pierced by four bullets and
Won Seggern was shot In the side of III,
head. Several of the militia were sho
by their own guns.
This volley had the effect to clear thu
Jail, but for two hours thereafter effort
were made on the outside to destroy tn
whole building. A barrel of coal OF
was poured down the lower part of tn
jail aud set on fire, but the officer
within managed to extinguish the flames
The carpenters office furnished som
wood and that also was fred, but as tn
Jail is mainly of stone and iron this efTor
was futile.
The crowd then threw boulders an
fred pistols promiscuously at the win
doWs, the militia meantime firing froE
, the windows into the crowd. The sheri
tried to control this firing by ordel
ing that not more than one ma
should fire at time and that only I
! brighten, not to kill. But the men WEI
uncomfortable and fred at the crowd d
= ing deadly work.
Later the crowd broke into the arm
B. ory and Kittridge's gun store and g,
:, arms. but by the time this was done Il
= mob had so thinned out tn
! no further attempt was made.
;. Berner's crime was in assisting j.
Palmer, colored, in the cold blood'
p murder of his employer, VIM. II. Kir
T. on Christmas eve, for the purpose
robbery. Both he and Palmer confes
) ed the murder but the jury found hl
= guilty Of manslaughter. This. with 4
fact that about twenty other untri
Il. nurderers are in the jail, is what i
= fiuences the public mind.
The feeling has by no means been
If. lsyed by last nights and to days trsl
dY and is growing not only against I
= murderers but against the militia up