Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-04-03
LOST AND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE
WOUNDED--W0RK OF AN INDIGNANT MOB.

Concerning the terrible riot which con-
vulsed Cincinnati, the Queen City of the
West, commencing with Friday night,
during which A. souls were ushered into
eternity, and .13O more people more or
less seriously wounded. and the court
house. with all the public records, burned
and sacked. we are able in our limited
space. to give only meager account:
The preteXt of the riot was the verdict
of the jury in the case of VIM. Berner.
charged with the murder of an old
man named VIM. Kirk, for the sum of
1926, which was known to be in his pos
session. Kirk was business man of Gin
cinnati, and Berner and his accomplice, a
colored man, were in his employ. They
had premeditated the crime for weeks,
and fOully murdered him in the early
evening, and hiding his body in wagon,
hauled it to the Miami canal that night,
where it was found next day, and they
were arrested. The crime was the most
cowardly murder that was ever commit
ted in Cincinnati, and the murderer and
his accomplice, still in jail at Cincinnati,
had frequently confessed the same. The
father of Berner was worth some money,
which is said to have been hberally used
to keep the son from the halter Be that
as it may, the best legal talent in the city
was engaged, and 504 people were called
before jury OF twelve men was select
ted to try the case. By legal TECHNICAL
ties. best known to the profession, the
confessions were kept out of testimony,
and the jury found verdict of "man-
slaughter" which Immediately called
forth general cry of indignation, not
only in Cincinnati, but all over the coun-
try. Berner was sentenced to 20 years
imprisonment in the Ohio Penitentiary-
the highest sentence known to the law
for manslaughter
On FRIDAY evening, in answer to call,
over 10000 people gathered in Music Hall
to express their indignation over the out
rageous verdict. The gathering was no :
ted for its respectability-all natiOnali
ties, respectable and honest, determined
men. the wealthy the middle classes and
the poor Speeches were made by DR.. A.
G. Kemper, Gen. Hickenlooper and Judge
Carter, strongly denouncing the murder,
the jury and the means employed to Sc
cure the Outrageous verdict" They
were loudly applauded at every reference
made against the murderer or those con-
nected with the trial, and the cry of hang
themr was frequently heard. A committee
of most respectable citizens was appoint
ed to draft resolutions, which were in
effect that the law-abiding citizens OF
Hamilton county looked with alarm on
the frequency of homicide in their midst,
and the immunity granted to red handed
murderers in their midst; that the jurors
who acquitted Berner of murder in tue
first degree were unfit to live in a civil
lied community, and that they should be
treated with abject Scorn; that they were
opposed to illegal methods of Furnishing
crime. and called upon the people to aid
that they may be spared the necessity of
taking extra judicial means to obtain Sc
curity for life and property. The resolu
tions were adopted, and the meeting ad-
journed.
At the adjournment of this meeting, no
one seemed to have any idea of what was
to occur, but frequent cries of ito the
iail" were heard When the advance
guard reached the corner of Twelfth and
Elm, some one shouted ''file left" and the
busineSS-like character of the meeting
was Immediately changed to mob charg-
ing toward the Jail wherein the murderer
was supposed to be still confined. With
imprUvised weapons, the doors of the Jail
were soon forced, and the mob was in full
possession. Not finding Berner they soon
got out. At $3.50 the riot alarm was rung.
and people flocked to the jail by the
thousands. At II o'clock it was eStima-
ted that not less than 1000 people were
in the crowd surrounding the Jail. At
midnight the mob succeeded again in
fo cling an entrance to the sheriff S office,
but encountered the large iron door lead
ing to the jail. at this time the militia
commenced firing and the mob were
forced to retreat. Several were wounded
on both Sides The mob now seemed to
thirst for blood, and several cells were
attacked. The first deeth occurred at
1915. one of the men endeavoring to gain
entrance to the Jail by the underground
passage from the court house, being shot
by the militia.
The mob was frequently informed that
Berner was not in the Jail. but answered
with, You have the other murderers, and
we want them." Berner had been secretly
taken from Cincinnati during the after
noon, and started to Columbus, but at
Loveland he jumped from the train TO
elude mob and escaped, but was cap
tured the next morning, and finally land
ed safe in the Penitentiary.
On Saturday night the mob of Friday
developed into Partisan commune. All
day circulars were distributed calling on
tue citizens to finish the work begun, and
loug before dark, the carnage was ex
pected. At midnight the court house was
all in flames, and surrounded by hosts of
dead and dying. the firenen refusing to
respond to the alarm. At 12 o'clock the
18th Regiment was ordered to clear the
streets at all hazards, with fixed bayonets
The court house, with all the records,
were burned.
In the meantime, in answer to procla-
nation from Mayor stephens, Gov. Hoad
ly ordered out the whole State militia
There was no organization in the mob, or
the loss of life would have been very
much greater. When the mob was charg
ed by the soldiers, they made rush for
the gun stores. 1t is impossible to pic
ture the scenes of this horrible night. or
to give the long list of the killed and
wounded in the many different encoun
tiers between the rioters and citizen sol |
diery. At one time, Hunts hotel was
by the mob, and break was
made for il, but was not carried out. The |
proprietor is Colonel of the Cincinnati
companies.
Sunday morning dawned bright on the |
scene of carnage beyond description. All |
streets leading to the Jail were barricaded |
and guarded by the militia. With day
break, however, the mob dispersed. and
chance was given to see the damage, and |
count up the dead and dying. During |
the Saturday night fight there were 1543
militiamen on duty, and on sunday morn
ing they were enforced by the 18th Regi- |
ment.
By direction of Secretary of War Lin
coin, detachment of U. s. troops were
detailed to protect the sub-treasury and
other United states property in the city.
The Mayor issued a proclamation on