Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-10-23
AN INSANE mURDEaER HANGED.
A Political Leader Instantly Killed by
Rufiian-His Death Quickly
Avenged-Tho Jail Stormed
and the Murderer

nv ahh StOIntO
and the Murderer
strung Up.
A United press dispatch from Lacrosse, Wis,
dated october III, says: Il. A. Burton, presi-
dent OF the Blaine and Logan club here. was
shot by rufilan named Nathaniel Mitchell,
known s"Scotty, "atSto-night, while the Repub-
licans were forming In procession on Main st.
seven shots were fired In quick succession Those
who stood near the scene of the murder say the
man advanced from the crowd on the sidewalk
to within few feet of his victim and fired the
first bullet into his back. Mr.. Burton fell to
the pavement and the murderer poured Elk
shots into his body and head. He then threw
the revolver at his victim and gave him kick,
saying: "That is the son OF a that
knows me and that have been looking for.D
All this was done In moments time and be-
fore anyone could realize what happened So
quickly was the deed perpetrated and SO soon
did Chief Clark arrest the wretch that he was
behind the bars before the procession was
| aware OF what had occurred. Fire.crackers
| and cannon had been going off all the time so
that the noise didn't attract attention. As
soon as the news spread through the line
the procession broke and an unani
NOUS rush was, made for the county
handed over to them. Lynch himl Lynch
| him W was the general cry. At $40 there
were hundreds OF men beseiglng the Jail, and
Sheriff Scott, Chief of Police Clark and posse
| OF police were at the jail door trying to calm
| the Infatuated mob For long time the
officers withstood the rush but at last were
| overpowered. The jail cell door was forced
and the wretch brought out. He admitted the
| deed. At this moment the cries for vengeance
on every hand made up. picture never to be
forgotten, 1--WE want this man to let US know
why he killed Capt. Burton. Won't you let
bim have the opportunity These cries were
drowned In the universal cry OF "Hang him ~
Hang him ~ Another man mounted the
shoulders OF the crowd. men," he said, 81
know we have the right man who shot Frank
| Burton. We have positive evidence of Il from
those who saw him do it, and of those who
| took him to jail.n
This was enough. A rope was thrown TO a
man who seated himself on an overhanging
limb, and with a blood curdling de-
| liberation he made the fatal moose =.
strong enough to bear the weight. He placed
| 1t over the limb. IL was thrown down and
| slipped over "Scotty's" neck. A dozen men
pulled on II, but 1t was not strong enough TO
raise the man of his feet. A new one, half an
inch in diameter, was at length brought and
the work was made sure. The man was nearer
dead THAI alive. He muttered the statement
| that he was the man who did the shooting, but
at the last nothing but groans escaped bim.
With his arms and feet pinioned, In nothing
put pantaioons and shirt, and no covering over
his face, he was jerked of the ground by a
dozen men and swung slowly in the air.
The building bears evidence OF having pass
cd through seige Battered and splintered
doors and debris clog up the way. In the sit
ting room OF the jailer's house lies the big
stick OF timber with which the work was done.
Broken furniture and window glass lie spread
over tie carpet at the head of the stairs On
| the second floor are the cells. The lock on the
door TO the corridor had heen broken, as had
also the one inside. There were 81 prisoners
there, but all were as quiet as death. The
| deputy jailer was found pacing tine floor nurs-
ing his arm, which had been nearly
broken by blow from club.
Sheriff Scott also suffers from club
wounds from which the blood is trick
ling down on his face on either side OF his
faced mob. Investigation shows that poll
tics was in no way conrecte ed with the deed.
AS TO the cause for the deed It is said Mitch
ell had grudge against Burton dating back
| TO the time when the latter was deputy survey
| or OF this part and had business relations with
steamboat men. The widest excitement and
regret were created by the affair. Mitchell
| has Tor some time been OF unsound mind and
was at one time sent TO an insane asylum at
the end Of trial for assault with intent to
kill upon ex-Chief OF Police Frank Hatch he
had the reputation Of being quiet enough
| usually but whisky had a Grazing influence
upon him. While all right thinking persons
deprecate mob violence, the case was so plain
and the law so nadequate-thanks to Boree-
that the people are disposed to be lenient to-
ward the actors In the lynching.
The body Of Mr.. Burton was taken to the
| drug store OF Il. ID. Spence, where an examin-
alton showed life TO be quite extinct, every
| shot taking effect. Mr.. Burton was a broker
| and commission merchant for 1. II. Lowry d
Co. OF Milwaukee and son-in-law Of Capt. /. x.
Moulton.