Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1884-10-24
A MODS SwiG vcnscaHce.

nllTueTer WIS dTTcstcu anu quieh'y ""'
lied to Jail before the immense crowd real
lied What had occurred. phc body OF Bur-
ton was taken to drug store, where an
examination showed that life was extinct.
Every shot took effect. Those who stood
near tho scene say tho man advanced from
the crowd OH the sidewalk to within few
feet Of his victim, and fired the first bullet
into his back, when Mr.. Burton fell to the
pavement. This WAS followed with six
shots into the PROSTATE mans body ana
head. "Scotty" then threw lis revolver
ut his victim and gave him kick. All
this XaE Gone i'm Il moment. As soon rs
the fact was made known there was III
tense excitement, and hundreds of men i'm
uniform and carrying theiI torches hur-
ried to the courthouse yard aud demand
ell that the prisoner be handed over to
them. "Lyneh him." lynch him." was
the general cry.
The mob finding that they could not
prevail upon the authorities to surrender
the prisoner, procured cold ehisels, forced
open the doors, aud, putting rope around
the murdercr's neck, lynched him. The
officers were not able to stay the mob, who
refused To listen to argument. From nine
to ten O'Clock the courthouse yard and
square presented scene which 1eSgared
descriptions. The mob increased in num-
bcrs until the entire space on three sides
of the Jail WAS /, dense mass of humanity,
demanding that the murderer be hung.
Torches ilarcd above a sea of heads. ana
white plumcs moved rcsOlutcly about the
square. The best citizens in the place
were present, aud watched the fearful
scene with blanched faces, but with no
expression Of sympathy.
There were hundreds OF women in the
thorouchfaPcs and walks about the Jail.
The excitement grew steadily 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 Il short
time the heavily bolted and barred doors
OH the Fourth street side Of the Jail were
battered in by the crowd, which poured
! into the iirst-llOor rooms. The sherilis
and assistants succeeded In clearing the
room the irst and secoad time, but 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 glnss. In the mean-
time the heavy oak door leading to the
main stairway on the west side was bat
tered down, aud the crowd had full pos
session of the main corridor. While this
was going on the crowd became almost
colossal about the place, but aside from
the rush of men at the Jail the boSt order
prevailed. There were no drunken men
i'm the mob, the whole work being done
by reSolute fellows who decided to make
the murderer pay the death penalty be-
fore they left the square. Once IN the
corridor sledge hammers were used to
break in the heavy iron doors, two in
number, that interviewed between them
and the cell room. These soon yielded and
4
as each advance was made the crowd were
upprised Oh tho outside, and constant
cheers Of encouragement went up. The
prisoner had been confined in cell NO. 5,
on the lower corridor, and the crowd had
little trouble in finding their man. lie
was taken from the cell and dragged into
the yard.
lie wa. Identified as The man who did
the shooting, and the officers when ap-
pealed to declared they had the right man.
When he appeared from the jail the door
was held up by men who had him Ill
charge. There was long and peculiar
yell that went through the trees and
streets, making every one for blocks away
realize, without any further assurance,
that the awful retribution had been COM
plcted, but men were soon climbing to the
branches of trees, and in minute ono
was selected. \ rope was thrown to 4
man sitting OH the first strong limb, quick
" attached, and everything made ready
for the execution. At this point in the
proceedings there was a panic among tho
leaders. There wore some who wanted
the murderer to make statement, while
others more impetuOus urged Immediate
action.
The murderer declined to say anything,
except that hc was the man who shot Bur-
ton. At this juncture n cry went round {;
"Pull him ap," chang him, ''don't let
live a minute longer" It was understood
that the Light Guard Company of the
| Third Regiment had been ordered out to
charge the mob, and there was all impress
! sion that the execution would be prevent
od. No rally Of the guard was made. The
mob seized the rope and made strong
pull. but the rufilan freed his hands and
the rope broke before lie was raised from
the ground. In less than five minutes 4
new rope was thrown over tho heads uf
the crowd and fell within a few feet of the
execulioner This was adjusted, his hands
and arms firmly tied, and i'm another mo-
mcnt he was hanging in the air, with his
face closely pressed against a limb Of the
tree, and tho terrible tragedy WAS over.
The real name Of the murderer was
Nathaniel Mitchell. lie was desperate
character, and had Onco been in an insane
asylum, and was considered Il dangerous
maniac. No ore knows why he killed
Burton.