The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-04-04
A FURIOUS MOB.
CINCINNATI IN ITS TOLLS FOR SEW.
ERAL DAYS.
The Court House Burned-45 Men Killed
and 1873 Wounded

considering the cause of its origin, has rarely
IL ever been precedented in Northern city,
took possession of Cincinnati last Friday
and held it until Monday, some It's or 200
men being in the meantime killed and
wounded, and the court house burned down.
The kilograms, Is they come, are so volumln-
Gus thai We are necessitated by space to
merely give brief synopsis of events, refer
ring readers interested to the Helena and
Butte dailies, or to Eastern papers, for par
tIculars.
1t appears that southern Ohio has recently
been the scene Of several violent murders,
and that through legal technicalities OF cor
rupt juries number of guilty parties have
escaped or been let off with light punish
ment. The people had become very much
incensed at these things.
On Christmas Eve, VIM. Berner and an
accomplice concealed themselves behind the
door in the stable of William II. Kirk, their
employer, and when the latter entered, Ber-
ner crushed his skull with hammer, killing
him. They then robbed him of 500, put the
body in wagon, hauled IL to Mill creek and
dumped 1t in, where it was found two days
both parties confessed IL. But with all these
facts the jury emily found HIM guilty Of muir
der in the second degree. The Judge, on
Friday, gave him the full limit for the of
fense-2o years in the penitentiary.
This verdict brought forth call, signed by
respectable citizens, for public Indignation
meeting, and ten Thousand people gathered
at Music Hall in response thereto. The
speeches were severe but temperate. Reso-
buttons were passed condemning the verdict
and committees on legislation were appoint
ed. The meeting adjourned, but the crowd
assembled as by common consent on the
street, and shouts began to 20 up, ITO the
Jail" Some of the crowd had previously
broken into a blacksmith shop and procured
tools The mob moved to the Jail. Sheriff
Hawkins with number of deputies were
inside, but Berner had been started off for
Columbus. Mayor Stephens was i'll and con-
fined to bed. Some men were injured in the
street during the afternoon. As soon as 1t
was understood the mob was coming, Sheriff
Hawkins telephoned aud had the riot alarm
sounded. Hawkins had thirteen deputies
with him. Chief Gf.Police Reilly also sent
assistance, which later reached the Jail by
entering through tunnel. Sheriff Hawkins
also sent to Col. Hunt, command the First
Regiment of Militia, for assistance.
The mob took with them to the Jail a heavy
scantling, with which they battered in the
south door, and many entered into the recep-
tion-room. The sheriff and his posse with
drew behind the iron-grated door and stood
there with drawn revolvers The sheriff told
the mob calmly that sit meant death to enter
that door" The crowd wavered and hest
tated, until big negro gave the word,
Swing the plank" and with the third
blow the iron door was crushed in.
Sheriff Hawkins had instructed his
men not to fire, and as the door
went down the mob pressed over and past
him and his posse and sought Berners CELL
Finding him gone they were about to take
other prisoners from the cell, but the sherif7s
posse prevented them. About this time
Reilley's police arrived by the tunnel, and by
the combined efforts of the officers the mob
was soon put off the corridors about the cells
and seemed repulsed. The iron gate again
became the scene Of struggle, and the mob
were pushed outside. Lieut.. Dunn struck
the negro leader on the head and dragged
him inside. Others were also arrested. Then
the gate was closed and the scantling broken
up and used to brace 1t. The mob soon re-
doubled its efforts at the outer doors and the
southern gate was broken down. Then Haw-
kins telegraphed to Hunt to report in the
jail with all the militia possible. Only about
forty militia were on duty, and they re-
sponded, entering through the tunnel. The
Jail exit Of the tunnel was guarded by officers
Num- and Won Seggern. As the soldiers ad.
vanced through the tunnel In files of three,
with guns pointed and bayonets fixed, Won
Seggern threw up his hands and shouted
"For Gods sake don't shoot here you will
kill your friends |" but the militia fred, not
and officers Num- and Won
seggern fell, the former being pierced with
four balls and fatally wounded. Won Seq.
germ was shot in the side of the head. Sew
sral Of the militia were shot by their own
guns. 1t was terrible blunder. but II cleared
the Jail. The mob were driven Inside. They
then undertook to burn the building BY
pouring coal oil In the basement and setting
got arms and indiscriminate firing and stone
throwing was INDUCED In. The jail office
was completely wrecked. The Jail and court
house were barricaded, except In the rear,
'y the defenders, and more militia called out
With Calling gun. The riot prevailed all
night. The treasurer's Office aud court house
we're set on fire, and the militia fred with
BALL on the mob, which responded. Many
we're killed and wounded on both sides. The
militia was called out in other portions of
he State and sent by special trains or held
or orders. The mob was estimated as high
. 10, 900 or 1900, but 200 or 900 men did the
Elective work. The 4th regiment of militia,
90 or 300 strong, was called out, but did no |
,ood, and the Colonel is to be investigated. |
The mob really lacked nerve and leadership, |
md thirty policemen repealed them and dis. |
rmed them while attempting to raid gun
hop. The court house, however, was cap
ured BY them, Office after Office fired, and |
be magnificent building burned down.
heritf Hawkins was severely Censored for
ot taking easy and ordinary precautions to
epel the mob from 1t, as he had ample force.
occasional conflicts occurred until Sunday
vening, and In all 45 men are reported kill
and 1873 wounded. Finally the Mayor got
citizens meeting, issued proclamation
the peace, enrolled special
olce, requested the Posts of the G. A. r. to
ssemble and report, and ordered all citizens
q the street after p. m. Six regiments of
le State Guards, two batteries and a troop
cavalry, were ordered to Cincinnati, and
= Wednesday noon order was restored.
Berner, the cause Of all this trouble, es-
lped from his guards en- route to Columbus,
ut was recaptured, and by adroit manage
ent conveyed to the penitentiary at $50
aturday evening.
No such u mob and tumult has ever before
zen known In Ohio, and people of the en-
re State, especially on lines Of railroad
aiding to Cincinnati, were intensely excited,
I'd gathered by tens of thousands ut the sta
ons and telegraph Offices to learn the news.
be mob was lilly handled and 1t appears
ould have been dispersed without blood
ed had not the militia got excited in the
mel and fred on the sheriff.s officers and
cir own men. 1t was simply an ebullition /
public indignation At the idiotlc finding /
. jury, liable to occur anywhere at any l
ne, which by series Of blunders was ,
ised to q demoniac mob and resulted in q /,
rritle public calamity. The real object Of
mob was not accomplished, and the off, J