The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-10-23
HANGED FOR HIS CRIME
A Business Man at Lacrosse,
Wis.,, Murdered by Das-
tardIy Ruffian.
The People Break the Jail, Take Out
the Assassin, and Show Him
No Mercy.
LA Crosse fWis.l special.l

liza Crosse Wis., special
+. A. Burton President of the Blaine and
Logan Club here, WAS shot dead by q ruffsn
named Nathaniel Mitchell. but generally known
as -Scotty.- at S0clock this evening. while the
Republicans were forming in procession on
Main street Seven shots were tred In quick
succession, The murderer vas arrested and
hurried to jail before the immense crowd could
realize what had occurred. AS soon as the fact
excitement, and hundreds OF men In uniform
and carrying torches hurried TO the Court
House yard and demanded that the prisoner
be handed over To them Sheriff Scout, Chief Of
Police Clark and a posse OF police at the jail
door tried to calm the Infatuated multitude.
At 1880 p. IN. the officers were not able to
stay the mob, which refused 70 listen 10 argu-
ment From o'clock to 10 the Court House
yard and square presented scene of great
fury. The mob increased IN numbers until the
entire space on three sides OF the Jail was
dense mass OF humanity, demanding that the
murderer be hung. The torches of the men
hared above the sea OF heads, and the white
plumes moved resolutely about the square.
The best citizens in the place were present, and
watched the fearful scene with blarched faces,
but with expression OF sympathy. There
were hundreds of women in the thoroughfares
and the walks about the jail.
The excitement grew steadily In force, and
the demand at last found leaders with cool
heads who went methodically about taking
the man from prison and lynching him.
Beams were procured and In a short time the
heavily solted and barred doors on the Fourth
street side of the Jail were battered in by the
crowd, who poured into the first-fooF rooms.
The Sheriff and assistants succeed IN clearing
the room the first and second time, but on the
third rush the mob overpowered them and held
its ground. The interior wooden doors OF the
cooking department yielded Ike so many pieces
of plate glass. In the meantime the heavy oak
door leading to the main stairway On the west
side was battered down, and the crowd was
placed in full possession OF the main corridor.
While this was gong on the crowd became al
most colossal about the place, but aside from
the rush OF the men at the Jail the best OF order
prevailed There were no drunken men in the
mr. "A xNh EnrK hain Inv A N
fellows who decided To make the murderer pay
the death penalty before they left the square.
Once in he corridor, sledge- hamme.s were
used to break in the heavy iron doors, two In
number, that interviewed between there and the
cell-room. These soon yielded, and as each
advance was made the crowd on the outside was
apprised, and constant cheers of encourage
ment went up. The prisoner had been con-
fined in II No. o. the lower corridor, and the
crowd had little trouble in finding him lie was
taken from the cell and dragged INTO the yard.
He was identified as the man who did the shoot
ing. and the officers, when appealed to. de-
clared they had the right man.
W hen he appeared from the jail door. held up
by the men VINO had him in charge, there was
long, peculiar yell that went through the trees
blocks away realize without further
assurance that the awful retribution
had been completed Numerous men were
soon climbing TO the branches OF the trees, and
in a minute tree was selected. rope was
thrown TO a man sitting on the fir't strong limb.
He quickly attached it, and everything was
made ready for the execution.
At this point in the proceedings there was
pause. Among the leaders were some who
wanted the murderer to make a statement.
while others, more impetuous, urged immediate
action. The murderer declined TO say any thing
except that he was the man who shot Burton.
At this juncture the cry went round Pull him
up!" Hang hm!" Don't let him live a minute
longer
II was understood that the Light Guard Com
pany of the Tn I'd Regiment Wisconsin National
Guards had been ordered ont TO charge the mob.
and there was an impres sion that the execution
would be prevented The mob seized The rope
and made a strong pull, but the ruffian freed
his hands and the rope broke before he was
raised from the ground. In less than five min
utes new rope was thrown over the heads OF
the crowd and fell within few feet of the exc
cutioner. This was adjusted. the prisoners
hands and arms firmly tied, and in another mo-
ment he was hanging in the air with his face
closely pressed against the limb of the tree.
The scenes of the night viii probably never
be experienced again in Lacrosse. Words
fail TO express the darkness and intensity of
the gloom that has settled like pail over
the community, not only Tor the fearful
act of the assassin, which has taken away one
Of the best and most highly esteemed Young
men of Wisconsin. but for the bloody in idents
that succeeded. The body of the doomed man
was left hanging only few minutes when it
was taken down lifeless and left In charge OF
the Sheriff.
When the excitement was at the highest and
the first successful rush had been made on the
Jail door the Ire bells rang out an alarm which
was made general, and this, added to the steady
roll OF voices from the dir ction of the Court
House. made the night one OF awful features
What citizens trst thought was an alarm for
help at the courtyard or "A rallving signal by
the mob proved to be a genuine alarm, and the
department was called to extinguish burning
workshop and storehouse connected with the
Northwestern foundry and machine shops The
fire was soon extinguished, and that part of the
crowd which had been drawn from the scene OF
the lynching returned again 10 the Court House
Square. where they remained until the last act
was completed.
The body OF Mr.. Burton was taken immediate
w aft he m Ia a III
Spence, where an examination showed life to be
extinct. every shot having taken effect. Those
who stood near the scene of the murder say the
man advanced from the crowd on the sidewalk
10 within a few feet of his victim and fired he
first bullet into his back. Mr.. Burton fell to the
pavement, and the murderer followed with six
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, or words
TO that effect All this was done in a moments
time and before any one could realize what had
The body of Mr. Burton was removed from
The drug store to his home during the evening
One bullet passed through the head, two through
the lungs and two into the abdomen, any one OF
which would have been fatal.
In searching for motive for the act the only
plausible theory that is yet advanced is that two
years ago, when Mr.. Burton was acting surveyor
Of customs at this port, this man was frequent
ly importuning for hospital certificate so that
he could spend his time at the hospital at the
expense of the river men, Mr.. Burton told him
to go to work and stop drinking. and he would
not need the benefits of the marine physician.
Another theory IL that Mitchell thought he was
killing another man.
Mr. Burton was a broker and commission
merchant. The motive of the murderer is not
known. He IL said to have been a desperate
character, who has followed the river for liv-
ing. He has served n term in the States prison.
After throwing the first revolver at his victim IL
was found tina he had another in his pocket, but
he was arrested before he had an opportunity to
use IL. The Republicans were to have celebrated
the Ohio victory tonight with n parade, fire.
works, and speeches, but the scene changed TO
one of terrible excitement OF q far different
character