The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-10-23
MOB LAW IN WISCONSIN.
Frank A. Burton, q Prominent Citizen
Of Lacrosse, Shot Dead by
Cowardly Rufian.

TIA Crosse wis. J special

TIA Crosse WIS., apceiaLl
r. 4. Burton, President OF tho blaine and
Logan Club here was shot dead by a ruflian
named Nathaniel Mitchell, but generally known
a. "s.otty. ut o'clock this evening, while the
Nnpnhilcans were forming In PROCESSION on
Main street. Seven shots were fired In quick
succession, The murderer was arrested and
hurried 70 lail before the immense crowd could
realize what had occurred A soon ~ tho iaet
was made known there was the most intense
excitement. and hundreds Of men In uniform
and carving torches hurried 10 the Court
be handed over to them, sheriff Scout, chict OF
Police Clark, and posse ot police ut tho iai
door tried To calm tho infuratcd multitude.
a., AZ i,:aa 7, m. the officers mero not able to
ment. From o'clock To 10 the Court House
yaru and square presented scene Of great
fury, The mob increased In numbers until tho
entire space ON three sides OF the iaii was u
dense mass OF humanity, demanding that the
murderer lie hung, The torches Of tho men
iared above the sea Of heads. and the white
nlumes moved resolutoly about the square.
The best citizens IN the place were present, and
watched the fearful scene with blanched faces
but WITH no expression o. sympathy. There
and the walks about the iail.
The excitement grew steadily In force, aud
the demand nj last found leaders with cool
heads, who went methodcally about taking
Tho man from prison aud lynching him
lseams We're procured, and In Il short time the
heavily holted and barred doors on tho Fourth
street side Of the Jail were battered In by the
crowd. who poured into the first floor rooms
The Sheriff and assistants succeed In clearing
the room the first and second timc hut on the
third rush the mob overpowered them and held
its ground. The interior wooden doors of tho
cooking department yielded like NJ many pieces
Of plate glass. In the meantime the heavy oak
door leading to the main stairway On the west
placed In full possession Of the main corridor
While this was going on the crowd became al-
most colossal about the place, but aside from
the rush Of the men nj the Jail the best OF order
prevailed There were no drunken men In the
mob the whole work being done by resolute
fellows who decided to make the murderer pay
the death penalty before 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 there aud the
cell-room, These soon yielded. aud a. each
advance was made the crowd on the outside was
apprised. and constant cheers Of encourage
ment went up The prisoner had been con-
nned ~ ell No. on the lower corridor. and the
crowd hau little trouble IL finding him lie was
lie was identified rs the man who did the shoot
ing. and the officers. when appealed to, de-
elared they hal the right man.
When he appeared from the il-door, held up
by the men who had him in charge. there was II
long, peculiar veil that went through the trees
and streets. making every one for
assurance that the awful retributon
had been completed. Numerous men were
soon climbing to the branches Of the trees, and
In minute q tree was selected, A rope was
thrown to 4 man sitting on the first stron. limb
lie quickly attached II, and everything was
made ready for the execution,
~ 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 anSthing
except that he was the man who shot Burton,
AT this lnnctnre the cry went round Pull him
up" Hang hint! Don't let him live = minute
longer"
II was understood that the Light Guard Com
pany of the Third Regiment Wisconsin National
Guards had been ordered out TO charge the mob
and there was an impression that the execution
would be prevented. The mob seized the rope
and made strong pull. but the rnfiisn freed
his hands and the rope hroke before he was
raised from the ground In less than I'VE min.
the crowd and fell within a few feet Of the exc
cntioner. This was adjusted, the prisoner =
hands aud 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 will probably never
be experienced again In Lacrosse. Words
fail 10 express the darkness and intensity Of
the community, not only for 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 incidents
that succeeded. The body of the doomed man
WAS left hanging only a few minutes when II
was taken down hfeless 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 tire bells rang ont an alarm which
was made general, and this, added To the steady
roll of voices from the direction Of the Court
House, made the night one OF awful features
What citizens first thought was an alarm for
help at the court-vard or u rallvins signal by
the mob proved to be genuine alarm, aud the
department was called to eNtinguish burning
Workshop anu storehonse connected with the
Northwestern foundry and machine shops. The
.8at.. hats
crowd which had been drawn from the scene OF
the lynching returned again TO the Court House
Square. where they remained until the last act
was completed.
The body of Mr.. Burton was taken immediate
ly after tho murder to the drug store Of I. IL,
Spence, where an examination showed lite 10 he
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
frst bullet into his hack Mr., burton fell to the
shots into his body and head, He then threw
the revolver ut his victim and gave him . kick,
saying: That IL the son OF --- that knows
me and that have been looking for, or words
to that effect. All this was done In moment's
time and before any one could realize what had
HE 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 vi
which would have been fatal
In searching for motive for the act the only
plausible theory that II vet advanced IL that two
years ago, when Mr.. Burton was acting surveyor
OF customs ut this port, this man was frequent
~ importnning Tor u hospital certificate so that
he could spend his time at the hospital az thu
expense Of the river men, MIR, Burton told him
to go To work and stop drinking. and he would
not need the benefits of the marine physician.
Another theory In that Mitchell thought he was
killing another man,
Mr.. Burton was broker and commission
merchant The motive Of the murderer Il no,
known. He In said to have been u desperate
character, who has followed the river for liy-
ing. lie has served term In the State = prison.
After throwing the first revolver At His victim II
WAS found that he had another in his pocket, hut
he was arrested before he had an opportunity To
use II. The Republicans were 10 have eclcbi ated
the Ohio victory tonight with parade, fire.
works, and speeches, hut the scene changed n
one Of terrible excitement III far different
character.