The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-04
THE VIGILANTES.
CINCINNATI CONFUSED BY A
SCENE OF POPULAR FURY.
THE JAIL STORMED BY A MOB
TO HANG BERNER.

TO HANG BERNER.
THE MOB OVERPOWERED-B
NER ESCAPES.
:, CINCINNATI, March g. William
| Berner was this afternoon sentenced to
the penitentiary for twenty years
and to paw the costs of the pros
ecution. This is the extreme penalty
of the law for manslaughter. Berner
was indicted for murder in the first de-
gree for killing William Ii. Kirk, Dec.
A, 1883. but escaped through the stupid
ity or duplicity of the jury. The out
rageous verdict rendered last Monday
by these jurymen created the most in
tense excitement, and a call for mass
meeting of citizens tonight in Music
Hall, signed by prominent business
men, brought out an immense crowd
which literally packed the house until
there was not even standing room.
Among those who addressed the crowd
were Judge Carter and eX-Lieutenant
Governor Hickenlooper. The speakers
denounced the jury in unmeasured
terms and referred to the fact that
there are upwards of forty murderers
now in the county jail awaiting trial.
The crowd was greatly worked up and
made all sorts of OutcrieS and demon
| STATIONS.
Berner was the murderer of Kirk, a
horse trader. 1t was cold blooded,
! fiendiSh crime. He was killed with u
Ratchet, robbed, and his body carted to
Mill Creek, where it was thrown into
the water. Berner confessed the crime
in the Jail. AT the trial his counsel, to
/ save his neck, offered to enter plea
of murder in the second degree. This
the prosecution declined to accept, as
there was no reason to suppose that
verdict of murder in the first degree
could not be secured. TO everybody's
surprise the jury brought in verdict
of manslaughter. There has been fu-
riOuS indignation among all classes.
Yesterday one of the jury was driven
from town and another severely beaten.
After the meeting was overthe crowd
started for the Jail. 1t is estimated
that there were 10000 people in the
mob. Many of them were supplied
with tools, and at IL O'Clock they had
effected an entrance into the Jail.
The first man to enter through the
breach was negro, who was instantly
seized by half dozen policemen, who
hustled him up stairs and locked him
up. Other rioters to the number in all
of twenty-five were similarly treated,
aud were all locked up in upper cells.
The charge of aiding a riot constitutes
penitentiary offense, but trial must
be by jury. Under strict orders from
! Chief Reilly not shot was fired during
all this melee, although several of the
! fighters. both rioters and officers, were
knocked down and more OrlesS injured.
All sorts of weapons, knives and revol-
verS were captured with the prisoners.
| lnlnnCClhln "a
names of any of the rioters at the time
Of the arrest. The officers did not stop
for that, but carried them off to the up
per cells as rapidly as possible.
AT II O'Clock the people were in full
possession Of the lower receptiOn-room
of the Jail for the second time. A
brawny fellow, a blacksmith, they said
was at work with a sledge hammer
upon the iron barred gate leading to
the cell room. Slowly but surely the
iron gate gave way, and finally went
down far enough to admit of two or
three men entering abreast. Just be-
cause he found the resistance of the pO-
lice almost passive, sent for the party of
about forty citizen soldiers, who were
under arms in their armory hard by, on
the north side of Court street. between
Main and Walnut streets. These men
were marched over, and were taken
into the Jail through the tunnel from
Main street. Just as the party working
at the gates were about to take pos
session of the cell-room the order was
given to fire, or at least firing COM
menced, and volley after volley was
poured into the mob, resulting in the
killing of many and wounding of scores
of others. At 4:3O everything was
quiet in the immediate vicinity of the
Jail, the mob having withdrawn.
1t now appears that Berner, after his
sentence, was disguised and placed in a
buggy with Deputy-Sheriff Dominick
Devote and driven to Linwood, where
they got aboard the Morrow accommo-
dalton, and went to Loveiand to await
the arrival of Criminal-Deputy Joe
Moses with the necessary papers for his
commital to the penitentiary. 1t be-
came known that Berner was at Love-
land and crowd gathered. When the
train with Moses aboard came in, and
Devote and Berner went to board it,
the crowd made a rush for Berner He
ran through the car and escaped, and is
still at large.
Saturday morning the Jail was again
fired, the flames being started in the
store-room and coal-cellars holding l.
600 bushels of coal each. The fire de-
partment was telephoned for but re-
fused to respond, fearing that the mob
would cut the hose. Superintendent
Kelly estimates the loss to the county
by the fire at $4,000. None of the pris-
oners were burned, but several were al
most suffocated by the dense smoke
which filled the corridors. The fire
was finally extinguished by the police
with the Jail appliances.
The wounded are being cared for ut
the hospital, armory, and at their homes.
Kittredge, whose gun store was Quilted
by the mob, puts the damage at $4,000,
and will bring suit against the county
Tor the same.