The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-05

the tunnel. Nunn leli, plerceu ny iouI DatiS.
Won Seggern was shot in the side of the head,
and several of the militia were shot by their
own guns.
This voley had the effect of clearing the
Jail, but for two hours thereafter efforts were
made on the outside to destroy the building
A barrel of coal oil was poured down into the
lower part of the Jail and set on fire, but the of
fcers within managed to extinguish the flames.
The keepers office furnished some wood, and
that was also fired but, as the jail is mainly
stone and iron, this effort was futile. The
crowd threw stones and fred pistols promis-
cuously at the windows, and the militia fred
from the windows at the crowd. Sheriff
Hawkins tried to control this firing by order
ing that no more than one man should fire at
the time, and then only to brighten, not to kill,
but the men were uncomfortable, and fired at
the crowd, doing deadly work.
On Saturday circulars were distributed call
ing for the organization of vigilance COM
mittees, to consist of 300 members in each
ward. 1t was anonymous, and read as fol-
lows:
Public safety demands immediate actioni Organ
ize in every ward Heal sores by purifying the
body Serve notice to criminals, criminal lawyers,
gamblers and prostitutes to leave Hamilton county
within three days and remain away forever or suf-
fer the penalty. So long as the present clique of
criminal lawyers that nfest the CITY are permitted
to remain and corrupt juries. outrage justice and
lung Will
be murdered our property destroyed and protection
by the law be denied Make one clean sweep while
we are at it. vigilance committee OF 800 in each
ward composed of the best citizens, can, by earnest
work, cleanse the moral atmosphere in three days.
Organize at once and serve notice to all dsreputable
characters in the ward to- leave and never return:
The reputation of the city demands change, or
wickedness will reign supreme.
On Friday, while taking Berner to the PEN
itentiary, efforts were made at several stations
on the railroad to take him from the officers.
The prisoner was finally disguised and placed
in charge of two newspaper reporters while the
officers went to another car and pretended to
be looking for him.. giving out the idea that
Berner had escaped.
BURNING OF THE COURT HOUSE. r
By delay of the train bringing additional
militia, the mob on Saturday night burned the
court house.
At 10 o'clock the first genuine appearance
of renewed trouble was indicated by the crowd
which at that time began to force down On the
platoons of police at Court and Main streets
They were repealed by volley of blank car
tridges, which were discharged from the pa
trolmen's navy skies. Some of the more
timid took fight, but the great number only
wavered, and in few moments pressed for
ward again, when second volley was dis
charged. A few scattering militiamen appear
ed in the throng intent upon joining their
cries of ''Kill them ~ "Kill theml" came up
from the mob, followed by volley of stones
and other missiles, which were hurled at them
as they passed in.
No attempt thus far had been made to keep
the crowd out of Main street, the purpose only
being to keep them from passing east on Court
street, as it was not suspected that any attack
was contemplated on the courthouse. Sud
denly crashing of glass was heard in the
vicinity of the treasurer's office, to the left of
the main entrance to the courthouse on Main
street, and moment later flames began to
roll out through the broken doors and win
dows, lighting up the streets around. When
the immense throng witnessed this new scene
cheer after cheer went up from the multitude.
An attempt to call out the fire department to
stay the work of the flames proved futile.
The department refused to respond until they
should receive an escort oftroops. The scene
now was thrilling one-the entrance to South
Court street and North Court street at Main
were guarded by platoons of police, In front
of them was the bowling mob cheering the
flames as they leapcd higher and higher.
From the canal bridge on the north to Eighth
street on the south, Main street was one dense
mass of human beings, while facing the court
house leading west Court street for two squares
distant as far as Vine was filled with people
FleWlilS Tic awful
There was no organization of the mob.
There were not more than 200 or 900 active
participants in the deeds of violence. It was
purposeless, whimsical body, acting upon
impulse and with no leadership, and the
merest tyro in management could, with the
troops in the Jail uselessly employed in trying
to.protect the murderers there confined, have
easily cleared the street and saved the court
house.
A would-be leader, big heavy German ON
Main street, shouted; Boys, follow me.
Let's go around to the Jail yard gate and burst
it open" A yell went up from those around
him, and about fifty men and boys, many of
them carrying clubs, axes, hammers and
broomhandles, formed in line and went around
North Court street, followed by the surging
crowd. They were met by a Holley from the
soldery, and pellmell they went, heads low,
brandisbing their weapons. Two of them
were seen to fall. A lighted torch had scarce
ly been applied to the court house when Capt.
j. }. Desmond, Capt. Devine, Sergeant Nc
Lean and private Mcclure with detachment
of militia game from the court house rotnnda
hurrying to the treasareF's office with o view
to saving the public property. AS they APP
peared in view bullet from the mob went
crashing through Desmond's head, killing him
instantly. Sergeant Mclean, of the first COM
pany D, was shot in the shoulder, and private
Mcclure was shot through the lung,
As the flames of the courthouse spread the
crowd in the street grew denser and denser,
and as the flames went eaping into the second
floor terrific volley of mpsketry was heard
from South Court street, where barri0ade
had been built, and behind which the militia
had laid on their arms The crowd had forced
its way past the police, and was approaching
the muskets of the militia, when the deadly
storm of lead put the crowd to flight, and they
ran toward Main street for their lives. The
heat from the burning building had now be-
come intense, but driven before the volley
the crowd rushed into the scorching heat,
which was so intense that they were forced
to get down on their hands and knees and
crawl. Man after man was seen to reel and
fall
IA the crowd retreated twelve men were
shot, six fatally, ana ipprelations and degun-
Citations were cried out in wild confusion,
''Set the armory on fire - Burn the town.
skill the soldiers ~ The cool and collected
portion of the crowd Was constantly carrying
away the dead and dying to drug stores in the
neighborhood, to private houses and to patrol
wagons that were kept busy running back and
forth to the dead house and the various hos
pitfalls. Records thrown from the burning
courthouse were picked up by the infuriated
people and hurled back into the ilames TO De
consumed. A dead man picked up, unidenti-
fed, had in his pocket new memorandum
book upon which had just been written,
"Many poor men will not work to-day"
THE LATEST.
Dispatches on Wednesday represent the
city as quiet, and business progressing. There
is still great feeling of uneasiness, but 1t will
pass off in few days. 1000 men have been
Temporarily sworn in as special police.
The exact number of dead and wounded
will probably never be ascertained, ON account
of many of the wounded being carried away
by their friends. But the number OF those
killed outright, or dying at the hospital up to
midnight last night is ~, as shown by the
records of the city undertakers and the
hospitals, and such information from those
taken home as could be had. The Number
of wounded. compiled from the same sources
is 1856, and there are probably half as many
more wounded not reported