The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-31
RULE OF THE MOB.
RedIam Loose in the Streets OF the
Queen City.
The Mob Undertakes TO Execute Qdick
Vengeance.
A Night of Terror the End of an
Indignation Meeting
Furious Rioters Mt Close Quarters
with the ssiIitia--T.se Victims.
An Attempt to Hang Berner Fooled, and
the Mob Beaten--The Jail Fired
Details of the Riot--Berner's
Escape and Reeapture.

CINCINNATI, March %. Ten thousand citi-
zens, recognizing no law IN opposition TO that
of Judge Lynch, inaugurated and sustained
q reign of terror here which has known no
parallel in the annals of mob vengeance in
western city. The quieter scenes of the
morning have yet in no measure ahated the
excitement and CONSERVATION oacasioned
by the disastrous consequences of
one night of mob law The
cause of the calamity seems utterly
insignificant in comparison with its results.
William Berner the self-confessed accom-
plice in the murder of William H. Kirk, who
was killed in his livery stable, robbed of 500
in money, and dumped into Mill creek, was
given twenty years in the panitentiary In
dignation was aroused A mass meeting in
Music hall was called by reputable citizens.
The meeting was conducted in an orderly
manner, and adjourned without extraorli-
nary excitement being engendere1. But the
audience on reaching the street chung to-
gether and was so0a augmented by hundreds
and thousands Of noisy mea and boyS-the
raw material of which mobs are made.
Soon a voice said This way; to the jail! .
to the jail" The words were passed from
mouth t. mOu til ami the raw material was
soon afiame
ITO tho jaiIl7 was the cry raised in uniSor
from a thousand threats, and the mob was
ripe. Responses to the cry We're echoed from
all parts Of the city, and in less thln half an
hour from the adjournment Of an orderly
meeting at the Music hall the vicinity of the
jail and county building was swarming with
crowd all .s2nt on lynching the murderer.
a rihei blacksmith shop provided
weapons and implements for the ring
Leaders An improyised huttmE-
ram broke in windows ana
doors; the crowI yelled like demons. An
inner door was forced: me moo dehlafi'tlate,I
the'r approval ~ caring up the streets and
smashing every Wi4'io" VITA the ahhnni-
ton thus secured Al leng'n the JAIL was
brok n 10 tha cell doors, and every corridor
wa tilei with shouting and swearing
lyncher5, who tore at the bars AMI gratings
like wild beats. Sheriff Hawkins and a few
DEPUTIES inside We're poweriess IN the hands of
the mob. but were no. assaulted or iil-traatcd
An entrance was now effected and the mob
burst into the corridor. Some one shouted:
| INheie IS Herne-s cel!| and the reply came
| back No - That number was found
without any trouble, and the mob commenced
to batter ar the door Ingalls, cell was also
attacked The mill ia now began to fire
from above, ana tile mob waS arrested in lis
fury and began II fetreatsulianly. Some Of
the militia were wounded. Corporal Cook,
Of company !, was shot in the chest,
and another private was shot through the
ear and another in the mouth They were
carried to Court street ar1nory and their in
Jul1eS attended to.
Several police officers were badly wounded
Ofncer Phi Num- was shot III two places
and was taken to Dr.. MilleF's Office, OF
Eighth street. Officer Won SeggaTn was aiSs
badly wounded, but not fatally. Offical
Adam Mechley was struck on the head wi+b
brick and knocked senseleSs
: Some OF the crowd now attacked the jail
residence, tearing out the windows and per
forming other acts OF obstruction. All the
doors OIL the residence We're shlasned IN ana
tLe IRON sia'lhso vclh ou1 oi oeht Ill al ulfec-
tons by the force OF the giant blows brought
to bear on them
AT II O'Clock the people were IN full posses
sion OIL the lower reception room oil the Ja'l
ioF the second tline. pIa"hy ieHo"'
oiackSlliCii, was at WORK Win q sic 'ge-hala-
lller upon Tue roh-OaFFea gaze leaainS 10 the
ceil-pooil' II gave sfdiudiiy putSuFeiy before
What seemed heEcuisan sfength, AS oar by
par was shaVtered cheeIs arose from Tue
crowd III 1le fecep1lon-rooh ana Jah-yaEa'
ana We're taken up ny the crowd OUTSIDE
ne iatUer no" packet oyca more SVreet from
euro 10 eurp' ana NorVh ana Soath court
streets were I'ehse WIN humanity bohiires
Whlch hai heeh started IN the Jall-yafds
hared up on shattefe'' Window5 ana broken
shutters winch were IN turh wrenched from
6lielr hinges 10 iced the flames.
. lIe IRON sd'e s'"uu'ny gaVe WY dt"
.lleliS "e'lV u.s. 20 ODo pa " "oi
ii '0 uii1 49, a. ~ 'tiNo POSSESSION
vi Inc ce'i-rooi,' ls'ty Oh ioFCy cltlzeh-soi
ulelS VINO u, h''u oetii Drought up eohiLlehcea
70 i're' Inc result was, BESIDES 1ne distress
ing clSuaiCies' 10 give tne ponce lor 1he mo
inent at least, moral control ihey took
ulVahCSge Vi tuiS anu cleared the Jan
through 'ne sycamore street. entrances,
WI Wne anne Inne wounded were ,rT taken out
S ~ na.a., So e"S III, ine o1o"p
. Lo,, % o - iis' VIZ many VI
Oioii 'e,in'u " 'liiiin was WIN ol'ihA cart
iluseS' Slowly anu Sullehiy' al no tliie seem
ny paaiG-sIliGAe' ouD az d. sies eyIuenIy
recognized leaders.
Unable to find the cell which contained
their prey the mob yielded moment to their
disappointment and despite the fury
| of those outside were partially dis
persed by a squad of police. which
had been stationed in the tunnel which
e'lI1 u oliI que Jaii ~ 'u0 court HOUSE; Du'
~. .Il onn oIo"r out'"ac' VINO were spiiIIin9
cueii 'h[oa's ho"iihS ioi tne murderer Ihe
jan "ouia nave "een cie,ireu' nose out
9l'ie' however were no' 10 pe pacilleo' lhey
gre" nercer III ciieif uelianus each moment,
lnu Sno, Wy peIoio nii'inisn' ,ne lire peis
sUl uoN Co lloy s.illn n "a hui!loeI Vi patroI
"pone 70 05 scehe 'ii,r'y Vi iofly