Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-18
A NOES SWIFT VEyGEANCE.
Murderer FINISHED By Lunch Law-The Pre-.
sident OF Political Club Shot Gown as n
Procession Was Forming.


Murderer furnished by Lynch Law-The Pre-.
sident OF n Poiiticni Club Shot Gown as a
Procession Was Forming.
A Lacrosse (Wis.) special Of Thursday
says: +. a. Burton, president OF the Blaine
and Logan Club here, was shot dead by
man known as "Scotty" 1t 8 O'Clock this
evening, while tbe Republicans were form.
ing in procession on Main street. Seven
shots were fired In quick succession. The
murderer was arrested and hurried TO iail
before the immense crowd could re llZe
what had occurred.
As soon as the fact was made known
there was intense excitement, and hun.
drods OF men in Uniform and carrying their
torches hurried TO the courthouse yard
and demanded that the prisoner be htnded
over 10 them. Lynch him Lynch him +"
was the general cry. Hundreds OF men
then besiegrd the jail. Sheriff Scott.
Chief oi-Pollce Clar', and a posse OF
police stood at tue jail.door. trying
10 calm the iBluriated multitude. The
body OF Burton was taken 10 n drug
store. where IN examination showed That
life was extinct. Every shot took effect.
Those who stood near the scene say the
man advanced from The sidewalk TO within
4 few feet Of his victim and fired the first
bullet into his back, when Burton fell to
the pavement. THIS was followed with SIX
shots into the PROSTATE mans body and
head. " Scotty" then threw his revolver
at lis victim and gave him kick.
THE MURDERER LYNCHED.
All this WIS done in moment. and be-
lore any one could realize the situation.
Tho d, nfivn ~ fbn fnurfor naa NOT vas
come 10 light. MIR. Burton was managing
thc campaign In this section. The mob,
finding that they could not prevail upon
the authorities 10 surrender the prisoner.
1t 1G:4j o'clock procured cOld-chisels.
forced open the doors, and putting 4 rope
aTound the murdcrcr's neck, lynchcd him.
The officers were not able 90 stay the mob,
who refused 10 listen to argument. From .
O'Clock to 10 tie courthouse yard aud
square presented a scene winch bcgglrcd
description. Tie mob increased In numbers
until the entire space Oh the sides OF the jail
was dense mass 81 humanity, demanding
that the murderer be hung. Torches Jared
above sea Of Lcad>, aud white pluncs
moved rcSolutely about the square. The
best citizens in the place were present, and
watched the fearful scene with blanched
faces. but with no expression Of sympathy.
TIE LAST ScENE.
He was identified as the man who did the
shooting. and the officers, when appealed
TO, declared they had the right man. When
lie appeared from tine jail the door was
held up by men who had him in charge,
there was Il long end peculiar yell that went
through the trees and streets. Masking every
one for blocks away realize without any
further assurance that the awful retriDutiOn
bad been completed, but numerous men
were soon climbing 10 the branches Of trees,
end I'm minute one was selected. A rope
was thrown to man sitting on the first
strong limb, quickly attached, and every
thing made ready. and after a short pause
tie man S:ru3S up.
HOW TIRE JAIL WAS CARRIED.
There were hundreds Of women in The
thorCu9hfaTes aud walks about the Jail.
The excitement grew steadily In force and
the mob at last found leaders with cool
heads, who went methodically about taking
the man from prison and lynching him.
Eeams were procured. and in a short time
the heayily-bOited and barred doors OF the
Fourlh.street side OF Tue jail were battered
in by the crowd. which poured into the first
floor rooms. The sheriff aud assistants
succeeded in clearing tn. room the frat
and second time, but on the third rush
the mob overpowered them and held their
ground. The interior wooden doors OF the
cooking department yielded like 50 many
piaies Of glass. In the mean time the
heavy oik door leading to the main stair
Nav on the west side was battered down,
and the crowd bad fnll possession 81 the
main corridor. while this was going on
the crowd became almost colossal about
The place. but aside from the rush oil men
at tie Jail, the best Of order prevailed.
cool. EEs0LUTE CROWD.
There were no drunken men in the mob.
the whole work being done by resOlutc fell
lows. who decided 10 mal.c the murderer
pay the death penalty before they left the
square. Once in the corridor sledse-ham-
mers were used to break in the two heavy
iron doors that interviewed between
them and the ctll-roOm. These soon
yielded. and. - each advance was
the outside, and constant cheers OF en-
couI1gement went NO. The prisoner had
tcen confined in Cell No. 3, on the lower
corridor. and the crowd had little trouble
in finding their msn. lie Was taken from
the cell and dragged INTO the yard.
nv Associated Pr>-s.
Real Name OF tar bFncheh nIrdsreF'
LACROSSE, WIS. October 1.-THE real
name OF the man who was lynclIed last
night for the uuprOVOked murder OF Dir.
+. A. Burton was Nathaniel Mitchell lie
was employed az a riyermsn during the
summer and ~ woodsmsn in the winter.
He was q desperate character, and was adj
uicted 10 the Use OF hquOr. lie had been
boih in jail and the insane asylum. The
IL. L.. - ITrfnn l.
known. one theory Is that he mlst0ok
him for another person.
Suh.equ.Et Excitement What the MUIR
Gefer Intended TO do.
LACROSSE. WIS, October E.-Busine.S
was practically suspended here to-day, the
al-absorhing topic OF conversation beng
The terrible tragedy OF last night the muir
der OF Frank Burton. and the subsequent
iynching Of bis SLAYER, Nathaniel Mitchell.
Ii now appears that Mitchell intended.
If possible. 10 Kill 1T least two
more citizens, one OF whom was Charles 4.
Mcdonald. II was only question OF whom
he met first. lie was equipped with two
seli-cockiGg Smith & Wes,on reyolrer',
tnd fred them rs fast - the ticking OF
watch. Ex-Chief Of Police Hatch ii OFT OF
the city. hut the evidence points toward
MNcDcll as DelnS thf ii1u "uo ntVcuPV,N
his assassinstion several weeSsagO, and Only
left him when he supposed he was dead.
An inquest has been ordered, and large
number OF witnesses will be examined.
There seems to he no disposition to prose
cute any one. the general verdict being that
The ynchisg was q righteous execution.
The funeral Of Button will take place sun
dsy afternoon.
Governor Iievcland Af.cr tile Ovation'
fBy telegraph ~ the Dispstch.l
NEW YORK, October lit wa. l:3~
O'Clock this morning when Governor
| Cleveland returned TO the Fifth Ayeuu'