Omaha daily bee., 1884-03-31
A MOB OF MANIACS.


IyOuik lhWlbT vi Hlutil DEOIllSt, " 0Il
looking soldier, the pride of his regiment
and n whose loss on every account i
deeply deplored. There was no use nov
in trying to stop the incendiaries. The,
went from office to office starting fires
and in a few minutes, with the window.
all broken out in the side, the
COURT HOUSE FLOWED III A FURNACE,
The fire engines were powerless, first
because the firemen refused to go on
without an escort of troops, and, second
because the crowd could easily have Gu,
the hose and prevented the use of en-.
gines, so the fire had its way. O0ic,
after office was reached by the flames
and as the floors crashed and fell the
crowd cheered.
II BAp MANAGEMENT
Of Sheriff Hawkins has been again anG
again commented on to-day with refer
ence to the loss of this building. Al
immense veranda, with huge stone col
umns reaching from the top of the first
story tc the roof, and commanding Mair
street and Court street, formed a place
where twenty mon in safety could have
cleared the whole space with two volleys,
and could have made certain death OF
any man coming within range More.
over, the
ATrAcK OF IL TREAsURER's OFFICE
was made, it would have been but the
work of q minute to have sent three
times twenty men to all the front win.
dows of the court house building and
driven the mob away. Instead, poor
Desmond, with a mere squad, was sent
to the first floor to put out the fire, and
he was sacrificed. 1t was the gallant
work of Col. Freeman's Fourteenth regi-
ment that finally cleared the streets and
gave the authorities control of the entire
space about the court house and Jail.
Col. Hawkins had evidently misunder-
stood the
MOTIVES OF THE MOB.
He thought the prisoners in Jail was their
objective point, whereas, if they had any
purpose at all it was to take revenge on
the militia for the previous nights reck-
less firing. Colonel Hawkins, therefore,
had given his whole attention to the pro.
lection of the Jail and prisoners. His
opportunities for knowing the exact stu
ton were not good and he had reason to
expect assistance earlier from outside
troops.
IL FOURTEENTH REGIMENT
was expected at 8 o'clock. 1t was nearly
IL o'clock when they reached
the court house. The Fourth
regiment was a total failure. 1t marched
to Eighth and Walnut and then marched
back to the depot. 1t was afterward
ordered to march to join the other troops
at the Jail, but the colonel stated that the
troops had scattered and he could not get
them together. 1t was after all posi-
bility of doing any good had passed when
these troops finally joined the rest of the
command. The conduct of Col. Mott
will probably be the subject of an inves-
tigation. So far as is now known the
failure of this command was not attrib-
utable to any indisposition of the men to
do their duty. The united testimony of
men who had opportunities of observa.
ton was that from 200 to 800 men COM
posed the bulk of the
VIOLENT AND ACTIVE RIOTERS,
and that they were not fully armed.
They were stimulated by the cheers and
presence of others, but the general opin-
ion is that a very little amount of gener-
alship would have been sufficient to put
them to flight. This is strikingly proven
when the attack was made on Powell's
gun store, about midnight. The first
man who entered was shot dead, the Sec
ond shared the same fate, and the third
was severely wounded. An effort was
then made to burn the building, but the
proprietor from an upper window fred a
we'll. directed shot, and the effort was
given up. 1t was shown later, when
another portion of the mob got
CANNON FROM MUSIC HALL
and were met and overcome by a squad
of thirty policemen who captured the
cannon and took it up to the Jail, and
turned it over to the militia, inside the
Jail that 9 were spiritless. The moi
at no time made an impression on any
part of the building, unless by light,
harmless missiles. The troops were ly.
ing ON their arms, taking such rest al
they could get, when not called for spe
cial duty. The police, worn out, were
also lounging about in such a manner al
was most comfortable, though they hac
frequent calls for special duty. TIL,
prisoners were locked in cells trembling
with fear. Not one slept through tn
night. To-day
II GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION
impresses everyone. Everywhere solem
mtg prevails. The appalling loss of prop
erty and frightful destruction of lif
brings the people to a realization of tn
awful calamity. If anything could in
tensify the honest Indignation directe,
against the first cause of this outbreak
the revelations of this morning does il
There was a notable absence of mer
curiosity seekers focking to the scene to
day. The place seemed to be regarde
, with dread, and at noon, even when tn
/ weather was delightfully."- pleasant, Their
was not as much travel on the streets i
, that vicinity that is usual on ordinar
Sundays.
THE ENTIRE STATE MILITIA ORDERED OUT
COLUMBUS, March 30.-Gov. Hoat
ley's official advices from members of h
staff in Cincinnati tonight are such thu
he has ordered every military organic
; ton in the state to report ut Cincinna
Immediately. seven regiments in all, an
five batteries. The governors advice
when he retired at five o'clock this NOR,
/, ing, were such that they would
needed, and he ordered all to ba read
for marching orders. Most Of them wei