Omaha daily bee., 1884-03-31
Policeman Phil. Mum, dead.
DIR. Arthur Bantillier, arm shattered.

Policeman Phil. Num-, dead.
DIR. Arthur Bantillier, arm shattered.
Henry Yaeger, SLIGHT.
John Griffith, fatal.
Martin Rafferty,, fatal.
@. l.. Bartling, serious.
Lawton, slight.
Donnelson, slight.
Mike Hole, slight.
Adolph Busser, slight.
Cyrus Johnson slight.
Reid, slight.
j. A. Leonard, slight.
Jack Bergman, slight.
VIM. Minner, slight.
Mary Smith, fatal.
Geo. Miller, serious.
A maj from Virginia, seriously wounded,
refused to give name.
HOW IT STARTED.
AS the meeting at the music hall al
journed last night the attention of the
people was attracted by a short young
man who cried out "To the Jail, follow
me and hang Berner." Although there
might have been an intention to organ
ize a mob, this was the first time it found
vent in decided expression. The cry
rapidly and the crowd around the
jail 500 reached ten thousand
people. There seemed to be about 200
men in the lead, who took tho initiative
in all steps, but said little. AS soon as it
was learned in the jail that a mob was
outside Sheriff Hawkins called up Fire
Marshall Bunker by telephone, and the
riot alarm was sounded. The sheriff and
posse made all preparations to repel the
attack. On the way to the jail the mob
secured a long, heavy scantling and used
it as a battering ram, They began ope-
rations ON the north outside door, and
made a hole large enough
TO ADMIT A MANS BODY
through which the mob crowded, thick
and fast, and about fifty mounted the
stairs. Here they were met by a detail
of police and the sheriff and forced back
into the Jail office. By this time che mob
outside had procured a long, heavy
board, and placing it in an iron
railing in front of the Jail. pushed
it through the window into the second
story, with this they broke out the entire
sash and inside shutters and scrambled
into the apartment of Tailor Brady. This
successful move encouraged the crowd
who made a rush for the south door lead
ing to the street from the second story,
| which is here on a level with the pave
ment. This soon gave way and the mob
went through lin great numbers. The
sherif's force consisted of 13 men. When
the mob entered they were withdrawn
hastily into the Jail proper, leaving be-
tween them and the mob the heavy grated
iron door which separates the reception
room from the cell room. This is at the
foot of the stairway leading up to the
cell room. The reception room was Jam.
med and the mob kept calling
''GIvE Us DERNER; GIVE US JOHNSON"
and so on through the list of murderers
confined in the jail. There seemed to
be no leader. Finally a tall, muscular
negro began to give orders, and the mob
quickly obeyed. A space was cleared
and a plank used as battering ram brought
to bear against the iron door. Behind
the door stood Sheriff Hawkins and his
men with drawn revolyers. The sheriff
said calmly that it meant death to enter
that door. The crowd wavered a moment
and hesitated. Then the colored leader
gave word tc swing the plank. He wal
instantly obeyed, and the gate tremblet
with the shock.
A MIGHTY SHOUT WENT UP,
The second stroke from the batterinl
ram made the gate weaken perceptably
the third loosened its bolts and 1t heV
open. Sheriff Hawkins had instructed