McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-23
KILLED BY A RUFFIAN.
The President of n Political Club Issassinated
Tile Murderer Rescued from. the Jail
and Hung.

me fTrS'deHfO OF a Potfftcdt Cfub fssdSstsiufcd
Tile Murderer Rescued from the Jail
and Hung.
LACROSSE, Wis, Oct. 16.-T. A. Bur-
ton, president of the Blaine and Logan club
here, was shot dead by ruffian known as
"Scotty," at o'clock this evening, while the
republicans were forming in procession on
Main street. Seven shots were fired in quick
succession. The murderer was arrested and
hurried to jail before the immense crowd could
realize what had occurred. As soon as the
fact was made known there was most intense
excitement, and hundreds of men in uniform
and carrying their torches hurried to the court
house yard and demanded that the prisoner be
handed over to them. Lynch him." Lynch
himn' was the general cry, and there were
hundreds of men besieging the Jail. Sheriff
Scott, Chief of Police Clark and posse of
police were at the Jail door trying to calm the
Infatuated multitude. The body of Mr.. Burton
was taken to a drug store, where an eXamina-
ton showed life to be extinct, every shot TAX
ing effect. Those who stood near the scene of
the murder say the man advanced from the
crowd on the sidewalk to within few feet of
his victim and fired the first shot into his back.
Mr.. Burton fell to the pavement and the muir
derer followed with six shots into his body
and head. He then threw the revolver at his
victim and gave him kick SAYING: s'That Is
the son of a b that knows me and that have
been looking for" or words to that effect.
All this was done in moments time and be-
fore any one could realize what had happened.
Burton was broker and commission merchant
for |. H. Lowry & Co., of Milwaukee, and was
one of the best known men and most promi-
nent Young business men in the northwest. He
was chosen president of the Blaine and Logan
| q md m mo
paign in this section. The motive of the muir
derer is not known. He is said to be a des-
perate character, who has followed the river
for living. He has served term in states
prison After throwing the first revolver at
his VICTIM it was found that he had another
in his pocket but he was arrested before he
had an opportunity to use it. The deceased
leaves wife and three children.
LATER-The officers were not able to stay
the mob who refused to listen to arguments.
From 9 O'Clock to 10 the court house square
presented scene that beggarcd description.
The mob increased in number until the entire
space on three sides of the Jail was dense
mass OF humanity, demanding that the muir
derer be hung. The torches of the men flared
above the sea of heads aud white plumes moved
resolutely about the square. The best citizens
OF the place were present and watched the fear
full scene with blanched faces, but with no eX-
preston of sympathy. There were hundreds
OF women in the thOrOughfarcs and walks
about the jail. The excitement grew steadily
in force and the demand at last found leaders
with cool heads, who went mcthodically about
taking the man from the prison and lynchins
him. Beams were procured, and in a short
time the heavily boltCd and barred doors
on the Fourth street side OF the Jail were
battered in, and the crowd poured into
the first floor rooms. The sheriffs and
assistants succeeded in clearing the rooms the
frst and second time, but on the third rush the
mob overpowered them and held their ground.
The interior wooden doors of the cooking de
partmcnt yielded like so many plates of glass.
In the meantime heavy oak door leading to
the main stairway on the west side was batter
ed down, and the crowd was in full possession
of the main corridor. While this was going on
the crowd about the place became almost
colossal, but aside from the rush of men mt the
Jall the best OF order prevailed. There were
no drunken men in the mob. Once in the cor
rldor, siedge hammers We're used to break in
the heavy iron doors two in numncr that in !
tervened between them aud the cell room.
These soon yielded, and g. each advance was |
made the crowd on the outside were appraised |
ana constant cheers of encouragement went |
up. The prisoner had been confined in cell |
No. 8, on the lower corridor. and the crowd |
had little trouble in finding their man. He |
was taken from the cell, dragged into the yard |
and identified as the guilty man. When he |
appeared from the iail door he was held up by |
the men who had him in charge, and there was
one long, pcculiarycll. A number of men were
seen climbing to branches of trees, and in a
minute one was selected and a rope thrown to
the man sitting on the first strong limb quick
ly attached and everything made ready for the
execution. AT this point in the proceedings
there was pause. Among the leaders were
some who wanted the murderer to make a
statement, and while Others. more impetuous,
urged immediate action. The murderer de
cllned to say any thing except that he
was the man who shot Burton. At this
luncture the cry went round pull
up" '.Hang him. Don't let him live a
minute longer" 1t was understood that the
Light Guard company of the Third regiment
Of Wisconsin national guard had been ordered
out to charge the mob, and there was an i'm
preston that the execution would he prevented.
No rally of the guard whatever was made. The
mob seized the rope and made strong pull,
out the murderer freed his hands and the rope
broke before he was raised from the ground.
In less than five minutes new rope was
thrown over the heads of the crowd and fell
within few feet of the executiOners. This
vas adjusted, his hands and arms firmly tied,
md in another moment he was hanging in the
lir with his face closely pressed against the
limb of the tree and the terrible tragedy was
)ver. The body was left hanging only few
minutes and then taken down Iifeless and left .
II charge of the sheriff.
It was learned at a late hour that the mur-
ierer's true name was Nathaniel Mitchell, and
lldt lc Was IL river WHO NOThcu III tllC 4
woods during the winter. Mitchell was re- ,
)uted to be a desperate character, who fire. I
luently went on terrible sprees, and had been .
10Th in Jail and in the insane asylum. 1t is s
aid that two years ago, when Mr. Burton was =,
cting surveyor of customs here, Mitchell fire. /
Iuently impOrtuned him for hospital certifi-
ates, and Burton peremptorily refused, tellin~ ,
Mitchell to stop drinking and he would not :
iced the attention of the marine physician. :
The theory is advanced by few that Mitchell q
bought he was killing another man. '
Protecting the Ballot Boz. I