The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-04-03
Cinclnnati's Mad Mob.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND rEorLE INSANE.

FIFTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE INSANE.
CANNoNADING AND DYNAMITE BONES
THE STREET.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS BURNED-MEN An
WOMEN KILLED.
A terrible riot occurred in Cincinna
Friday night, caused by the verdict in ii
Berner murder case. The whole city was
a state OF wild excitement. The milital
and police were powerless. The Mond;
previous the trial of the case was co.
cluded.
| William Berner was charged with Il
murder OF William III. Kirk, a worthy an
most esteemed citizen. The tragedy o,
CURED over month since. Kirk. VIII
was quiet and inoffensive man. and M
known to have an enemy. was missing f.
two days. Search was instituted and hi
body found in mill-stream near the city
His head was crushed in, and there wa
every evidence that he had been robbie
and murdered. The affair caused th
most intense excitement.
Inc crime was traced to Joe Palmer an
Wllllam Berner, and they were arrested
Both confessed the crime. They said the
followed Mr.. Kirk to his stable and kille,
| MN by striking him on the head with
hammer. They then robbed him of $40
and put his body in covered wagon. whicl
they drove to Cummingsville. There the,
dumped it into the mill stream where i
was found. Threats of lynchine Wer,
made at the time, and the men were KEEP
under strong guard.
Soon after their arrest Bernerattemptet
to put the actual commission of the crime
upon Palmer. He said that Palmer die
the actual murder, while he only looked or
and got share Of the money. The tria
attracted great attention, the courtroom
being crowded to suffocaticn. Berner had
the most adroit counsel. The jury Mon.
day week returned a verdict in the case of
Berner, finding him guilty of granddaughter.
The verdict was declared privately by the
judge who tried the case to be an outrage,
and the jury were hooted after leaving the
courtroom and told that they would soon
be hanged.
The jurors were all hunted for and such
as could be found had to be rescued to pre-
vent them being lynched. The lawyers in
the case were also in danger.
On Friday night ten thousand persons
gathered at Music Hall in response to a
call by reputable citizens to take action on
the Berner verdict. Many could not get
inside the building Strong resolutions
were adopted eondemning the verdict, and
a committee On legislation was appointed.
Upon adjournment the vast crowd moved
directly to the. Jail where they began an
attack on the front door.
At $40 p. M, the riot alarm was sounded
summoning the entire police to the iail.
Vast crowds of people gathered in that
vicinity. Berner was removed after his
sentence, and sent to Columbus.
The police, upon arriving in the vicinity
OF the jail, commanded the band to move
on, and not being obeyed fired, but as no
one was hurt it was presumed they fired in
the air. 1t is said that that Was the in
tention of the police, they being deeply in
sympathy with the movement to condemn
the outrageous Berner verdict.
The city was under intense excitement
all day Saturday, and at 10 o'clock Satur-
day night while the streets were full of ex-
cited men and the crowd in the vicinity of
the Courthouse was surging in even
greater numbers than that which at
tempted to lynch the murderer the night
before the riot alarm was again sounded.
There had been indiscriminate firing on
the part of the mob for an hour The
militia returned the fire, but aiming their
guns over the tops of the buildings. Their
efforts to brighten the mob had no effect at
all. Just before the riot alarm was
sounded several dynamite bombs were
thrown into the jail-yard, They burst with
terrific force, An attack was made upon
the Treasury office in the Court house.
The doors were battered down and an
entrance effected 1t is supposed that
coal-oll was poured about the rooms. At
all events lire was started soon after
ward If bilrrn1 Aapoo1x off
building Is supposed to be fire-proof. The
Fire Department was called out, hut the
mob refused to permit the flremen to get
near the Courthouse. An effort was made
to set the armory on fire, but it was I'M
AT 1880 O'Clock the militia charged the
mob on Court-street. John J. DESMOND,
one OF the Captains of the First Regiment.
Ohio National Gurds, was shot dead. He
was young lawyer, and much respected.
Sergt. Malone and Private Mcclure were
killed in the same charge, and many were
wounded. The mob fell back, but fol-
lowed the militia when they returned to
the Jail.
Under date of March 80, special to the
New York Times says:
One of The fire companies tried to force
their way through the mob to the Court
AOuoS, puu UliCy WC1C QllNCu DdCh UlGClDl-
lately. The rioters then battered the
engine to pieces with axes. The Calling
gun was brought into play at IL O'Clock.
Six OF the mob went down on the first fire.
There We're wounded and dying men in all
,he drug stores and saloons in the vicinity
IF the Courthouse.
The people were wild with excitement. |
md left their houses with such valuables
Is they can carry through fear they would |
De burned out. The militia shot to kill |
A division Of the mob marched down |
Main-street to the gun stores of Kittredge /
Z Co.. and Powell & Co. They wanted |
more pistols and cartridges. A guard re-
sisted them and there was sharp firing in |
that vicinity. Aliens drug store, at the |
corner Of Fifth and Main streets, has been |
broken open and is full of rioters. It is |
not known what they are after, unless it is |
ng at music Hall for the purpose of taking |
measures for stopping the slaughter. It |
S understood that message will be sent |
% The Sheriff to surrender the jail. 1t is |
thought that 200 men have been killed or
wounded since 10 clock. The mob shows |
10 signs OF dispensing. The militia sta
Toned at the stations have marched to the |
Courthouse and are now in action.
MSdnSght.-The militia have withdrawn
nto the jail yard and the mob are holding
high carnival. 1t is almost a commune. |
The Courthouse is burnidg from cellar to
lone. The law library and Recorders
'fiice were broken open. and cords of books
md records piled up wherever there was
woodwork. The Courthouse was solid
trEcture three stories in height, and had
TODD rs years. 1t was built almost en-
irely of stone and iron. and was thought
o be fire-proof. The safe and vaults in
he TIeasurer's office will probably stand
he heat, but the records of the courts, the
auditor, and the Recorder are gone. I'm
old trouble will be caused. The mob are
cling with glee about the burning build
ng. The killed and wounded have been
arried in every direction, and it is impos-
lble to get lists. The estimate of 200 may
e large, and it may turn out to- he too
mall. The militia show no disposition to
esume the fight, unless they are followed
nto the jail yard. The hope now is that
he mob will not attempt to burn any other
uilding than the one in which justice was
0 traduced.
SUNDAYS WORK.
CINCINNATI, Quo, March 3O.--The
Genes of last night have had no parallel in
incinnati. Briefly grouped they are the
urning of the magnificent courthouse,
18th all it's invaluable records and splendid
Nv library the killing of y to 100 men,
omen and children, for many children
ere included in the death list the wound ..
lg of perhaps $50 persons, the robbery of
gun store and the arrival Of two rapi. !