The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-12-13

q POWDER AND SAL.
& = Used Successfully, hut with Terrible
Results, Against . Mob Of would-Bs,
Lynchsrs ut Birmiugham, Ala,-AftsI
Refusing 70 Obey the waralug OF the
Omoials volley 10 Fired Into the
Midst OF the Rioters from Gatlins
Gun-Ntns Mon Lose Their Lives and
Many Arc Wounded-Great Excitement
Exists and tho City II Guarded BY Mil.
tis-Arrest OF tho Sheriff and Chief Of
Police ON Charge Of Murder-The
Brutal Murder which Caused the Trar.
edy.
ut midnight Saturday night to lynch Rich
ard Halves, In Jail on charge Of murder
Ing his wife and daughter, resulted in q
terrible tragedy. The alleged murderer
is unframed but score of citizens OF
Birmingham are killed and wounded. At IL
o'clock the mob made an attack upon
the jail Sheriff Smith twice warned them
back. 'Get back, men," he cried. II am 90
ing to do my duty and protect these pris-
oners" The mob howled in derision, and
above the din could be heard: 1--WE
don't want to hurt you, Smith, but
we must have that murderer" Then
there was great rush and Sheriff
Smith ordered the men handling the Cat
ling gun to fire. There was q terrific sc.
ries of reports, the mob staggered and
men began to fall on all sides. They hest
tated, and as the deadly bullets continued
to rain upon them with oaths and curses
they fell back in disorder.
As result of the murderous fire Of the
Calling gun nine lives were lost and
many persons were wounded. The names
of the dead are as follows:
NJ. B. Throckmorton, the postmaster; j. r.
Mccoy, fell ut the first volley; A. B. Tarrant,
was shot in the back; A. d. Bryant, vas shot
through the heart; Colbert Smith (coiored),
died this morning; Charles jenkins, aged 20,
OF Smithsfleld, shot through the head, died this
morning: - B. Anden, died this morning;
An unknown negro, shot through the lungs,
died this morning.
The wounded are as follows:
G. C. Tate, painter of East Lake, aged IS,
shot through the hip, thigh and loin, is dying;
Lawrence Fitzhugh, civil engineer, aged 30,
shoulder badly wounded; A. ]. Schiede, q me-
cuahlc 1oEWorAy Oh halam8ZOO, Mlcn, SnOC IN
the left side and it is thought he will dies j. II.
Montgomery, left jaw slightly wounded; Mr..
Berkeley shot through both legs below the
knee; c. Bailey, OF Boston, q Louisville & New
Albany brakeman, shot in the right side,
wound may prove serious; John n. Merritt,
shot through calf OF left leg; Matt Kennedy,
aged 80, shot through both legs, right leg shat
tered, left arm broken; J. W. Owen, a carpen.
ter. aged 50, shot through right thigh; J. W.
Gilmore n nu1ot f0
be fatally wounded; Albert Smith (colored)
seriously wounded in the back; w. A. Byrd,
aged So shot In right shoulder, the ball emery.
ing near the spinal cord.
Postmaster Throckmorton was very
popular citizen. He was born at Louis
vile, KY, thirty years ago and came to
Birmingham in 1880 as agent for the
Southern Express Company: About eight
cen months ago he was appointed post
master He leaves q wife and one child.
A. B. Tarrant after the first
volley, lay down on the ground
with the hope of avoiding the fly
ing bullets. Fate would not have it
so, however, and a ball struck him as he
lay on his face and ranged up the back.
After few minutes suffering he died.
Mr.. Branden, one Of the dead, told hos
pital attendant that he boarded at
the house of the sheriff of Etowah
County at Gadshea and that he
came here on business in the United
State Court. Mr.. Berkeley, one of the
wounded. was sitting on the rear por Oh of
w. Siddons' residence when shot Will
lam Youngblood, Mr.. Alexander and Ed
ward Cooper, first reported as either
killed or wounded, were not hurt. A. d.
Bryant fell at the first volley. He was
no ~ <ho
ing to restrain the mob at the time
The patrol-wagon carted of the dead and
wounded to the hospital. The firing was
commenced by the police, but equally as
many shots were fred by the mob. Over
500 rounds were fired. Inside the Jail the
bullets fired by the mob whistled around
those confined there. A reporter was on
the inside, and bullets whistled within an
inch OF his head. A desultory fire was
kept up for half an hour. HAYES was in
different throughout the riot
The defenders of the sheriff declare that
Saturday nights work will prove val
liable though tragic lesson to mobs. The
public is not inclined, however, to look
philosophically upon it and nine citizens
out of every ten in this city openly de
nOunce the shooting as an awful crime.
Men were shot down, they say, who were
neither members nor meters to mob ven
geance. Their dead bodies when examined
were not loaded down with artillery and
none present saw any Of the killed do any
act Of violence or commit any offense that
could be construed either as crime or in.
tent to commit crime Throckmorton had
no pistol and was endeavoring to induce
the crowd to withdraw. It is gen.
orally declared that the recklessness
AMI haste OF the sheriff in Civ.
ing the command to fire was assassina,
ton, and it is claimed on all sides that the
immense gathering at the Jail was not for
the purpose at all of forcing the doors, but
rather mob which gathered out OF curios
ity, and that there was never any real
danger of assault. The alleged crime OF
Halves has almost disappeared from the
public mind, and the indignation expressed
is directed against Sheriff Smith End the
posse who fired the fearful volley.
The city is a military encampment. Civil
authorities have practically stepped down
and out, and Colonel Jones, of Mont
gomery, with ten military companies,
is absolutely in charge OF affairs.
The jail IS guarded by State troops,
with picket lines extended several
squares in every direction and at each
0PpAo<ANA VuCI0 AIO"uS u OotUlluE gun.
Mounted scouts are sent out of the city
and at regular intervals acquaint Colonel
Jones with the condition of the public
mind and prospects Of an armed rising by
the people. Fire bells sound military
alarms and soldiers in uniform and armed
with Winchester rifles have desolated the
principal streets and driven back the thou.
sands who have all day been looking to-
ward the jail. The military were ordered
out by Governor Seay from Montgomery,
and with the Chief Executive Colonel
Jones is in regular telegraphic correspond.
ence. Eve more companies of troops arc
expected here.
In the meanwhile the citizens have no,
kept within doors. They have congre
gated in hotels or on street corners and in
front of bulletin boards. Some of the
streets have been Living, maddened mass
Of people. and very little oratorical
pyrotechnics could readily organize
q mob TO avenge the killing of Throck.
morton and those who fell by him. All
along the walls of the city are posted pc
tititions OF various kinds signed by thou