Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-07
FIGHTING ron MS WIFE.
a Reign or Terror brought About
by Family Quarrel.

A Detroit special SAYS: Della Williams
was three years ago n handsome, happy
girl Of twenty. To-day she is lying crit
cally i'll and blind. Two families are
pitted against each other in deadly feud.
Two members Of one were compelled to-
day TO take refuge in flight to escape
lynching, and howliug crowd, half OF
it under liquors influence, broke into
her house. took Della half dead from her
bed, placed her in a sleigh, and drove
her four miles out into the country IN
the bitter cold, while those Of the mob
who stayed behind terrorized the town
the rest of the day. The case is peculiar
and has many interesting features
Nathan G. Branch lives four miles out
side of Williamson, Ingham county.
He is a prominent member Of the Central
Michigan Agricultural Society and a
man of wealth. Three years ago his
daughter Della married John Williams,
son of a retired farmer. A year later a
baby was born to them and the couple
moved TO Detroit. Not long after their
arrival there the young mother began to
be troubled with symptoms Of impair
ment of vision. She became alarmed,
and at her own request was taken to
her fathers home, near Williams
ton. Here she was attended by DIR.
J. J. DefendOrf at the request of her
husband, but later, DIR. Shanks, OF Ian
sing, at the request of Mr.. Branch, was
called into the case. This annoyed Mr..
Williams. and he soon left the Branches
10 live in town. Meantime his wife had
become almost blind, and Williams, dis
tracted at the thought that her isolated
position four miles from the village placed
her beyond the reach OF proper medical
care. determined to remove his wife to
his own home in the village. This the
wife's family positively refused to allow,
and the case became further complicated
by the fact that DR.. Shanks was OF one
medical school and Or. DefendOrf Of
another.
Then the community began to take
sides, and the contests, as first one doc
tor was called by the parents and then
another by the husband, were eagerly
noted. Finally Williams went to Branch's
house to ask his wife if she wanted to be
moved He was assaulted and thrown
out Of the house by his wife's brother
in.law. and not even permitted to see his
wife. He became desperate at once, and
by person and by letter rallied his
eight brothers, in themselves somewhat
formidable force The nine went yestcr
day 10 the Branch farmhouse and forci-
biz took away Mrs. Williams and the
bed on which she went to WILLIAMSON,
although the parents made vigorous re-
sistance The Branch family at once
made house-to-house canvass, reciting
a pitiful story OF the alleged abduction
and the cruelty of taking Mrs. Williams
four miles on her bed through the snow
and cold.
A great crowd was collected, and,
headed by Farmer Branch, the whole
party marched into the village thismom-
ing, Branch having previously secured
writ of repleyin for the bed. An officer
went TO the Williams house. The crowd
that followed and those already about
the house were composed largely of the
rinrntf from the town and surrounding
country, and many of them were drunk.
The officer demanded admittance to the
house and was refused. The crowd
burst in the door and was confronted by
the husband, Williams. He pleaded
with them not to rob him of his wife,
saving that the shock and fright would
XIII ner. He was Overpowered by
the mob, pitched head-first out in the
snow. and his hali-dead wife seized
and placed IN a sleigh and driven back |
to her fathers home. This didn't con-
tent the mob, however. Its blood vas
mp and yell went Up 50 lynch DIR. De
fendorf. who had been unlustly accused
of neglecting Mrs. Williams at a critical
period. Defenders sister-ln-law heard .
the cry. She ran over to the Doctors /
house and told him. He and brother 4
of the husband, VINO was III the house, at /
once stepped out the back door and dis
appeared. When the mob found that /
they had escaped its members were fu- /
rions. They went up and down the /
street howlt1g with rage and threatening (
to lynch every person connected with /
the case. A reign of terror prevailed in /
the village till this afternoon, when the I
mob dispersed.
1t is feared that the end of the affair /
has not boon reached. Some terrible /
charges are made against interested |
parties. Mr. Brauchs wealth is large |
enough, it is alleged, to tempt a despe-
rate man to violence, and the rumors 90
so far as to charge that an attempt has
been made to put out of the way one OF
the members Of the family. The right OF
John A. Williams to have control OF his
wife will be tested III the courts without
delay. The trouble has caused an i'm
mense sensation in Ingham county.