, 1888-12-13
A NIGHT OFHDEATH.
Fearful Slaughter of Life at
Birmingham.
TWENTY KILLED OR WOUNDED
Deadly Bullets for Lynchcrs Who Wanted
to Take v Murderer from an Ala
bama Jail.

BIaMtNauAM Ala, Dec. S.--Howes,
the supposed murderer OF his wife aud 90
sheriff to-day and placed in jail. There IL
strong talk of lynching.
At IL 80 p. NJ. mob made an attack
on the jail. As they approached the
alley.way to the Jail, the officers inside
called on them to halt, which they did not
do. The officers then fired with Winches.
ters and the pistols, and the firing was ter
rihc for fifteen minutes on both sides.
None of the officers were injured but over
twenty of the mob were killed or wounded.
Among the wounded are NJ. Throck-
morton. postmaster OF Biz IN, who
WAS endeavoring to persuade tue mob to
disperse; Adolph Shieb Of the Louisville
& Nashville railroad who was also
fatally wounded in the neck. The patrol
wagon carted of the dead aud wounded to
the hospital. Owing to the lateness of
the hour 1t Is impossible to obtain q list of
names of all the killed and wounded. The
fii ing WA com menced by the police, but
equally as many shots we're fired by the
mob. Over 500 rounds we're fired. The
sheriff and guards are now in possessi on
Of ali the streets leading to the Jail. In
SIDE of the Jail the bullets Rred by the
mob whistled around those confined there.
Your correspondent was on the in, ide and
bullets whistled within sn inch of his
head. Sheriff Smith gave the order to
FIRE. No further attack 10 anticipated.
A desultory fire was kept up for half an
hour. Howes was Indifferent throu ghout
the riot.
ST.. Louis, Dec. 8. 2 A. MA special
from Birmingham, Ala, to the Republic
says: At 1915 A. M. u mob attacked the
;at in uphteh HnUaa ua pOnHnQH for fh a.
purpose of lynching the murderer. When
the mob made a rush the GattliDR gun
WAS turned loose by order of Sheriff
Smith. and fifteen men fell, among them
Postmaster Throck morton and u spectator
named Charles Bailey. Many will die.
| The city is wild beyond expression aud
Howes will be lynched, it is said, before
| morning.
The crime for which the mob endeav-
| ored to take the life of Henry Howes to-
night was the supposed murder of his
wife and 2O-year-old daughter. The body
of the daughter was found about IA week
ago in pond with her throat cut and
weights attached TO her limbs. Suspi-
cions ut first attached to negro who had
been In the vicinity, but he proved his
innocence. At last it was discovered that
the wife of Howes was also miss
ing, and search failed to reveal
her whereabouts. A few days ago it was
said Howes was about to leave the coun-
had been suspected of being on intimate
terms, and he was arrested and placed in
Jail. From this time suspicion was di-
reoted to Howes and threats of lv ching
him ON the slightest proof have been
freely made. The finding of the
body OF his wife to-day ioaamed the
public mind and the attack OF the mob on
the Jail was the result. Although there
was nothing but circumstantial evidence
against him, all points strongly to bis
guilt. 1t is sand tonight another child Of
feared has been murdered like
the wife and eld,st I'D b c..
The scene here since the shootihs 10 /
of innocent citizens cannot be pictured
he citizens are utterly dumbionuded at
terrible outcome of toe affair, aud
Sneriif Smith is strongly ceusured Tor his
hdsty action.
The prisoner Howes was just seen in Jail
He said: Eyes, knew what the shoot
ing me mt. The crowd wanted my life,
and they can have it.
Howes is outwardly uuconcerned.
The people say they are In favor of law
but cannot see their best citizens shot
down in this way without protesting, and
tners are fully l5,0 900 people congrexated
{ The street, and further trouble is prob
{ -.
Howes still asserts his innocence Of the
crime with which he is charged. Two
military companies are now guarding the
Jail.
At 8 A. M. Howes was growing nervous.
and TO a reporter said: LET them kill
me if they will, | have nothing now 10
live for, but swear am innocent. |
must, however thank the officers for pro.
tecting me as they did,"
"What did you think when the shooting
was going onP' he was asked.
That ! was as willing to die that way
as any other"
A Republic dispatch from Birmineha ,
dated $3.50 A. M, says: 1t is positively
known that five men are fatally and seven
dangerously wounded, while quite a nun
ber received sighter WOUNDS. The ex.
citement has not abated in the least, and
there are strong threats of lynching the
sheriff and his posss of guards.
a A. NAT this hour crowds of people
are still on the streets, but the excite
n 10 seems to be subsiding. No further
cx on the Jail ia expected now. Guards
{ : patrolling in its vicinity constantly.