The Colfax chronicle., 1888-12-15
mo. 5.

-. - :. IS.
dark for him to see that the crowd
was virtually unarmed and unpre-
pared, but there can be no doubt
that he was thoroughly terror
stricken.
/ have already stated that when
the discovery of Mrs. Hawes' body
was announced the people crowded
into the streets. / should judge
that by z o'clock in the evening
fully 1000 to 5000 had gathered
around the front of Lockwood y
Miller's place, all in state of
the widest excitement Everyone
talked of lynching Halves, but it
was soon seen that the police were
ready to resist any such attempt,
and call was made for meeting
at the gas works, where the matter
could be discussed and q course of
action decided upon Before the
crowd moved of, however, . Mo-
bile drummer mounted an impro-
vised stand and harangued the
crowd, urging them to lynch
Hawes. The police rushed him of
to the city prison, but his friends
were SO clamerous for his relase
and threatened the destruction Of
the jail if he were not given up,
that he was soon set liberty.
About 5000 people gathered at the
gas works in response to the call.
In the crowd were Major Kennedy
and the proprietor of the Evening
News These two gentlemen made
addresses of some length, pleading
with the crowd to do no violence
and urging the people to disperse
quietly. They reminded them OF
the armed guards at the courthouse
and Jail and warned them that
some one would be killed If the
Jail was attacked These words
divided the crowd Some declared
themselves in favor of allowing the
law to take its course, while othera
still cried out for vengeance and
insisted that the jail should be
attacked.
Finally about fifty men struck
of up Second avenue, in the direc-
ton Of the city, bounded for the
Jail. The number was augmented
at almost every step until It reached
nearly 5000 persons, all infamed
with passion. This force marched
down to the alley by which the en-
trance of the jail is reached from
Twenty-third street. In this alley
100 or more men joined the attack
ing party and all pressed forward
eargerly for the Jail.
Suddenly a rife shot, fired into
the air from the roof of the jail.
rang out. / am certain it was fired
into the air as / saw the flash plain
ly from where / stood in the alley.
The crowd started to run, but
some one calling out that it was
only blank cartridge halted the
stampede and the crowd reforming
started back to the Jail As the
crowd again advanced the sheriff
raised his pistol in the air and fred
upward, and this, / presume, was
the concerted signal for the volley,
which followed Immediately. / am
certain that there was no signal
but the pistol shot There is no
means of communication between
the Jail and the courthouse except
by traversing of the vacant lot
As the crowd pressed forward on
the second advance they laughed
aloud and called to the guards
"shoot If you dare" Several men
crying ''they are only blank car
tridges," started running up the
alley again. I saw two Of this par
ty shot, one being struck in the
middle of the forehead and killed
outright After the second volley
an irregular fire was kept up for
about minute, and then the guards
fred single shots whenever . man
showed himself for about 6ftsen
minutes.
Gradually the crowd struggled
into the center of the city after the
repulse of the attack. Every ono
was loud in his denunciation Of
Sheriff Smiths conduct and q num-
Der of the best citizens openly
threatened to kill him on sight
1t was then proposed to 60 to
the powder-house in the suburbs,
get the dynamite and blow the jail
and its occupants up, but wiser
counsel prevailed and no further