Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-05
A Murderer Taken From the Jail
and Swung to a Tele-
graph Pole.
His Hands Yet Moist With the Blood of a
Prominent Oitzen-He Confesses
His Guilt.
In the Morning, Discovered by a Mr..
Rogers in His House, he Shoots Him
in Cold Blood-OHcers Powerless
to Stay the Mob's Violence.

| TOPEKA Kan, J une A terrible crime
was committed here at 4 o'clock this
morning by which prominent citizen, A.
| T. Rogers lost his life and his wife was SC
seriously injured that her recovery is dis
| paired Of At the hour mentioned Mr..
Rogers was awakened by hearing mis- in
FAINT child cough. He got up to soothe her
and he saw the crouching form of a man
at bis bedside. Mr. Rogers grappled at
once with the intruder who had in his
hand revolver which he discharged
before he was attacked. The ball
piercing Mrs. Rogers groin. then ensued
deadly hand to hand struggle in which
Mr. Rogers was twice shot, once in the
arm and once in the abdomen. The ball
lodged just under the skin in his back.
He is powerful man, and though weak
from his injuries, was finally able to over
come the burglar. During this time Mrs.
Rogers had sent her little daughter for the
maid to come and bring a light,
while she herself assisted her hus-
band, biting the hand OF the bur-
glar so that he used the revolver
only with the greatest difficulty. The
servant came soon and assisted in disarm-
ing the burglar.
After subduing the man, Mr.. and Mrs.
Rogers were so overcome by the wounds
that they allowed him to escape. The
neighbors attracted by the shooting then
came in and though every effort was made
to save Mr.. Rogers life he died at $50 this
morning.
Shortly afterwards the murderer was
captured by the police and locked
up A crowd of from 500 TO
1000 people surrounded the Jail
on all sides to guard against the attempt
to remove the murderer elsewhere. 1t was
an orderly assembly and perfectly quiet,
composed of all classes Of citizens and
largely of the substantial merchants law
yers ana others of the city. Several secret
meetings were held within locked doors,
and it was decided that should Mrs.
Rogers die, the Jail should be stormed at
8 O'Clock p. m. The police guarded the
entrances to the Jail. The prisoner
was in the room on the third story
furtherest from the main entrance,
He was terribly frightened but denied his
his guilt and told several conflicting stor-
ees, which were readily proven false. He
gave his name as Pat Oliphant and his
home at Pueblo. At 4:30 this afternoon
Rev. DR.. McCabe addressed the crowd
from the Jail balcony and advised law and
order He was listened to attentively but
after his speech there were were the first
time cries of ''Throw him out" Lynch
him." Rope" etc.
AS the evening wore on the crowd
strengthened in numbers and by 8 O'Clock
3. 600 people stood in front and about the
jail Shortly afterwards man came
struggling to the front with rope. The
crowd as it dawned upon them that mat
tiers were coming to a crisis sent up a
cheer and policeman came down from
I no ial frio ha
dreds of now excited people interfered and
in the melee some one started for the Jail
door with plank. the crowd following.
The police fought desperately with their
clubs but were overpowered, Chief Gard
liner being struck witch plank and another
officer injured on the head rather seri-
ously.
The Jail was well constructed and for
nearly two hours $50 men battered the
successive doors leading to the basement
cell occupied by Oliphant. AT last Il
hideous yell announced to the crowd with
out that the murderer was taken. He
was dragged out and up to the
corner of Kansas avenue and
sixth street, where he was
given time to confess his guilt to repor-
ter. He then asked for a clergyman and
one came forward but only irritated the
lynchers by advising lawful measures. In
the midst of loud wrangle that followed
a rope was placed around ELEPHANTS head
and he was swung to telegraph pole For
a moment his arms and legs twitched,
then his body became limp.
A few moments afterward the vast
mass of people that had witnessed the
hanging were reduced to half a dozen who
stayed from morbid curiosity.
Oliphant showed marvellous GOODNESS
the whole proceedings and
when asked what he had to say, said first
. L., IL r. ~.
added, "Be sure to break my neck"