Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-10
A DANGEROUS CROWD.
Mcdonald Citizens Attempt to Lynch
Their Policeman.
OFFICER KEENAN'S CLOSE CALL.
Another Stirring Sensation in the Noted
Oil Field.
THE BOROUGH DADS TO ACT IN THE CASE

The little oil towns of Mcdonald and
Noblestown have been enjoying much no.
| toriety recently. In Mcdonald Monday
evening an attempt was made to lynch the
only authorized policeman in the borough,
and the Saturday before Martin Reed, the
murderer, was run to earth in Noblestown.
Scarceiy>a year ago there were not over
200 people in the valley from Oakdale to
Mcdonald, inclusive. Now there must be
10000. and they have all been brought in
since the oil excitement which started q
year ago last June.
James Keenan, has been chief and the en-
tire police force of Mcdonald for the last
six or eight months. He is a big, burly fel-
low, probably over feet in height and
weighs over 200 pounds. Since he was ap-
pointed chief by the borough Councils he
has had things pretty much his own way.
His word was law, and any bowling drunk
or disorderly character who ran up against
Jim Keenan, woke up the next morning in
the borough lookup considerably the worse
for the wear.
Reckless Remark.
On Monday the Chief remarked that he
was glad Hugh Coyle had been shot, and a
crowd soon gathered. The Chief was driven
back home That evening there was to
have been a hearing before Burgess Kelly,
of Mcdonald. On Sunday, July 80, the cere-
monies attending the laying of the corner
stone Of Catholic church at Mcdonald
had been performed. Chief Keenan,, it is
alleged, without provocation arrested
young man named A. Lincoln A1tell on a
charge of drunkenness. Young Axtell was in
the employ of the Peoples Gas Company
and his friends Immediately interceded for
him. They employed Attorney John H.
Thompson, and decided to make fight.
The hearing of the case was to have been
held before Burgess Kelly Monday evening.
About o'clock the parties to the hearing
with their witnesses began to gather and in
few moments the Office of the Burgess was
filled. Chief Keenan, then came in from
Noblestown and seemed enraged to see so
many persons in the Office of the Burgess.
Attorney Thompson's Story.
Attorney Thompson gives the follow
ing account of the affair: "Tne Chief
came rushing into the Office cursing and
swearing, and seeing his condition, pro-
posed to the Burgess that we postpone the
hearing. This he willingly did. The Chief
was still raising a row, and ordered every
one out of the Office. He used several of
those present very roughly, and just as
was going out he gave me a shove. He
then came to the sidewalk, and drawing his
pistol and mace, he ordered every one off
the street, threatening to shoot several who
did not instantly obey. This and his ac--
it closed in on him. There were cries of
''Bring rope" ''Stretch him up" and it
looked ominous for Mr. Keenan,.
A Pbvaician saved Him
"Just when they were about to close in on
him and someone shouted that they had a
rope, DR.. Miller, who saw the danger the
officer was in, made rush for him, jerked
the revolver from his hand and tumbled
him into ditch. The Chief tried to
use his mace, but before he could do so
20 men were upon him and he
was pinned to the ground. Then a short
conference was held as to what should
be done with him, DR.. Miller and a few
others rushing him into Buchheit's drug
friends had desperate struggle with him,
during which Keenan, broke several panes
of glass.
His Perilous Position.
'The crowd closed in on the building,
Blow him up and Burn him out filled
the air. A brother of the Chief, John
Keenan,, evidently became alarmed, for he
fired TWO shots out of the window, one of
which barely missed a man named Smith, of
the firm of Smith & McCann. Finally the
crowd dispersed, and Keenan, was taken
home"
A friend who was with Keenan, in the
drugstore said that the Chief was so badly
used up by the crowd that he was unable to
leave his bed yesterday. He was, however,
reported to be writing his resignation to the
borough Conncil, which met last evening
The Borough Council.
This body consists of DR.. Jamison, James
Brown, David Brown, Amos Love and
Burgess Kelly. Some of its members init
mated that Keenan, would not be allowed to
resign, but would be summarily discharged.
Young Axtell whom Keenan, arrested on
Sunday, July 80, claimed that after he was
locked in the cell keenan, clubbed him and
called him vulgar names.
Monday night after the indignant citizens
had allowed Policeman Keenan, to 60 home,
q young man named Mccall was arrested
for disorderly conduct but as the Chief had
the only keys to the lookup, Mccall was