Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-03-19
. AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.

Lynchod
KANSAS City, Mo-, March 15.-Deputy !
Sheriff Williams of Tancy county, in
charge of Wife Murderer Bright, was
shot dead in the courtroom ut For
sythe Saturday night by mob that
was trying to take the prisoner.
Bright was lynched by the mob, but
owing to the distance of Forsythe from
a railroad the details of the crime did
not come out until Monday. Taney
county is the seat Of the recent Bald
Knob outrages, and the factions still
exist. 5t' ''
There is very strong feeling over the
killing of Williams, and some of the
mob may be killed before another day
passes. Officer Williams had not
drawn a weapon when shot, being en-
gagged in the mere task of removing
his prisoner from the room, trying to
get out of q door before the mob would
reach him.
Bright, the man lynched, lived in the
northwestern part of the county and
was exceedingly jealous of his wife.
One morning she started toward the
spring for a bucket of water. Bright,
gun in hand, left the house and mo-
ment later the children heard shot
Bright returned shortly and said that
Mrs. Bright had been shot. He again
left the house and did not return. The
children found the dead body of their
mother and gave the alarm.
The farmers hurried to the scene of
the tragedy. Quickly party of pur-
sners took the trail of the fugitive
nfo,p
party of hunters received new recruits.
Soon the woods We're full of armed men,
on rsebacll and on foot, armed with
Winchesters, shotguns and revolvers,
bent on capturing the murderer at
whatever cost. The pursuit was swift
| and sure. Every ravine and cliff where
the fleeing criminal might hide was
searched. No terror-stricken fugitive
| from justice could escape that army of
| men who pressed so resolutely on his
heels. The murderer was run down
and captured taken to Forsyth and
lodged in Jail.
| Saturday crowd of unusual size
gathered at Forsythe to hear the pre-
liminary trial of Bright. The express
sion was clearly written on the faces
of many of the citizens of the county,
who remained in town all day. Dep
uty Sheriff Williams had the prisoner
in charge 90
The courtroom was crowded with
interested listeners, and the prelim-
mary hearing was progressing quietly
when mob of about 100 men, all well
armed and with determination to
avenge the wife murderer's crime
written ON every face, surrounded
the building in which court was
being held a deputation twenty-five
strong was sent into the courtroom for
the prisoner. As they made their ap.
pearance with arms drawn panic
ensued, and most of the spectators,
anticipating trouble, beat hasty re-
treat.
The spokesman of the deputatior
demanded that the prisoner be turned
over to the men. Williams refused and
tried to reason with them, urging them
to allow the law to take it's course
The justice of the peace be
fore whom the hearing was be
ing held also pleaded with them tc
withdraw and to respect the law. The
deputation, however, was dead to rea
son and insisted that the prisoner bt
turned over to the impromptu cour
outside the court room. Still Williams
declined to give up his man, who al
this time looked as if he knew his hou
had come.
Finally the delegation, spurred on b,
shouts of impatience and cries of"Han,
himr' Lynch him!' from the mol
without, made a rush for Bright ant
his guard. Williams drew brace o
revolvers with which he was armet
and was about to fire when "a rife sho
rang out and he fell dead at the pris
oner's feet The shot had penetrated
his heart.
The rest of the work of the mob wa
quickly done. Bright was quickl
seized and dragged out of the court
, room, A rope was unceremonionsl
placed around his neck. One end va
swung over the limb of pine tree o
the mountain side within half mil
of the courthouse and he was swun
up. His body was r!ddled with bullet.
Before dying he confessed to havin
taken his wife from home last Monda
and tying her to tree while he delil
eratcly aimed and shot her to de.t
!, within hearing OF his little children
four of whom We're under 6 years c
age. The youngsters are without
relative this side of Kentucky.
Taney county is wild with excite
/ ment over the killing of Williams ii
was a young man well known in Tame
y and adjoining counties. Nine of th
twelve men that first came to the ia
: were well identified. Most of the mo
S came from the neigh hborhood where tn
d woman was murdered This last xii
@ ing makes total of seventy-two pei
pie killed in Taney county since til
war.
Z Murder In the Soldiers, Homo.