The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-15
MOB LAW.
a Deputy Sheriff Murdered While Resist
ing Party of Lyncbers.

SPRINGFIELD Mo, March 14-Lynching
and murder are added to the list of Taney
rounty's crimes. The report Of the lynch
ing of John Wesley Bright at Forsythe
last Saturday and the murder of Deputy
Sheriff g. T. Williams by the same
mob were confirmed yesterday. Bright, ii
will be remembered, murdered his wife on
Sunday, March 6th. under peculiar cir
Cunlstances. On Monday the searcbers,
who had turned out to hunt him by hun
dreds after his revolving crime. found him
Rt home and he was taken to the ForSythe
Jail. Threats OF lynching had been heard
throughout the week, but few regarded
them as serious. On Saturday it WAS
Noticed that an unusual number of drunk
IN men were on the streets Of FOrsythe. the
county seat, aud hints of lynching were
more frequent Deputy Sheriff Williams
said In conversation that he would resist
anyIsuch attempt with his life, and this re-
mark Is the only explanation of his uncall-
ed for murder A reporter for the Demo
crat received the following story of the
crime from a travelling man, who had just
arrived from Forsythe
At z O'Clock on Saturday night a small
body of masked men suddenly appeared at
The jail door and demanded admittance
Some claim that the crowd numbered
twelve and some that there were fourteen
of them. Williams was outside of the Jail
at the time, and, planting himself on the
doorstep, fearlessly replied:
You can only get Bright by passing
over my dead body
The account, as heard, says that no one
spoke a word in answer; but a single shot
was fired, and the next moment the brave
officer was lying dead man, shot through
the heart The mob was supplied with
hammers and crowbars. and speedily broke
through the bolts and bars until the victim
. l.. I'D -
seized, hustled to a tree near by aud hung
without ceremony. Sheriff Cook and
others are said TO have been near by when
Williams was shot, but taking warning
from his fate. offered no resistance The
mob disappeared, no effort being made to
intercept them.
Who composed the lynching gang is a
mystery. One report is that they came
from Christian county Another is that
they were close neighbors of Bright's who
came to avenge his horrible crime. Some
Say that the masked men were Bald
knObbers, who took this opportunity to
kin Bright who WAS an anti-Bald Knob
ber. In support OF this theory it Is said
that another Bright was killed by Bald
hnobbers. The shooting of Williams
seems TO have been entirely unnecessary
An examination Of his person after his
death is said to have proved that he
carried no weapons. Why the
mob did not first attempt to seize
him aud put him aside with their superior
force Is hard TO explain, unless the heads
of the mob were turned with liquor, or
they were evening up with him for some
unknown reason. Williams was a COM
paratively young man, who came origin
ally from Louisville, Ky. He was presi-
dent Of the Farmers and Laborers' union
of raney county. and all accounts of him
say that he was mar of superior intelli-
rence and courage. The coroner's inquest
held yesterday developed 20 explanation
of the affair besides the customary verdict
Of 'by parties unknown" There is said
10 be just indignation at the rash shot
which killed Williams and if the partici-
pants are ferreued out they may meet
like fate
AFTER The MOE.
Taney county is wild with excitement
over the killing of young Williams. This
last killing makes a total of seventy-two
people killed in Taney county since the
war This morning large posse of men
started out from Forsythe. under the
guidance of Sheriff Cook, To arrest nine
men, who were Identified IN the mob. The
posse went upon small stream known as
Roach creek, where Bright killed his wife,
HnO as most OF the men who were recognized
were from that section of fancy county.
1t is believed that when some of this mob
Is captured regular war will take place.
such as has never been known in south
west Missouri. Ii Will be likely To bring
up the old strife between the Bald Knob
bers and the anti Bald knobbers that was
p terror TO Taney aad adjoining counties
some years ago Ii is we'll known here
that the Bald Knob faction IN fancy
county have never been reconciled since
The killing of Captain Nat hlnne by tue
IN -Eald knobber James Miles, at
+ orsythe in August. 1889. Hiram COOK.
The present sheriff is brave man, aud
Will search the White River hills until he
finds the men who killed James Williams.
his deputy. The people Of TAuey county
well knew that Bright was guilty o: kill !
Jug his wife and that sentence OF death
SD ould be given, bur they are all wild over
the killing OF Williams