The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-11-17
The Jacobs Investigation.

SneTlu w lllldu1 II. JacODS cOIuuCJ III
the Sullivan lynching matter, has been
actually commenced as ordered by the
governor and the first act was carried
out at the city hall in this place before
Circuit Court Commissioner Frank +.
Bumps, commencing at 130 Wednesday
afternoon. Attorney General Ellis ap'
peared for the state and Attorneys Har-
rison Geer, of Lapeer, and A. l.. Chan
dler, OF COrunna, conducted the defense
for Sheriff Jacobs.
The first witness called was County
Clerk ID. G. Cooper, who was asked by
the Attorney General to produce the
files in the Sullivan case which showed
Sullivan to have been given into the
custody of Sheriff Jacobs. He said the
crowd on the court house grounds was
very large one but that it seemed
quiet and orderly and at the time he did
not think they had gathered for any
motive other than curiosity, though all
seemed to be talking about the arrest.
He did not see the lynching and did not
hear of it until the following morning.
In answer to Mr. Ellis he said he had
heard that Sullivan had been chased
from the train by a mob He did
hear that Sullivan was to be lynched.
Justice Gale was sworn and testified
concerning the arraignment of Sullivan
before him. He was brought in about
ten O'Clock in the morning and the court
room was crowded. In the afternoon
the court room was also jammed There
had been talk that if the Durand people
got hold of Sullivan they would lynch
him. The crowd was greatly increased
during the afternoon and evening and
there seemed to be general fear that
Sullivan would be lynched. In the
cross examination the justice said that
though the crowd was large he did not
think there would be lynching. When
asked by Mr. Ellis whether talk of
lynching was indulged in after the
arrest. he admitted it had been and said
he thought Sullivan was frightened into
pleading guilty but that when he saw
he was not hurt by the crowd his
courage revived.
Patrolman Long told of the arrest of
Sullivan and his first meeting with
Jacobs on May 22d Said he was hand
cuffed to the prisoner on the way to
Corunna. Went part of the way in q
box car. Heard mob was waiting in
Durand and knew in which car they
were. Changed from the box car to an
apartment in the sleeper and heard the
mob break into the box car at Durand.
Jumped off from the train as it slack
ened up at Corunna and they made a
run for the Jail. There were number
of men about the jail Was in Corunna
all that day and took the prisoner to the
court in the morning. Left about six
o'clock that night. There was a crowd
in the city and he thought there would
be lynching. People were allowed to
see the prisoner in his cell nearly all
day though he said he told Jacobs he
should not allow it and Jacobs said he
could not helpit. Being cross examined
he said he heard no threats when he
took the prisoner to the court room in
the morning. The Sheriff did not ask
him to stay another night nor did he
tell him he thought there would be
trouble.
Hugo A. Gilmartin, reporter for the
Detroit Free Press, testified that he rode
on same train from Detroit with the
officers and Sullivan. Was with them
when transferred from the box car to
the sleeper. Besides breaking open the
box car at Durand, some of the mob
got aboard the train. One had rope.
In an interview with Jacobs on the
night of the lynching, he said he had
about dozen armed deputies and was
prepared to make q resistance. Saw
the mob dragging the body about the
square. Interviewed the Sheriff the
next morning, when he claimed he did
all he could to resist the mob but adj
mitted his deputies were armed only
with clubs, and when asked whether he
would make complaint against any of
the mob, he responded, "Oh, no! They
are all Sir Knight friends of mine,
guess, and added that he thought Sui
Ivan got his just deserts. AT the cross
examination he stated he thought the
day before Sullivan would be lynched.
The testimony of Fred Logan, report
er for the Detroit Tribune, was sub
stantially the same. He even talked
with two members of the mob at Du-
rand and who claimed to be the leaders
of it. They made no secret of their de-
sire to lynch Su llivan. He also inter-
viewed Sheriff Jacobs on the night of
the lynching and the Sheriff claimed he
was armed Saw the men drag the
prisoner out of the Jail with rope and
heard someone battering down the Jail
door with sledge hammer. When
cross-examined he said he thought there
would be trouble and also thought the
Sheriff was of the same opinion. Said
the only topic he heard discussed on the
street was whether Sullivan would be
lynched or not and he thought he would
be lynched sooner than he was.
John Carroll, telegraph operator,
was sent out with the reporters to tele-
graph the account of the hanging,
should it occur, and was in Corunna on
the night in question. He heard the
men talk of lynching Was at the jail
the next morning, came out and heard
short sandy haired man say, II was the
man who put the rope over the limb
and strung him up" Heard the Sheriff
say that he had pretty hard time.
Heard Gilmartin ask if any complaint
would be made and while he didn't
catch the whole of the reply heard him
mention something about his friends.
Later he heard Jacobs ask a man if he
had not gotten out of the way in nice
shape.
This was the last testimony taken and
the case was adjourned until December
18th, owing to the attorneys, officials
and etaponro pbar boiuU ohliUad ts, a ..