The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-05-26
SULLIVAN
THE WILLIAMS DAYS
ARE ENDED.
Hung to a Tree by Hundreds
Of Hands.
CUT HIS OWN THROAT.
The Comfy DiSeraCed.
CUT HIS OWN THROAT.
The County DiSsraCed.

Tuesday morning William Sullivan, the
murderer of Layton Leetch, particulars OF
whose arrest are given elsewhere) was taken
by Sheriff Jacobs before Justice Gale at Co
runna. The information against him was
read, to which he plead guilty and admitted
that his name was Sullivan. The Justice
quickly bound the fiend over for trial in the
circuit court. In the afternoon he was taken
before Judge Newton. The information was
read to him by Prosecuting Attorney Wat
son, when asked what he plead, in quiet
tone and in a cool manner asked il he could
have counsel assigned him. Judge Newton
assigned Jonathan G. Knight to defend the
prisoner. After short consultation, Knight
asked for an adjournment until o'clock
Wednesday morning. The failure OF Sulli-
van to plead guilty cost him his life, as sub
sequent particulars will show.
All day long the trains from every direc-
tion had carried into Corunna hundreds of
people from the neighboring cities and will
ages, until at 9 o'clock there were at least
! 200 or 1,500 men and boys on the streets.
Most of the time the crowd was orderly and
well behaved, but few really thinking there
would be any trouble, meanwhile, a couple
of blocks from the Jail a crowd of about one
hundred men, about sixty of them from Du-
ldDNl NlClulty, WClC uulCtlJ Ol6dhiIih6'
Among them the men had long rope and a
heavy sledge. Shortly after o'clock about
80 of these men made the final preparations.
They consisted simply in tying handker-
chiefs over the lower portions of their faces.
| Then they started in roundabout way and
approached the Jail from the rear, singing:
How dear to my heart are scenes of my child
hood,
When fond recolections presents them to view
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled
| wildwood,
And every loved spot that my infancy knew"
They had good tenor and bass voices, and
sang in perfect chord, and as the tones
welled out OH the night air, silence reigned
throughout the, but a moment before, boist
erOus throng.
The building faces Main street and is sur
rounded on all sides by large lawn will
shade trees. On the north side of the jai
is stone stairway leading up to dool
which opens directly into the cell corridor
There is also hallway leading from tn,
front door of the building which runs to thi
corridor.
Sullivan occupied the third cell from tn,
north door of the building and it was con
sidered the most secure place in the Jail.
1t was about 9:15 o'clock, standard time
that the men wearing the masks, backed III
10y the others, made a rush upon the sid,
door and with crash burst it open. In
moment the corridor was packed with men
Sheriff Jacobs appeared in the doorwa.
leading from the other hallway and shouted
to the men to stop at the same time maxim,
motion to draw his revolver. In an in
slant the sheriff was seized and held by hal
dozen men so that he was unable to move
He attempted to argue the matter, but tn
lynchers would not listen. Several depu
ties tried to come to the assistance of th
sheriff, but they were hustled out of tn
building. One Of the deputies managed Il
carry out the sledge and hide it under tn
stairway. Other sledges were quickly pro
cured and in a minute or two more the door
to Sullyan's cell were being hammere,
down. During this time Sullivan outwitte,
the crowd partially by attempting to TAX
his own life by cutting his throat with
piece of glass which he had in some wa
secured. When the crowd entered his Gel
it was covered with blood and the prisOne
was not to be seen. He was however foun,
under the bed and the moose slipped owe
his head about his neck and he was carrie,
and dragged out of the jail and to tree il
the rear of the Jail. The crowd in tn
meanwhile yelling "String him up" A or
that had not ceased from the time the frs
| dltdCh Wdo uiduc VII Tic JUL.
Sullivan, who was lying motionless an,
apparently unconscious on the ground wa
raised to sitting posture. Another pul
and his head and shoulders became vsibl
above the black mass that surrounded tn
spot. The men at the rope continued t
pull him up until his head touched th
limb over which the rope was thrown. Tn
body hung motionless for moment or two
then gave a sudden twist and swung hal
way round the trunk of the tree.
The crowd continued to yell, and whe
! the rope slipped q trifle in the hands of thos
who held him they shouted fiercely to hol
him up. A terrible scene followed. Thos
nearest the body kicked and punched 1t bac
and forth and grabbed the limbs and pulle
them violently.
''Let us shoot him." shouted several.
mo, don't, cried others.
Meanwhile the crowd continued to jeer
Sullivan, applying to him the vilest epithet
and asking him with curses how he liked 4
The fury of the mob seemed to be increasin
every moment. The body was pushed froI
hand to hand, and several drew their pockt
knives and luDged at the swinging corpse