The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-05-26


isfy the crowd and shouts of site him and |
leave him there" were heard. The mad
dened mob fell to pulling the body about |
again and kicking it when an old man with |
long grey beard held his hands aloft and |
kept crying for silence until the crowd stop |
ped its shouting.
"Gentlemen," he said, ''you have done
your duty. Do not go farther than neces-
sary. Leave the body as it is and go to !
your homes. Your work is finished"
The crowd yelled, but paid little heed to
the old mans words. When the body was
lowered to the ground portions of the mob
which had been unable to get close enough
to take hand in the actual hanging seized
upon the rope and dragged the lifeless body
through the mire. Afterward a crowd drag
ged him about the streets and around the
court house square.
THE INQUEST.
The inquest over the remains of Sullivan
began at $50 o'clock Wednesday before JUS
tice Baldwin. The jurors were George o.
Shattuck, A. l.. Beard, Geo. +. Robinson,
George ID. Moreau, Morris L.. Chase, and
Henry Klnkman, all well known citizens.
The first witness called to the stand was
f. Van Vaulkenburg, prisoner at the Jail.
He was at the very cell door of Sullivan
when the mob took him out, and witnessed
the whole proceedings. Van Vaulkenburg
was not locked up but had the freedom OF
the cell corridor.
The witness related that it was about 10
o'clock local time as nearly as he could judge
when he heard tremendous racket at the
| Jail doors. Witness had light in his cell,
as did also the only other prisoner aside
from Sullivan. The cell of the latter was
dark. Witness heard the mob effect an en-
trance to the Jail and could distinguish the
sounds of struggle. He also heard the
voice of the sheriff and his deputies trying
to dissuade the lynchers from their purpose.
Then came the blows of sledges on the iron
door of the corridor and in few minutes
the men effected an entrance to the cell cor
ridOr.
''Most of the men wore Masks" said the
witness, land some of them had sledges.
They then started to break the lock of Sulli-
vans cell. 1t was the only cell that was
locked. had :seen Sullivan in his cell
shortly before the racket began. When they
got the door open some of the men said:
''He is not in here"
IL said, yes, he's in in there, he's killed
himself.'"
What caused you to say that?" asked
Mr.. Watson.
Because / could see the blood on the floor
of the CELL" replied the witness.
"What followed then?" was asked.
"They went into the CELL" said witness,
''and found Sullivan lying under his cot
where he had crawled. He did not move
when they dragged him out from under the
bunk and turned him around so his head
was toward the door. saw that his throat
was cut and l thought he was dead. They
put the rope around his neck and started tC
drag him out"
''Was Sullivan in your opinion dead be-
fore they hot him OUT" asked one of the jul
rors.
IL think he was" replied witness.
"Did you hear Sullivan groan when the
mob was breaking into his cell?" asked Mr.
Watson.
The witness replied that he did not, anc
that the din was so great that if Sullivan
had groaned or made any sound it would no
have been heard.
j. II Van HOten, deputy sheriff, sworn:
J Il was in the corrider," he said, ''whei
J the mob began to pound at the north door o
the Jail. There was a crash and the doc
was broken. They came in with rush. W.
tried to fight them back but could not, ant
when they got to the iron door leading t,
the corridor they started to tie the sheriff
, with some ropes. They then began sledg
, ing at the iron door. We were held by sew
! eral men and could do nothing. They sOol
battered down the door and then broke TIN
: lock of Sullivan's cell and dragged him on
through the corridor into the yard to tree
!, A man of sandy complexion, weighing abou
100 pounds, climbed into the tree and threw
the rope over the limb. 1 saw blood on Sui
livan as they dragged him out. He did no
, speak and did not see him move or strug
gle. think he was dead before they hoist
, ed him up in the tree"
, Witness was asked if he had searched Sui
} livan's cell after the affair. He said he hat
, and produced some pieces of broken whis
key bottle. One of the pieces cODsiste'
) when first found of the neck of the bOttl
and portion of the side about two inche
in length which ran to point. 1t was Gov
. cred with blood and was evidently the piec
, that Sullivan used to cut his throat.
7 Witness did not know where Sullivan hat
| obtained the flask nor did any of the othe
r witnesses. 1t was presumed that it wa
| passed into his cell by one of the hundreds
r of persons who were allowed to see Sullivan
| during the day. The flask probably con
l tanned whiskey, and evidently was not in
. tended for the purpose for which it wa
7 used, as In that case it would have been jus
{ as easy to pass In some more suitable weap
on.
| The third witness called was deputy sher
5 iff S. ID. Linabury, who testified to the find
| ing of the pieces of glass in Sullivans cell
3 Sheriff Jacobs was then called; said III
3 was in the jail with six deputies. The crowt
D began to gather around the Jail at sundown
3 All of the doors of the jail were locked ant
3 the north door, the one which was battered
, down, was additionally secured by heavy
I brace. 1t was about 10 o'clock, the witness
thought, when the mob made sudden at
4 tack upon the jail and began smashing il
9 the north door. The door gave way ant
4 the mob rushed in.
e 1--WE held them I'm check for short time,
said the sheriff, ''but they continued to figh
| us back until they got us beyond the Gel
door. Then was held by three men an,
my limbs were tied. 1 fought as long as
could by kicking, but they overpowered me
1 The corridor was full of men and many O
J them were masked,
. "Did you see Sullivan as he was bein
9 dragged out?" was asked.
q Witness replied that he did.
t What did you notice as to his condition?
!. asked Mr.. Watson.