The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-14
MOB SPIRIT NOT DEAD
People at Washington Court
House Are Still Excited.
Col Colt is Afraid to Go There
to Testify.
WOULD LYNCH HIM.
Lawabiding People Are Afraid
to Say Anything.
Two Alternatives Are Presented
by the Case.
Either Law or Mob Spirit Must
Have the Victory.
WOULD LYNCH HIM.

COLUMBUS, O., Nov. 14-Great events
are brewing at Washington Court House.
/ Colonel Colt declines by advice of his
attorneys, to go to Fayette county to be
a witness to the coroner as to the part
the Fourteenth Ohio national guard took
in obedience of orders from Governor Nc
Kinley to assist Sheriff Cook in protect
ing Dolby, a negro. who confessed to
criminal assault and who had been SEN
fenced to twenty years in the peniten-
tiary. In giving that protection four
persons were killed and about q dozen
wounded by the military firing upon the
mob when it had broken open the doors
of the court house to get the negro.
Colonel Colts attorney, Hon. George
X NASH, and Henry j. Booth. assures
the governor that Colts life would be
placed in jeopardy by going The corO-
ner declines TO come TO Columb bus to take
Colts deposition, insisting that he shall
go there. Leading law biding citizens
Of Washington Court House, have as
sured the governor privately that if Colt
were to gO there, he and Sheriff Cook, no
doubt, would be thrown into jail charged
with murder, after which the coroner
would become sheriff ex-OfficiO, and that
men whose friends were killed would
ride the country and gather a mob and
both Colt and Cook and especially Colt
would be dragged from the jail and
lynched.
Governor Mckinley has assured Col
onel Colt that if he were to 60 and harm
were offered the whole power of the
state and nation, if necessary, would be
sent to his support
Colonel coit'z reply to that is: "What
good would that do my wife and family
after had been jailed or lynched2"
Lieutenant Colonel n. w. F. Darrow,a
graduate of West Point but now citi-
zen here and an officer of the 18th Ohio
national guards, said to the governor
that the regiment would not suffer Colt
to be injured and asked the gov
ernor TO detail an escort to
protect him. Pending this conversation
and while the governor was considering
some plan by which the sending Of the
military might be averted, Colonel Oar
row said:
Governor, the detail from the Four
teentb desires to go with your official
sanction. If you cannot see your way
clear to give such sanction l Will have
the regiment 20 as individuals and with
guns, to protect the colonel in case harm
is offered" p"
In that event and if such trouble were
to occur and blood be spilled, the men, it
would seem, might be indicted for muir
der or shooting with intent to kill.
The situation is very grave. 1t is so
grave, indeed, that the representative Of
the Associated Press cannot give the
names Of the law abiding and we'll
known men at Washington Court House
whom he has seen privately and who are
comforting privately with the officers of
the state. Attorneys at Washington
Court House, who say that the governor
and military did right in maintaining the
law, absolutely refuse to assist in the
legal defense of Colt because it would be
tantamOunt to making arrangements to
practice law in some other country. All
law abiding mouths in Washington Court
House are still as death. The other side
is doing all the talking.
The question which is confronting the
governor isl Shall a sheriff, elected and
sworn to execute law, and a colonel, or
dered to his assistance, be sacrificed for
doing their official duty
Rev. DR.. GLADDEN., who denounced the
mob in letter to the Columbus Dis
patch. declines to give out for publica-
ton letters received from Washin gton
Court House from both sides, because of
the fact that the writer's would be made
10 suffer by members of the mob. He
was threatened with assassination if he
came there for any purpose. He burned
that letter. 1t is mentioned to show the
feeling at the place. Publication Of all
these events is made here today.