Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-11-16
Excitement Over the Washington Court
House Lynching Again at
Fever Heat.
COLT REFUSES TO GO THERE
Claiming That He Would Certainly
Figure Too Conspicuously in
Another Hanging.

are brewing at Washington Court
House. Colt declines by advice Of his
attorney to go to Fayette county to be
examined as witness by the coroner
concerning the part the Fourteenth o.
N. q. took in obedience to the orders Of
Governor Mckinley to assist Sheriff
Cook in protecting Dolby, negro, who
confessed to rape and who had been
sentenced to 20 years in the peniten-
tiary. In giving that protection four
persons were killed and about dozen
wounded by the military firing upon
the mob when it had broken open the
doors of the court house to get at the
negro. Colonel Colts attorney, Hon
George K. Nash, and J. A. Booth as
sure the court that Colts life would be
placed in jeopardy by going. The cor
oner declines to come to Columbus to
take Colts deposition and insists that
he go there.
Would Lynch Colt and Cook.
On account of injury to their bust
ness, leading law abiding citizens of
Washington Court House have assured
the governor privately, that if Colonel
Colt would go there, he and Sheriff
Cook would be thrown into Jail on a
charge of murder, and that the coroner
would, become sheriff ex-oficio, and
men whose friends had been killed
would ride the county and gather a
mob, and both Colt and Cook, especially
Colt, would be dragged from the jail
and lynched. Governor Mckinley has
assured Colonel Colt that if he were to
go and harm were offered, the whole
power of the state and the nation, if
necessary, would be sent to his sup
port. Colonel Colts reply to that is:
"What good would that do my wife
and family if 1 had been jailed or
lynched.
Lieutenant Colonel w. N. P. Darrow,
graduate Of West Point, but"now a
citizen here and an officer of the Four
teenth 0 N. O., said to the governor
that the regiment would not suffer Colt
to be injured, and asked the governor
to detail all escort to protect him.
Pending this conversation, and while
the governor was considering some
plan by which the sending of the mill
tary might be averted, Colonel OAR
row said:
Governor, the detail from the Four
teenth desired to go with your official
sanction. If you cannot see your way
clear to give such sanction, I will have
the regiment go as individuals and
with guns, to protect the colonel il,
case harm is offered"
In that event, and if shooting were to
occur and blood be spilled, the men,
it would seem, might be indicted for
murder OF shooting with intent to kill.
4+ Situation Very Grave.
The situation is very grave. It is SO
grave indeed, that the representative
of the Associated Press cannot give the
names OF law abiding and we'll known
men at Washington Court House whom
he has seen privately and who are con-
ferring privately with the officers of
the state. Attorneys at Washington
Court House, who say that the gov
ernor and military did right in main
tanning the law, absolutely refuse to
assist in the legal defense of Colt, be-
cause it would be tantamount to max.
ing arrangements to practice law in
some other county. All law abiding
mouths in Washington Court House
are still as death. The other side is
doing all of the talking. The question
which is confronting the governor is:
Shall sheriff. elected and sworn to ex-
ecute law, and colonel ordered to his
assistance, be sacrificed for doing their
duty?
Rev. DR.. GLADDEN., who denounced
the mob in letter to the Columbus
Dispatch, declines to give out for pub
lication letters received from Washing
ton Court House, from both sides, be-
cause of the fact that the writers would
be made to suffer by members of the
mob. He was threatened with assassin
alton if he came there for any purpose.
He burned that letter. It is mentioned
to show the feeling at the place. Publi-
cation Of all these events hes bss:-.: ...ade
here. s