The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-31
MILITIA Fire ON A MOB.
WOULD-BE LYNCHERS SHOT
DEAD IN OHIO.

An Attempt Was Being Made at
Washington Court House to Hang
William Dolby, a CoIored Man.
Convicted Of a Criminal Assault
on farmers Wife.
Two men were killed, three fatally injured
md many others wounded at Washington
Court House, Ohio, In an attempt at lynch
ing by mob. William Dolby, a colored
man, the self-confessed assailant Of Mrs
Mary Boyd, was the object of their wrath.
Those instantly killed were Smith Welsh,
Rged eighteen, shot in head and abdomen
Jesse Judy, aged twenty-five, shot In breast,
thiGh and abdomen.
The wounded: Theodore zimmerman,
aged twenty-five, shot in right thigh; WILL
lam Saum, aged thirty-ive, shot In abdomen
Dow PARROT, aged thirty, shot in right foot i,
Frank Nie1erhaus, aged sixty-fve, shot IN
left leg; G. W. johnson and half dozen
others, three Of whom were fatally hurt.
Dolby was taken from the Jail to the court
house, tried and sentenced to twenty years
Imprisonment ip the penitentiary about as
quick as 1t takes to write 1t. The militia
companies. In anticipation of trouble, had
been called out, and they formed at the west
side ofthe court house, while the Sheriff and
the prisoner. The west entrance to the
court house is about forty feet from rear
side door Of the jail. and there are high
steps leading to the former.
"A thousand people had gathered in the
court house yard to an9rlly protest against
The course OF leaden-heeled justice. A
thousand people with imprecations vowed
that Dolby should never be taken past them
up the high steps to the hall.
The Sheriff and his deputies had hardly
emerged from the jail door, when the
Kirk, who married Mrs. Boyds sister,
rushed toward the trembling wretch, pro-
,ected by the sworn officers Of the law,
and, breaking through the thin ranks OF
the stalwart guard, seized the culprit with
hand of iron. Quick as flash the musket
OF soldier was swung with great force and
DIR. Kirk was dealt blow In the face.
The angry crowd surged madly forward,
and In the rush swept one soldier boy around
the corner and away from his company, but
he quickly returned to his post. The i'm
precautions Of the thoroughly maddened
crowd grew in volume and the wretched
prisoner trembled like an aspen. Colonel
Colt rallied his men for supreme effort,
huQ Iu6 pElSOuel WaS diuuOoI SokhA01 oP WV
teps and into the court house.
After sentence had been pronounced Dolby
broke down. Outside the crowd was clam
oring for admission. It was augmented
every minute. DR.. McNair, OF the Presby-
.erian Church, circulated among the angry
men and endeavored to get them to listen to
reason, but his words fell upon closed ears.
Sergeant Andrews, OF iCompany A, one OF
.he three men of the company who came with
the troops, and Private Lenhart, OF Com
Sany B, were struck with stones while stand
ing on the court house steps during therush,
but stood their ground manfully. Sergeant
Andrews was struck in the head with stone
that glanced from Private Lenhart.
Colonel Colt at this juncture telephoned
.he Adjutant-Ge General at Columbus for 200
additional troops. =
SIT you want me to bring the man to
Columbus" said Colonel Colt, "I will do it,
but 1t will cost blood Colonel Colt then
made speech to the crowd. .,.
SIT looks very much" said he, ''as though
you intend to make an attack on the legal
authorities. There will be troubleic l. you do.
call on law-abiding citizens to dispsrseand
90 to their homes
At 6.10 the crowd surrounded the building
md with the huge improvised batterlng.
;ams pounded the doors one after another.
The troops were hastened together In the
SQUIRT house at all entrances. The doors
we're barricaded from within and furniture
piled against them.
The soldiers stood with pieces cooked and
eayonets fixed waiting for the doors to yield.
Huge stones were thrown against the wooden
panels, clubs crashed against them and fell
bn the stone steps. Colonel Colt managed
10 get out Of q window and addressed the
crowd, saying. amy man OF you hits one
Of my nen will direct him to aim directly
st that mans heart"
Nearly 5000 persons now surrounded the
:ourt house and jail, yelling "Lynch him
Lynch him." Finally some one threw
stone which struck a soldier on the breast.
Then Colonel Colt, whose anger was
aroused, addressed the people once more.
He told them not to repeat the offence.
"If you want to iniure any one" said he,
shit me and not those young men,"
With hat upliited the Colonel walked out
into the crowd, and said
ssHere I am" His face was white with
anger.
The crowd gathered around him, but not
a man lifted his hand to strike the Colonel.
Il was probably we'll that they did not. for,
standing on the court house steps were the
soldiers with guns loaded waiting an orier
to IRE.
The crowd surRed closer and closer to the
court house steps. becoming boldsr as the
darkness increased. Colonel Colt addressed
them again. or attempted to do so, but they
would not listen to him.
He shouted that he would have to order
the soldiers to fire If they did not fall back,
but on they came. and finally the order to
FIRE was given. Many were seen to fall, and
the mob fed like lot Of frightened sheep.
Not shot was fired by the soldiers until
door showed signs of falling IN, when the
troops fred the volley which resulted fatal
Is. The remainder Of the soldiers were
stationed at the south entrance, unmindtul
that part of the crowd was making an at
tempt to batter down the door at the north
entrance.
The first fright following the volley hav-
ing died away, tho mob became more bois-
ferrous. and bold again. Soon they began
gathering about the court house, andthough
still maintaining respectable distance, ut
tered imprecations against the soldiers, and
fears were entertained for their safety II re-
endorsements did not quickly come.
The crowd soon began making an attempt
to secure dynamite, and swear that they
would blow up the court house. The
wounded and dead were carried into the
engine house and the stores near bv.