The herald., 1894-11-15
A BLOOD-TH|RSTY COMMUNITY
The Tragedy at Washington
Court House, O.
More Trouble Brewing as a Sequel to
the Late Riot.
Colonel Colt Refuses to Go There as a
Witness at tho Coroner's Inquest
for Fear of Being
Lynched.

COLUMBUS, o., Nov. l4.-Great events
are brewing at Washington Court House.
Colonel Colt declines, by advice OF his
attorneys, to 60 to Fayette county to be
examined as witness by the coroner
concerning the part the Fourteenth
Ohio national guard took in obedience to
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 peni-
tentiary. In giving that protection four
persons were killed and about dozen
wounded by the military firing upon the
mob which had broken open the doors
OF the court house to get the negro.
Colonel Colts attorneys, Hon. George
X. Nash and Henry X. Booth assure the
governor that Coits life would be placed
in jeopardy by going. The coroner de-
olines to come to Columbus to take
Colts deposition, insisting chat he shall
20 there.
Because OF injury to their business,
leading lsw-abiding citizens OF Washing.
ton Court House have assured the gov
ernor privately that il Colt were to 20
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 men whoee
friends were killed would ride through
the county and gather mob, and both
Colt and Cook, especially Colt, would be
dragged from the Jail and lynched.
Governor Mckinley has assured Colt
that ii he were to 90 and harm were OF
fsred, the whole power OF tho state and
nation, II necessary, would be sent to
his support. Colonel Colts reply to that
is: "What good would that do my wife
and family after / had been jailed or
lynched ?"
Lieutenant Colonel w. N. p. Darrow.
q graduate of West Point, but now a
citizen and an officer OF the Fourteenth
regiment, o. N. g., said to the governor
that the regiment would not suffer Colt
to be injured. and asked the governor 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 Darrow said !:
Governor. the detail from the Four
teenth desires to 90 with your official
sanctisn. II you cannot see your way
clear to give such sanction. will have
the regiment 60 as individuals and with
guns, to protect the colonel in case
harm is offered"
In that event. and II shooting were to
occur and blood be spilled. the men, it
would seem, nigh. be indicted for MUIR
der or shooting with intent to kill.
The situation is very grave. it is so
grave, indeed, that the reporter Of the
Associated Press cannot give the names
OF law abiding citizens and well 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 govetnor and
military did right in sintaining the
law, absolutely refuse to assist in the
defense OF Colt, because it would be
tantamount to making arrangement to
practice law in some other country.
All law abiding mouths in Washington
Court House are etill as death. The
other side is doing all the talking.
ftThe question which is confronting the
governor: "Shall sheriff elected and
sworn to execute the law and q colonel
ordered 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-
tion letters received from Washington
Court House from both sides, because
the writer's would be made to suffer by
members OF the mob. he was threat-
ened with assassination if he came
there for any purpose. He burned that
letter. This is mentioned to show the
feeling at that place. Publication of all
these events is made here today.