The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-28
TROOPS CALLED.
Lives OF Jail OilcIais threatened by
Mob at Tiffin, 0.
GUARDS SHOT DOWN TWO MEN
Who Formed Part Of a Crowd
of Would Be Lynchers.

The mob that attacked the jail
early yesterday morning was composed OF
tho worst specimens OF law defiers that
any community could produce. Whisky
had been indulgrd In until they were
more like blood-thirsty wolves than human
beings. To reason with them meant dan
ger, II not death, TO the poacemalxcr. The
mob came from an entirely unexpected
source.
The report was current that crowd OF
farmers from Hopewell township were con-
gregating and organizing on the outskirts
Of the town. and the attack was expected
to be made by them. But instead IL was
done by fellows who had been circulating
In the vicinity OF the Jail all Saturday
evening, and the police made no effort 10
quiet them.
Thus matters went on until about 1:l5
q. III. Six men gathered on the lawn
about 80 feet from the Jail, and In a mo-
ment about 30 others joined them. Then
sharp whistle was heard. and out OF an
alley on the opposite side OF the street
rushed about 800 more. the leaders carry
ing rope and several sledgc hammers,
with which 70 accomplish their work.
Oniccrs Brutaiiy Treated.
AS the mob made the rush toward the
JAIL they emitted yells that were blood
curdling. A squad Of policemen who had
stationed themselves on the steps were
whisked TO one Side. Officer Keiffer was
struck on the head with a slcdge and
kicked brutally. He was carried home un-
conscious. and is lowering between life
and death. Officer Fisher was thrown
against brick wall and partially stunned,
and Officer Hennessey was tumbled over
In the grass and kept there by rufilan
who held murderous looking club over
him and threatened death IL he did not
lie still. The other officers were treated
In tho same way.
The mob went direct to the side en-
trance and commenced tho onslaught on
the door with their sledges. They made
no demand for the keys. Michael
Schmidutz then welded the sledgc He
was one OF the drunken agitators who APP
peared early In the morning. The door
was broken into splintcrs In a short time.
With each blow the fury Of the crowd in
creased.
When the entrance was gained, there
was wild rush and the hnll was filed
with excited men Sheriff vannest and
three men stood in the opposite end. He
appealed 10 them To dispersc, but tho men
only grew flerccr. The entrance to tn @
corridor Is first protected by a heavy sheet
iron door The lock was broken off with
. few blows.
Rioters Shot Down.
Then 1t was that the guards who were
In tbat portion began TO fire. AT first
they shot over the rioters heads. The
guards say no shot was fired by them un-
I'll the attacking party had fired through
the grating first. Henry Mutschler, the
first man killed, was the one who carried
tho rope. He was shot through the left
temple, the ball coming out on the right
side, and he died instantly Then Chris
Matz received bullet through the heart
He was also picked up dead
This awful determination OF the guards
awed the would-be lynchers, and they left
the place, cursing and wilder than ever.
Vic Vindonc, n young Italian laborer, left
with the intention OF getting dynamite TO
blow up the building, but he did not again
put In an appearance. While In the midst
of the attack, Vindone rushed upon the
daughter OF the sheriff and threatened to
kill her. Another fellow held revolver
close to the heart OF Andrew Greer, n one
armed son-in-law of the sheriff, and pulled
the trigger, but 1t missed fire, and the next
instant the fist of Greer felled the would-be
assassin to the floor.
The sheriff's family wore upstairs, and
one OF the mob seeing them at the head Of
the stairs, rushed viciously at them, but
some one threw him headlong to the
bottom. Between and o'clock yester-
day morning, after the mob had moved
farther down the street, Martin was
handcuffed, taken through side door
and then to side alley, where carriage
was In waiting. Police Captain Falkner
and officer Sweeney took him to San
dusky county
Wise Counsel Prevailed.
Citizens viewed the scene OF the tragedy
yesterday by hundreds. Many people who
called did not know the prisoner had been
taken away, and at 10 o'clock crowd
numbering hundreds started to make an
other attack, but wiser counsel prevailed.
Finally, to pacify them, one OF their mum.
Der who knew the murderer was allowed
TO search the building. He did not find
the prisoner and so informed the crowd
but they refused TO believe him. Then
company E Of the Second regiment Of mil
itia Of this city was called out to guard
the building.
Yesterday afternoon the crowd again
surrounded the place. They became so
ueterfDlncu tnht u committee OF SIX Cfti-
zeps again scare bed the building from
cellar 90 garrct. Among the party was
Mayor Rex, and when they had flushed the
search he appeared on the front steps OF
the building, and In behalf OF the COM
mittec, said the man could not be found.
Captain Falkner, who had just returned
from Sandusky county, spoke to the crowd
also. They could not help but be salts
fed and the greater part dispersed.
In response to the governors orders,
company OF the Sixteenth regiment, o.
N. g., OF 35 men; company ID, Sixteenth
regiment, with As men, and companies g
and Of KeHton arrived early last evening
and strict guard will be kept for several
days. Many wild threats to lynch the
sheriff and TO kill the guards were heard,
but IL Ia believed there will be no serious
trouble when the excitement has cooled
down.
Adjutant General Howe and Colonel j.
A. Kurt came with the Kenton special.
Over 200 guardsmen are here.
Martin, who lived short distance from