St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-25
MITCHELL PEOPLE GENTLY IN
FORM HIM THAT HIS COURSE
IS NOT APPROVED.
RAID THE PRINTING OFFICE.
SMASH TYPE, PRESSES, CASES,
ETC, AND BURN EVERYTHING
BURNABLE.
BLAcKMAIL1NG IS THE CHARGE.
Strange Story of Persecution and
Hatred Brought Out by the
Affair.

MITCHELL, S. D., Feb. 24.-The de-
struction OF the outfit of the Mitchell
Mall newspaper today by number of
representative business men is the Gull
mination of strained relations which
have existed in this city for years.
during which time r. H. Mcbride. the
editor of the Mail is charged with
having heaped great deal of abuse
and ridicule on leading citizens and
various enterprises OF the city. The
feeling against Mcbride was intensi-
fled Saturday to a point of action
when he published an article deroga-
tory to the character of the late John
D. Lawler. An indignation meeting
was held Saturday evening, which was
attended by the principal business
men. From this meeting a committee
of seven men was selected to wait
upon Mcbride and offer to buy his
outfit, he to thereupon leave the town.
Mcbride agreed to answer the propo-
sition this morning. Today the COM
mittee called on Mcbride with the
money to pay for the material, but he
was absent, and the committee, after
placing enough money to pay for the
damage in the hands of one of their
number, took the outfit into the street,
sprinl1led it with resin and set it on
fire. The type was melted, the wood
work went UP in smoke and the iron
presses were smashed into hundreds
of pieces. The ruin was complete
Mcbride was later ordered to leave
town, which he did at noon, and no
one knows his destination.
There is a long story back Of the
whole affair. which shows Mcbride UP
in a very poor light.
Bob Mcbride and John w. Lawler.
president Of the First National bank,
were number of years ago on friend
ly terms, the two being thrown to-
gether to some extent, the former be-
ing editor of the only Democratic pa
per in this section, and the latter prom
inent in the councils Of the Democratic
party. About nine years ago Lawler
came to Mitchell to reside. He became
president of the. First National bank
at that time, and continued in that
position until his death.
When here Mrs. Lawler's widowed
sister, Mrs. Dousman, of Prairie du
Chen visited the Lawler family and
became attracted by Mcbride, he being
talented conversationalist and
man Of more than ordinary ability as
a newspaper writer, and married him.
McBride's private character, however,
it is stated, was not of the best.
Previous to McBride's marriage to
Mrs. Dousman, John D .Lawler was
requested by one of the nearest rel
atives of Mrs. Dousman to inform her
Of the private character Of Mcbride,
and he did SO. Not desiring to pose
as a friend of Mcbride, and at the
same time do this act he went to Nc
Bride and told him what he intended
to do. This is the only act Lawler
ever did in opposition to the mar
riage, according to the solemn words
of relatives who are absolutely reliable.
The marriage between Mcbride and
Mrs. Dousman took place in due course
of time, and everything passed off
pleasantly for some time. Later the
wife discovered that the marriage vow
was being violated, and separated
from Mcbride.
Mcbride then returned to Mitchell
and commenced systematic attacks up
on Lawler through the mail. Since
to undermine the First National bank.
Every moment has been spent in sche-
ming to harass and destroy John D.
Lawler, his attacks even going so far
as to desecrate the name of Mrs. Law
Ter and other members Of the family.
Farmers who deposited in the First
National bank were known to Nc
Bride and those who were not known
were hunted up, and each and all were
maliciously given a Tip" that they
had better take their, money out of
the bank, and in consequence the
banks support among farmers steadily
decreased. Every weeks issue con-
tanned some allusion to the bank and
it's president, based on falsehood, but
appearing in such manner that no
action at law could be taken against
him.
This career of McBride's was idly
looked upon by the people here until
the news flashed over the wires week
ago that John D. Lawler had sudden
ly died in Sioux City of apoplexy,
whittier he had gone on business. The
full force of McBride's long continued
abuse then came home to the citizens
and they resolved to rid the town of a
man who has endeavored to wreck the
financial interests of the town.