Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1897-06-12

Four men were killed and ten wounded al
40 o'clock Ia the morning by shots fired by
a company OF the Ohio National Guard in
defense OF Charles Nitchsll. a negro rapist
In jail az Urtaoa- In spite u the militia
the mob finally entered the jail and lvnched
the prisoner. All the victims were innocent
citiyens. who were spectators t. the scene %
excitement
In addition 20 those killed and wounded
y Is feared that Mrs. Eliza Gauner. who
was assaulted By the negro. viii not recover.
snd several % the injured are In serious
condition. There is intense feeling against
some Of the officials. and further complica-
lions are spprehended While the past two
nights and days witnessed scenes OF lawless-
hess and hloodshed -ct The feeling az no
time has been a. intense a. 40 present The
body or Mitchell was exposed In a rough
cofin. and intensified the feeling among
the crowds who viewed H. The bodies of
the citizens who were killed were tenderlv
cared FOR. several OF the wounded will bs
crippled for life.
One week ago Mrs. Eliza Gaumer was as
saulted by Mitchell at her home in Urbana.
near the courthouse. The brute accom-
piiShed bis purpose. kcenly realizing her
position. she requested her son 20 announce
that she wa assaulted for robbery Il was
her 10 sign n cheek for $500. But a. MR.
Gaumers condition hecaanc more serious the
facts became kaown.
The Mob BECOMES Threatening.
soon after the Identification on wcdnes-
day. AZ Mrs Gaumer's home there was talk
ot lynchiDg. Crowds surrounded the iafl
that night. and the sheriff and the local
militia had trouble In protecting the pris-
.l.s
paneled. and n soon returaed an indictment
Tor criminal assault. Mitchell disguised Ia
a soldiers uniform. was brought from Jail
into court. He waived the reading of the
Indictment. pleaded guilty. and was PROMPT
~ sentenced - twenty years ia the peniten-
uary. the maximum punishment for his
crime. An attempt wEs made % take Nit
chell % Columbus at 10 +. NJ. but the crowds
which had gathered among the courthouse
made a rush Tor the jail when the WAGON
drew up. The military drove them back.
but the mob increased In numbers and grew
more threatening. sheriff Mclean and tho
troops had AL they could DO g. hold the jail
aud the trip 90 Columbus wa- given up be-
fore the departure 20 The last train In the
meantime crowds had also surrounded th,
dcpots 80 As O. make su-e their man should
not be- taken away A. the night wore on
e-' tiiv' iAct"o~r,i, anu tue shouts and Uur-
murings indicated that it was ia dead earn
est Inside OF the jail the sheriff and hIs
deputies and one company OF militia were
posted 20 the best advantage for II was ap-
parent that grim work would be necessary
20 protect the wretch who covered IN his
cell "a the aagry roar OF the mob surged and
rose on the air. At one O'Clock there were
signs that The mob was preparing 20 attack
but, because OF lack Of organization and
leadership. the move did not mAterialize un.
III half an hour later. IL was just l. 30 when
the first attack was made on the iail and The
military begun firing.
Over Twenty yolleys
we're poured into the crowd. and the mob
MAS repulSed. leaving four killed and ten
wounded. The range was close. but IN,
soldiers Aired wildly. or the killed and
wounded nearly all were on the outskirts
OF the mass Of men, those Immediately In ,
a liz. o a