Richmond planet., 1897-07-17
RICHMOND. VIRGINIA. SATURDAY JULY II, 1897

crimes that ever darkened the pages
OF history No lynching in the south
was ever more daring or atrociOus.
Not a mask was worn, and this in
broad day light and in Ohio.
The bowling mob dragged their VIC
tim out of the Jail and ne was struck
on the head with a sledge; someone
else struck him with dray pin and a
stone be was all but dead when the
mob got him to the place OF execution t.
Here, amidst yells and hurrah, they
threw a rope over a limb and began TO
rull him up and down, his head stFik-
down, yea after he was dead, the mob
was 80 enraged that i, began To spit
upon him and stick pins in him.
BARBARIANs WRETcHEsl
MitchelPs alleged Wet i'm was never
so bad as reported The fact is she
got about two scratches on the back of
the neck and one in the face and her
side was scratched little. 1t is now
stated by good authorities that her
nipple was not bitten; that her bruises
In the side were a myth and that she
was not hurt anywhere else as was re-
ported by her friends. Furthermore
she was never touched, let alone being
ravished.
Upon proper examination it was
found that Mitchell was entirely free
OF any disease OF loathsome nature.
Mitchell never confessed, neither was
any crime satisfactorily proven against
him. The act (assault) was near
as bad as reported in the different
papers OF the state and country, Even
the white people here claim the lynch
ing was not done on account Of any
atrocity of crime.
Inc assault OF Ullery (whitel severed
years ago, was more aggraYsting than
this one, yet the assailant was not
lynched, but was only sent to the peni-
tentiary for eighteen months.
Another phase of the matter that
has been designly kept from the pubic
is that it has been reported upon goou
authority that u certain hardware
store in town furnished revolvers TO
some members of Mrs Gaumer's fam
lily, for the purpose OF shooting Mitch
ell on the spot provided he was identi-
fed. Mayor Ganson learning of this
disarmed them He is now being CEN
sured for not allowing the responsible
ity Co be placed where it properly be-
longed If anywhere. For il it had not
been the desire of Mrs. Gaumer and
family that Mitchell be lynched he
would never had been
In order to establish beyond doubt
the alleged assault of Mitchell, l un-
derstand that Mayor Ganson told q
party of colored men that Mitchell
confessed his guilt TO her when he was
taken before her. This was stoutIy
denied by some OF those who were
present. 1t is said that Mitchell never
opened his mouth. 1t is said by one
who was there that he did not think
- SIoe - Ill
but that the minute she heard him
enter the door che began to yell, You
brute, how dare you to face me Hang
him." The same person says judging
from her position that it was almost
imI ossible for her to have seen him.
Mitchell never confessed being gull
ty to any one. His lawyer ad vised him
not TO plead guilty il he was not. He
used TO get milk at Mrs. Gaumer's, for
the Hotel Sowles, but had not been
there for that purpose since March
He wore a derby hat and a checked
coat as rule, at that time, but since
then had worn q different hat and coat.
Mrs. Gaumer's neighbors never heard
any racs ct or any unnecessary noise
and they never knew anything OF the
I matter until informed by her She is
reported TO have said that If she had
\ lllOuC n MS EJdkC uCE !,
J it was only "nigger" less anyhow,
4 When il becomes known that Mrs.
Gaumer was not raVished and that she
received only two or three scratches,
and that Mitchell never confessed com
mitting any crime as alleged, it will
put an entirely different phase upon
the horrible lynching and make it ap-
pear as it was-murder in the first de-
gree.
The desperate means now employed
! by the daily papers, the clergy, (white)
and the Christian (?) people, (wnite)
of this and other communities to ex-
onerate the members of the mob, are
to be deplored and denounced in the
| strongest terms.
On last Sunday one minister (white)
in order to plead the cause OF lynch
law took his text in Deuteronomy
Just think of it, feel sure that time
will prove "Click" Mitchell innocent
of any crime as charged.