Richmond planet., 1897-07-17
"CIick" r1itchelI, the Un-
fortunate AfrO-Ameri-
can, Lynched at
Urbana,
WAS CLEARLY INNOCENT OF TIE
ORIME CHARGED. AND HIS WILL
LINGLY SURRENDERJNG
HIMSELF TO THE OF
FIOERS
Goes Far Toward Establishing the Fact
His Side-The Truth at Last.
URBANA, o June 30, 1897


Hon. II. q. SMITH, Editor GAZETTE
Dear Sir As there has been consid-
erable written and printed in The diff
ferent newspapers of the country, and
seemingly from the same prejudiced
point OF view, deem it nothing more
than right, in justice TO the side of hu-
manity and the friends of the Urbana
victim of Lynch Law" especially
since the 'mists are beginning to clear
away" to present TO the public a few
things and comments from toe oppo-
site point of view. In the first place
Mrs. Gaumer informed the public that
a colored man had tried TO force her
to sign check for $500 and that he
threw a shawl over hls face to conceal
his identity and afterwards threw it
over her face for the same purpos-
that he had choked her and scratched
her face.
Later in the day she said that
Mitchell had raped her and the check
story was false. She described her
assailant as "thicI dipped colortc
man who wore q checked coat aud q
brown derby hat" 1t is reported
that upon the day of the ale ged as
sault, etc Mitchell left home wear.
ing cap. His lips were not at all
thick" and the newspaper cuts of
him were simply horrible, to say the
least. Mitchell was a very fine look
ing, stout-built, brown-skinned young
man, being rather below the stand al d
in height.
From the description given, the off,
GERS supposed the assailant TO be
Click" Mitchell, and they went in
search of him, tut failed TO locate
him. "Click's' friends learning that
he was wanted for the alleged crime,
went to him and told him that the Of
ficers were after him, and that If he
was guilty he had better skip out. He
told bis folks that he was not guilty
and that he would not go anywhere,
and said il the officers wanted him
they could get him. The xt MORN
ing "Click" went down town and see
ing Marshall Kinna hailed him and
asked il he was wanted. The marshal
placed him behind the bars in the city
prison Mrs Gaumer's injuries" at
first were only slight and DIR. Hender-
son reported her as suffering more
from nervous prostration than from
any injuries. Nevertheless she grew
worse" and the preliminary trial had
TO be postponed for several days. as
she was unable to appear. As she got
no better and was getting worse all
the time, it vas decided to take
'Click" before her for Identification
The mayor had previously gone TO
Mrs. GaUmer's and she doubtless had
been informed as TO the appearance Of
| the prisoner and that the marshal was
coming with him. he marshal took
"Click" down in ph@ton and there
were preseut the members of the fam
/ lily (I think two brothers-in-law)a and
one or two others Perhaps it is sill
1 q - - l.
/ the identity of Walling and jackson
was established. Click was taken
before her alone anc she, having been
| previously informed that he was COM
/ ing, had nothing to do but to say !;
/ "YOu brute, how dare you face me
Hang himl" On his (Clicb's) return
| TO the Mayors Office two charges were
preferred against him-one of assault
/ with intent TO kill and the other rape
Clicks lawyer upon being informed
tk at the Mayor intended to bind him
over to court anyhow, waived exami-
nation and Mitchell was placed under
bonds of 81 900 in each charge. In de-
fault of bail in the evening he was
taken to the county Jail. Previous to
his identification" by Mrs. Gaumer,
the report was current that the assail-
ant had committed the crime of rape ;
that he had bitten her severely in the
breast and side; had bitten off one of
her nipples had given her a loathsOme
d sease and that it was impossible for
her to recover.
All of these rumOrs were calculated
to and did serve to iDhame and enrage
the people. 1t was no uncommon
thing to'hear upon the streets the re-
mark that 1.-The niger ought to be
hung" Quite a crowd followed him
when he was taken TO the jail and il
was clear to Sheriff McLaih that the
people intended 20 put their threats
into execution. So ne called out the
guards
This action still further melted the
people, and things began to assume
Idreadful and threatening shape The
| people, through false report of the
{ very critical condition of Mrs. Gaumer
were worked up to fever heat and
nothing but hanging would satisfy
their rage Several bold rushes were
made, led by some of our promjnen
= men, previous TO the dreadful affral
; which followed.
Just before the shooting on FRIDAY
morning it was reported that Mrs
. Gaumer had died at 2 a. m. 1t is sale
! that her doctor went 10 and down th'
; streets wringing his hands and saying
Z i"Oh. my, isn't iG awful. Just think o
it," and giving vent to like expires
sions of grief.
This capped the climax, and th
crowd, swelled to thousands of men
women and children from the sur
= rounding country, began to cry for tn
prisoners blood, The attack wa
made and consequences are known
two were killed outright and more o
less injury.
This attack was made at 2 80 a, n
The loss of two, the wounding of 9th
9 ers, and the Negro" still alive, wa
y more than they would stand Afte
all this damage u as done compan
3 of Gualds from Springfield was order
e ed to report 10 Sheriff McClain b
Governor Bushnell.
o The citizens had begun to prspar
e for active hostihties They had sen
d for dynamite to blow up the jai
eunrds, sheriff and all. The Spring
d field guards having arrived on tn
n ground were shamefully treated b
e the mob. Mayor Ganson seemed I
take the matter into his own hand
and ordered them away, as b
probably feared there would b
more lives lost and the Negro
would still be living. After the guarC
were gone, understand that the Ma
" or gave the mob to understand tn.
r the authorities we're powerless to pr'
" vent them from performing the
deed.
J Then came one OF the most tideOJ