The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-05
MOB DEFIES MILITIA.
The Lynching Of a Negro in Ohio
Costs Two Lives,
ANDTEN OTHERS WERE WOUNDED
Soldiers who Were Guarding the Con.

vict Fired Twenty voIleys Into the
Crowd - The Dead Were Innocent
Spectators of the Exciting Scenes.
Urbana, o., June 5.-Two men were
+, killed and ten wounded at 2.3O yester-
Hay morning by company of the Ohio
National Guard in defense of Charles
Mitchell, a negro rapist in Jail at this
place. In spite of the militia the mob
hnally entered the Jail and lynched the
prisoner. All of the victims were inno-
Rent citizens who were spectators OF
The scene of excitement. In addition to
This list, 1t is feared that Mrs. Eliza
Eaumer who was assaulted by the ne
gro, will not recover, and several of the
injured are in a serious condition. There
ls intense feeling against some of the
officials, and further complications are
lpprshended.
The dead are: Harvey Bell, Urbana,
phot In the head and instantly killed;
Upton Baker, farmer north of Urbana.
Fatally wounded: Wesley Bowen, Ca
BILE. shot in the hip; Zach Wank, Ur-
bana shot in the groin and leg
While the past two nights and days
witnessed scenes of lawlessness and
bloodshed, yet the feeling at no time
has been as intense as it is here today.
The body of Mitchell was exposed all
Cay yesterday in a rough coffin, and it
Intensified the feeling among the crowds
who viewed 1t. The bodies of the citi-
Zcns who were killed were tenderly
cared for, and their funerals on Sun
day will tend to keep alive the bitter
feeling. Several of the wounded will
be crippled for life.
One week ago yesterday Mrs. Eliza
Gaumer was assaulted by Mitchell at
her home in this city, near the court
house. The brute accomplished his pur-
pose. Keenly realizing her position, she
requested her son to announce that she
was assaulted for robbery. 1t was
given out that Mitchell attempted to
force her to sign check for $500. But
as Mrs. Gaumer's condition became
more serious the facts became known,
and as 1t was also stated that the ne
gro was afflicted with a loathsome dis
ease. The negro was first held for
robbery, but on last Wednesday was
arTaigned for criminal assault Mrs
Gaumer was unable to appear in court,
and the hearing was held at her home
As Mitchell entered her room she ex-
claimed: THE brute, hang him. How
dare you face me again. you brute?"
Soon after the identification on We'd
nesday there was talk of lynchins.
Crowds surrounded the Jail that night,
and the sheriff and the local militia had
trouble in protecting the prisoner.
Thursday a grand jury was empaneled
and it returned an Indictment for crim-
inal assault. Mitchell disguised in a
soldiers uniform, was brought Thurs
day night from Jail into court. He
waived the reading of the indictment,
pleaded guilty and was promptly SEN
fenced to 20 years in the penitentiary..
the maximum punishment for his
crime.
. An attempt was made to take Mitch
ell to Columbus at 10 p. m, but the
crowds which had gathered about the
court house made rush for the jail
when the wagon drew up. The mill
kary drove them back, but the mob in
CREASED in numbers and grew more
threatening. Sheriff Mclean and the
troops had all they could do to hold
the Jail and the trip to Columbus was
given UP before the departure of the
last train. In the meantime crowds
had also surrounded the depots, 50 as
to make sure their man should not be
taken away. AS the night wore on the
mob increased, and the shouts and
murmurings indicated that it was in
dead earnest.
II was JUST 80 when the first attack
was made on the jail and the military
began firing. Over twenty voleys were
pOuyed into the crowd, and the mob was
reDulsed, leaving four killed and ten
wounded. The range was close but the
soldiers fired wildly. OF the killed and
wounded nearly all We're on the out
skirts of the mass of men, those i'm
nediatcly in a direct line Of fire escap-
Ing. The vOlleys drove the crowd back
little way and it was found that two
men. named Higgins and Bell, had been
Instantly killed. When their bodies
were picked up in the court house
square il made the crowd furious.
After the dead and wounded were
cared for the crowd rallied. The local
militia had been on duty two nights,
and they did no more shooting. Gov
ernnr Bushnell had been asked for
more troops during the night and be-
fore 7 Il. m, a company from Spring.
field arrived. Just then the local COM
panY was withdrawn from the jail.
Mayor Ganson met the Springfield COM
pRny en- route from the depGF and sent
wanted.
The mob seeing the way open, broke
for the jail. No force was needed, as
Sheriff Mclean delivered the keys and
the crowd soon found Mitchells cell
Throwing q rope over the trembling
wretch's head, he was dragged out,
receiving some kicks and blows. When
the outer door was reached the moose
sIipred off and Sylvester Zimmerman
tied 1t so securely as to receive the
cheers of the crowd. The rope was
thrown over one of the limbs of a tree
In the court house yard, Mitchell was
Jerlied up until his head struck the
limb and his neck was broken, and then
his body dropped to the ground The
crowd repeated the Jerking several
times until they were sure he was dead.
lie died without a struggle, as his neck
was evidently broken by the first jerk.
lie was ~ years old, and hotel porter.
While the body of Mitchell was lying
on the ground hundreds crowded about
to see it. The colored people were
greatly excited. They had previously
met and adopted resolutions for the
punishment of Mitchell, but many Of |
them offered the opinion that he was
not guilty.
Women and children, as well as a
multitude Of men, witnessed the lynch |
ing. There-was no attempt at disguise
or secrecy The assemblage In the pub |
lie square was as open as any public |
mRetns that had ever been held in |
that place. The local militia company, |
feeling the overwhelming public feeling |
against them, offered no resistance |
when the mob broke into the jail. or
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