The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-05

and the condemned man was hurried into
the yard.
The rope was then thrown over one of
the limbs of a tree
Mitchell was jerked up until his head
struck the limb. His neck was broken,
and his body dropped to the ground
The crowd repeated the jerking several
times until they were sure he was dead.
There is some doubt as to what occurred
inside the Jail from midnight until the
time of the lynching. The facts, as near
as can be arrived at, are as follows:
When the first attack was made on the
jail, at l:9O a. m, a dozen men mounted
the rear step and two of them used sledge
hammers on the doors. The local militia
company was under arms on the inside,
with Sheriff Mclean and his deputies.
Capt. G. w. Leonard stepped out and
said: Il will give you three minutes to
disperse. If you do not do so, 1 must
fire"
The crowd generally believed that Sher-
iff Mclean had already ordered the troops
to fire and they dispersed. But when
the attack was renewed on the rear door
of the Jail with sledge hammers, the flr.
ing took place. and the crowd dispersed,
leaving their dead and wounded.
1t was after o'clock when Sheriff Nc
Lain telegraphed Gov. Bushnell at Woos-
ter, o., that mob had attacked the jail,
that he had opened fire, that his force
was inadequate and that assistance was
needed at once.
The colored people are greatly excited
over the affair. They had previously
adopted resolutions for the punishment
of Mitchell, but many of them talked
about him not being guilty
Women and children, as well as a mul-
titude of men, witnessed the lynching.
There was no attempt at disguise or Sc
crecy.
An hour or more after the lynching
Mitchells body was picked up and placed
in a rough coffin, but still left under the
tree, where hundreds of people continued
to view it,
Later in the day the body was removed
by the coroner and other traces of vio-
lence were removed as fast as possible.
Meantime, crowds of people poured into
the city from all surrounding towns and
viewed the blood stained steps of the tail
and the marks of the bullets on the sur
rounding houses. Among the sights shown
visitors was tree in the same court house
yard where a man named Ullery was
lynched % years ago for a similar crime
upon the seven-year-old daughter of ]. b.
Morgan. Then the jail door was burst open
with log, and the sheriff surrendered the
keys and no lives were lost except that of
the culprit. The tree is still standing, but
the limb on which Ullery was hung is
dead
Gov. Bushnell arrived here tonight to
investigate the trouble, and especially the
action of the troops. While the Urbana
company is overwhelmed with local sem
timent against their action, they are also
liable for abandoning their post of duty
Capt. Leonard withdrew the guards about
a. m. and the Springfield company took
orders from the mayor instead of the
sheriff. when they turned back from the
court house.
Gov. Bushnell was attending an en-
campment at Wooster last night and was
met by a delegation from here on his re-
turn to Columbus this afternoon Those
citizens asked for protection by troops of
Sheriff McLain, against whose life threats
had been freely made during the afternoon,
and if he was here tonight, it is believed
there would be trouble again.
Sheriff McLain left here at p. m. and
arrived at Springfield at p. m. en- route
TO Dayton. He escaped by the back door
of the Jail and claims that dynamite was
being prepared to blow him up.
In the excitement and bitterness that
prevails tonight it is almost impossible to
get at the facts as to the responsibility for
the loss of life, but it is generally claimed
that Sheriff McLain ordered the troops to
fire.
1t is believed there will be a thorough
investigation into the action of the mayor.
as well as into the action of the sheriff
aud military officers.
Mrs. Gaumer is the widow OF a well
known newspaper publisher. Her broth
ers-in-law are u. II. Gaumer of the Zanes-
vile Signal and an ex-state senator, and
c. N. Gaumer, formerly publisher Of the
Mansfield Shield and an ex-state repre-
sentative.
Mitchell was % years old and hotel por-
ter He bought milk at the dairy Of Mrs.
Gaumer and knew she was alone while
her children we're at school. He deliber-
ately studied his opportunity for assault
Ing her.
II Is learned tonight that Sheriff Nc
Lain and Capt. Leonard left this after
noon at the request Of citizens, who fear
ed they were In danger Of violence to-
night. They took supper at Springfield,
and left at 1880 on the Big Four express
for Cincinnati, but would not tell where
they were going.
After the fatalities Of the night, Il Is
known that Sheriff McLain and Capt
Leonard decided before daylight that there
would be no more shooting. The guards
were removed and the militia went from
the jail 10 their homes In citizens clothes.
Before this evacuation, the keys OF the
JAIN we're thrown from a window to the
mob.
Mayor Ganson ordered Mltchelps body
removed Immediately after the. lynching
but so strong was the feeling that the
crowd would not allow the police 70 touch