River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-10
URBANA'S HORROR.
Citizens of the Town Shot and a
Negro Ravisher Lynched.
Frenzfed Mob Attacks the jail ane
Is Fired Upon by the Militia
story of the Night of
Tragedies.

-toFN the
Tragedies.
Urbana. O.. June 5. - In the riot here
at $3.50 Friday morning two lives were
lost and ten citizens were wounded. At
7:30 a. m, Charles Mitchell (colored),
the cause of all the trouble, was taken
from the Jail by Infatuated citizens and
lynched. The two previous nights and
Thursday portended the gravest dam
ger, but no such results were antici-
pated as those within the five hours
from q: 80 to 1880 a. IN. Friday. Includ-
ing the brutal Mitchell, there are three
dead and ten wounded.
The Victims.
Following is a revised list of the killed
and wounded in the riot of Friday morn
ing:
head, Instantly killed: Upton Baker, farm
er living north of Urbana.
Fatally Wounded-wesley Bowen. Of
Cable, shot in the hip; lack Wank. Urbana,
SHOT in the groin and leg.
Other Wounded-Dennis Graney. Urbana,
right foot, slightly; DR. Charles Thomp-
son, North Lewisburg, head, slight; ). ;.
Deaton, Iirbana. prosecuting attorney, leg,
slight: Gus Weiser, Urbana, in the face,
painful; Ray Dickerson, Urbana, shoulder.
serious: John MeKeever, Urbana. right
arm, painful; Ray Mcclure, Crbana, right
arm, painful.
Mob Fired On by the Militia.
The early morning scenes--the fierce,
blood-thirsty fury of the mob, the de-
termined attack on the Jail and the
reply of the militia with fire and lead
will be as a nightmare in the memories
r. h., thaY.. An
citizens began to collect early Thursday
determined to lynch Mitchell for his
terribly brutal assault on Mrs. Eliza
Gaumer. The local militia was called
out and, by dressing Mitchell up in sol
dier's uniform. the authorities succeed
ell in smuggling him into the court
house where he pleaded guilty TO the
charges and was sentenced to 20 years
in the penitentiary, the extreme penal
ty for the crime. When he had been re-
turned to the Jail, the enraged crowd
learned what had been done and re-
solved that he should not be taken out
of town alive. At 2:30 in the morning
the jail was stormed and the door bat
tered in. The sheriff ordered the militia
to fire and when the report of 20 rifles
had died away a dozen or more
of the spectators lay writhing on
the ground. The mob then fell back
and the dead ard wounded were tender
" cared for. Anticipating the fury of
the mob the sheriff teIegraphed for
more troops and at 7:1o the Springfield
militia arrived. They were received
with boots and ieers aud were stoned
and besmeared with mud. The mayer
advised that they withdraw, fearing a
riot The local militia had in the mean
time withdrawn to the sheriff's quar-
tiers, and when the Springfield troop
had disappeared in the direction of the
depot the crowd made rush for the
Jail, battered in the door, secured their
victim. dragged him ont at the end of
rome, and, after stamping and beating
him almost TO death, the hundreds of
willing hands strung him NJ to the
nearest tree. The body was later cut
down, put in a plain pine box and
placed in the courtyard where it was
viewed by thousands.
UphoIds the Militia.
Cincinnati, June s. - Gov. Bushnell
in letter TO the Commercial-Tribune
says:
1.-THE members of the national guard at
Urbana did their duty and are entitled to
the support of the state Lamentable as the
results were their efforts were to main
tain the majesty of the law, and they
should be upheld by the people"
Adjt.-Gen. Axline says:
"A careful examination of Urbana fails
to snow that the national guards conduct
was anything but that of courageous and
obedient soldiers. and when the public Is
in fun possession of all the facts and COM
plications that surrounded the service, the
unwarranted criticisms that have gone out
to the world viii be speedily corrected"
Capt. Leonard, of the Urbana mill
tary company, is here as the guest of
the state at the Neil house, until he can
return home. Citizens of Urbana have
telephoned him to come home, assuring
him safety lie left the jail in a buggy
md was recognized. When somebody
shouted: Hang him." the horse was
put to full speed.
Sheriff McLain reached home on the
Big -Four train from Springfield Mon
day afternoon. He was met at the depot
by Deputy Sheriff Kirby in cab. and
was hurried off to his mothers home.
Mayor Ganson, in card, condemns
mobs. lie says that all was done by the
sheriff to save Mitchell that could have
been done, and if more force had been
used men, women and children would
have been killed. The feeling there has
subsidized very much. A strong reaction
has set in and the best public opinion
favors protection to the fullest for
Capt. Leonard and his company.