The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-05
THE URBANA TRAGEDY
Two Innocent Men We're Instantly
Killed and Ten Wounded.
Sheriff Mclean Ordered the
Soldiers to Fire.
Governor Bushnell Making Personal Investi.
cation Sheriff Leaves.

Urbana, o., June 5-In the tragedy at
the Jail here yesterday, when mob at
tempted TO take Chick" Mitchell. the
ripist, from the jail, and were fired upon
by the soldiers. two men being Instantly
ter will probably die.
In addition TO this list, II is feared
that Mrs. Eliza Gaumer, who was as
saulted by the negro. will not recover,
and several of the injured are In a Sc
rious condition. ;rhete Is intense feel
ing against some Of the officials and
further complications are expected.
While the past two nights and days
witnessed scenes Of lawlessness and
bloodshed, yet the feeling at no time
has been as intense as II is now. The
body of Mitchell was exposed all day
I'm rough coffin and 1t intensified the
feeling among the crowds who viewed
It. The bodies of the citizens who were
killed were tenderly cared fOr. and their
funerals tomorrow will tend to keep
alive the bitter feeling. Several Il the
wounded will be crippled for life.
One week ago, Mrs. Eliza Gaumer was
assaulted by Mitchell at her home In
this city. near the courthouse. The
brute accomplished his purpose. Keen
ly realixing her position the woman re-
queSted her son to announce that she
was assaulted for robbery. It was
given out that Mitchell Attempted to
force her to sign q check Tor $500.
But as Mrs. Gaumers condition be-
came more serious the facts became
known and It was also stated that the
negro was afflicted with loAthsome
disease. The negro was first 8eld for
robbery, but on last Wednesday was ar-
ralgned 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 Wed
nesday, at Mrs. Gaumer's home, there
was talk Of lynching. Crowds sur
rounded the jail that night and the
eheriff and the local militia had trouble
In protecting the prisoner. Thursday
night a grand jury was impanelled, and
1t soon returned an indictment for GRIM
inal assault.
The lynching occurred in bright day
light and no masks were worn. The To-
cal militia had been on duty two nights
and they did no more shooting. Cow
ernor Bushnell had been asked for more
troops during the night, and before z
a. m. q company from Springfield ar
rived. Just then the local company
was withdrawn from the Jail. Mayor
Ganson met the Springfield company
en- route from the depot and sent the
troops back, saying they were not want
ed. 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 Mitchell's cell.
Throwing a rope over the trembling
wretch's head, he was dragged out, re-
ceiving some kicks and blows. When
the outer door was reached the moose
slipped off, and Sylvester Zimmerman
tied it so securely as to receive the cheers
Of the crowd.
The rope was thrown over one of the
limbs of a tree In the courthouse yard.
Mitchell was jerked 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
While the body Of Mitchell was lying
OH the ground hundreds crowded about
to see 1t. 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 lynching.
There was no attempt at disguise or
secrecy. The assemblage in the public
square was as open as any public meet
ing that had ever been held in that place.
An hour or more after the lynching,
Mitchells body was picked up and
placed In a rough coffin, but left under
the tree, where hundreds Of people con-
tinued to view It, Later in the day the
body was removed by the coroner.
Meantime crowds of people poured into
the city from all surrounding towns and
viewed the blood stained steps Of the
Jail and the marks of the bullets on the
surrounding houses.
Governor Bushnell is here to investi-
gate the trouble. and especially the ac-
tion of the troops. Citizens from Urbana
asked him for protection by the troops
for Sheriff Mclean, against whose life
threats had been freely made.
Sheriff Mclean left yesterday after
noon for 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 bitter
ness that prevails II is almost impos-
sible to get at the facts as to the re-
sponsibility for the loss OF life, but Il is
generally claimed that Sheriff Mclean
ordered the troops to fire.
1t Is believed that there Will be o
thorough investigation into the action
OF the mayor. as well as that OF the
sheriff and military officers.
Another Unconstitutional Law.