The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-06-10

ed; that the people were law-abiding and
would assist him in preserving order;
that the company could leave the court
yard, and when their services were
needed he would send for them. The
Springfield company, without waiting
for further orders, marched down the
street to the depot, without as much as
the sheriff seeing them. The local mill
tary company had previously refused to
serve longer and went to the second story
of the sheriff's residence and tried to
sleep. With no resistance offered, the
crowd at once made a run for the side
door, two strong and determined men
kicked it down and gained admittance
to the jail, the crowd following. There
were plenty of sledge hammers, chisels
and other tools in the crowd, and the men
went to work.
Part of the crowd forced themselves
into the private apartments of the sheriff
and secured the jail keys. The crowd got
into the Jail in short order. They did not
wait to unlock the door to Mitchell's cell,
but burst the lock with a hammer and
the door soon flew open. Mitchell was
standing in his cell and offered no resist
ance and did not utter a word. Some one
in the crowd had a rope, and it was
placed over the mans neck and the crowd
made for the door. In going down the
stairs on the outside of the Jail, Mitchell
fell down and the rope slipped off his
neck. The crowd surrounded him and
jumped on his like a thousand hungry
dogs after one bone.
The brute was kicked, beaten and al
most killed. The rope was quickly slip
ped over his head again, and a rush was
made for tree in the southeastern cor
ner of the court house yard, in front Of
the court house. The end was thrown
over good, strong limb and a thousand
| willing hands pulled the wretch up. ThC
end was tied to the iron fence ant
| Mitchell was left hanging there in full
view of several thousand people, to dit
the death he had brought on himself
All this was done in shorter tim
than it actually takes to tell the story
The lynching took place at about TN
this morning. The men taking part mad
no attempt to disguise themselves, but i
is not known who did the work, and tn,
person who attempts to find out will prob
ably get himself into serious trouble.
This much is known, however, that the.
did their work well, and this is all tn
people wish to know. 1t is doubtful i
Mitchell died from the effects of the hang
ing. His miserable life had been almos
kicked out of him when he fell down. l
any life remained in his carcass it wa
strangled out 1t is the general opinion
he was unconscious when strung up. Hi
body was left hanging for an hour o
more, and the people of the city flocke'
to see it. All classes of people came t
witness the spectacle. 1t was finally Gu
down and placed in an undertaker's DO,
and left lying in the court house yard TO
the public gaze.
Militia Fired on the Mob.
The exciting incidents of the last tw
days had an unfortunate and deplorabl
elimination at 2:30 this morning. TIL
mob of 1900 stood on the streets all night
yelling and perfectly wild to lynch
brute in human form, guilty of fiendisl
crime.
The mob had been slowly advancing al
the time nearer and nearer to the jail
The guards were crowded closer to tn
building as the night advanced. Final,
a dozen men or more got to some stair
leading to the back entrance to the jail
a fellow with a big sledge hammer, whicl
he had been carrying all night under hi
coat, blazed away at the door, knocking
it in. At that instant the guards VIII,
were stationed inside the building opened
| fire, and at least twenty shots were pour
ed promiscuously into the crowd.
The man who carried the sledge ham
mer escaped without injury, but younl
man named Higgins dropped dead, sho
through the body. The crowd scattered
| instantly.
During the few seconds in which tn,
firing took place some deplorable worl
was done. Harry Bell, son of Smitl
Bell of this city, and the man Hoggins
died almost instantly. Ten others wer,
wounded. Most of those injured were
standing in the street and were specta
tors.
The crowd was several times ordered
to leave the Jail yard by the sheriff ant
Capt. Leonard of the guard.
Crowds of people from Bellefontaine
Springfield and other places are here
looking at the bullet holes in the court