The herald., 1897-06-05
ne sent these troops back. saying they

keys. and the crowd soon found Mitch
ellis cell. Throwing rope over Mitch
eirs head he was dragged out 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 moose was thrown
over a limb of one of the trees in the
court yard, Mitchell was jerked up until
his head struck a limb, and 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.
\ II is doubtful If Mitchell died from the
effects of the hanging. Hie miserable
life had been almost kicked out of him
when he fell down. 1t is the general
opinion that he was unconscious when
strung up. The body was left hanging
for an hour or more, aud people flocked
to see it.
When the body of Mitchell was lying
on the ground, hundreds crowded about
the place. Colored people were greatly
excited. They had previously made reso-
1utlons for the punishment of Mitchell.
but many of them talked about his not
being guilty. Women and children, as
well as q Ilullituue ul IlSD, WitHtSScu
the lynching. There was no attempt at
disguise or secrecy. The assemblage in
the public square was as open as any
public meeting that had ever been held
in that place.
The local militia, feeling the over
whelming public feeling against them,
offered no resistance when the mob broke
into the jail, or when the lynching was
going on, and the Springfield company
had been countermarched to the depot.
An hour after the lynching MitcheiPs
body was picked up and placed in a
rough coffin, but still left under the tree,
where hundreds continued to view 1t.
The wretch died without struggle as
his neck was evidently broken by the
first jerk. Later in the day the body was
removed by the coroner, and other traces
of the violence were removed as fast as
possible. Meanwhile crowds of people
poured into the city from all the sur
rounding towns and viewed the blood
stained steps of the Jail and the marks
of the bullets on the surrounding houses.
Among the sights shown visitors was
tree in the same court house yard where
man named Ullery was lynched
twenty-three years ago for similar
crime upon the 17-year-old daughter of
J. B. Morgan. Then the Jail door was
burst open, and the sheriff surrendered
the key, and no lives were lost, except
that of the culprit. The tree is still
standing, but the limb on which Ullery
was hanged is dead, and stands out as
ghastly reminder of violence.
All the visitors today wanted to see
the limb on which Mitchell was hanged,
and the remark was frequently made,
may it last long enough for future
generations to see it.
Gov. Bushnell arrived here tonight to
investigate the trouble and especially
the action of the troops. While the
Urbana company is overwhelmed with
local sentiment against their action,
they are also liable for abandoning their
post of duty. Captain Leonard withdrew
the guards about a. m. and the Spring
field company took orders from the
mayor instead of the sheriff when they
turned back from the courthouse. Gov
Bushnell was attending an encampment
at Wooster last night and was met by a
delegation from here on his return 10
Columbus this afternoon. These citi-
zens from Urbana asked for protection
by troops of Sheriff McLain, against
whose life threats have been made DUR
ing the afternoon, and If he was here to-
night it is believed there would be trou-
BILE again.
Sheriff McLain left here at p. M and
arrived at Springfield al 8 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 believed
that Sheriff McLain ordered the troops
to fire last night.
When the first attack was made on
the Jail at 1:30 a. m. a dozen men mount
ed the rear steps of the Jail and two Of
them used sledge hammers on the doors.
The local militia company was under
arms on the inside, with Sheriff McLain
and his deputies. Captain George w
Leonard then stepped out and said: Il
will give you three minutes to disperse.
If you do not do so I must fire"
The crowd generally believed that
Sheriff McLain had already ordered the
troops to fire and they dispersed. But
when the attack was renewed on the
rear door of the Jail the firing took place
and the crowd dispersed, leaving their
dead and wounded. 1t was after o'clock
when Sheriff McLain telegraphed Gov.
Bushnell at Wooster that mob had at
tackled the Jail, that he had opened fire,
that his force was inadequate and that
assistance was needed at once. Gov.
Bushnell had the Springfield company
start Immediately.
1t is believed that there will be thor
ough investigation into the action of the
mayor as well as into the action of the
sheriff and military officers.
LIST OF DEAD
Following is the revised list of cas-
ualties:
Harvey Bell, Urbana, shot in the
head and instantly killed.
Upton Baker, farmer north of Ur-
bana.
Fatally wounded:
Wesley Bowen of Gable, shot in hip.
Zach Wank, Urbana, shot in groin and
leg.
Seriously wounded
Dennis Graney, Urbana, right foot,
slight.
Dr. Charles Thompson, North Lewis
burg, head slight
S. S. Dealon, Urbana, prosecuting
attorney. leg, slight.
Gus Weiser, Urbana, in the face, pain
full