Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-06-08


to the iron fence and Mitchell was
left hanging there in full view of sew
eral thousand people to die the death
he had brought upon himself.
All this was done in n shorter time
than it actually takes to tell the story.
The lynching took place at about 1890
in the morning. The men taking part
in it made no attempt to disguise them
selves, but it is not known who did the
work, and the person who attempts to
find out will get himself into serious
trouble. This much is known, however,
they did their work well and that is all
the people wish to know.
Dead Before He Was Hung.
1t is doubtful if Mitchell died from
the effects of the hanging. His miser-
able life had been almost kicked out Of
him when he fell down. If any life re-
manned in his carcass it was strangled
out. 1t is the general opinion that he
was unconscious when strung up. His
body was left hanging for an hour or
more and the people of the city focked
to see it. All classes Of people came to
witness the spectacle.
1t was finally cut down and placed in
an undertaker's box and left lying in
the courthouse yard open to public
gaze.
Women and children, as well as a
multitude of men, witnessed the lynch
ing. There was no attempt at disguise
or secrecy. The assemblage in the pub
lie square was as open as any public
meeting that has ever been held in that
place. The local militia company, feel
ing the Overwhelming 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 coun-
termarched to the depot.
Other Prisoners Escape.
Four prisoners escaped while the
mob was taking Mitchell out to hang
him.
The coroner returned verdict in the
case of Mitchell that he Game to his
death by hanging in the courthouse
yard at the hands of All Infatuated mob
whose names are to me unknown"
AT three p. III. the body of the negro
was 1SlLlONSS lhS SSu1 tAouoS "a
in Undertaken Humphreys wagon, and
the information given out that DR..
Myers would be here from Columbus
after him for one of the medical col
leges.
Gov. Bushnell Arrives.
Gov. Bushnell arrived Friday night
to investigate the trouble, and especial
ly 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. Capt. Leonard
withdrew the guards about seven a. M,
and the Springfield company took or
ders from the mayor instead of the
sheriff when they turned back from
the courthouse. Gov. Bushnell was at
tending an encampment at Wooster
Thursday night and was met by dele
cation from here on his return to Co.
lumbus Friday afternoon.
Sheriff's Life in Danger.
These citizens from Urbana asked for
protection by troops Of Sheriff McLain,
against whose life threats have been free
ly made, and If he were here 1t is believed
that there would be trouble again. Sheriff
McLain left here at two p. M, and arrived
at Springfield at three p. m. en- route to
Dayton He escaped by the back door of
the JAIL and claims that dynamite was be-
| ing prepared to blow him up. In the ex-
citement and bitterness that prevail,
1t is almost impossible to get at the facts
as to the responsibility for the loss of life,
but it is generally claimed that Sheriff Nc
| Lain ordered the troops to fire last night.
| While such dreadful scenes were OBJ
| served outside ha iai there 10 y,ouoI,
dispute as to what occurred inside of the
jail from midnight until the time of the
lynching. When the first attack was made
on the Jail at so a. m. dozen men mounted
| the rear step 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 dep
uties. Capt. George w. Leonard then
stepped out and said: II will give you three
minutes to disperse. If you do not do so.
lieved that Sheriff McLain had then al
ready ordered the troops to fire, and they
| dispersed. But when the attack was re-
newed on the rear door of the jail with
sledge hammers. the firing took place, and
the crowd dispersed, leaving their dead
and wounded. 1t was after three o'clock
when Sheriff McLain telegraphed Gov.
Bushnell at Wooster, O., that mob had
attacked the jail. that he had opened fire.
| that his force was inadequate and that as
sistance was needed at once. Gov Bush
nell had the Springfield company here
early.
1t is believed that there will be a thor
ough investigation into the action of the
mayor as we'll as into the action of the
sheriff and the military officers.
/ MitchelEs Crime.
| [Recently Mrs. Eliza Gaumer, the widow
of the late publisher of the Urbana Demo-
crat, was assaulted by Charles Mitchell.
a notorious negro. who was arraigned last
| Wednesday, but his victim was too III
| to appear In court. The man was taken
to her home for Identification. AS he
entered the door she raised herself on her
elbow and exclaimed: THE brute! Hang
him! How dare you face me, you brutei'
In default of $1,000 bail Mitchell was locked
up in the city prison, but on account Of
the feeling was removed to the county jai
the same night for safe keeping.
The grand jury was impaneled Thurs
nal assault. Then the crowd was thrown
OFF the trail by bringing Mitchell into court
In a soldiers uniform. Mitchell was scared
pleaded guilty and was sentenced to the
limit of 20 years. The trial lasted only g
few moments, and Mitchell wanted to gel
to the penitentiary at Columbus as quickly
as possible. but when the carriage drove VI
J to the Jail the crowd rushed in to get the
prisoner and lynch him. Another CROWD
surrounded the depot. The sheriff remained
fortified in jail with the prisoner all night
while the militia patrolled about the ground
The crowd would not dispense, and a.
; ESQ a. m. they broke through the line O.
soldiers and were about entering the jai
when the soldiers opened f1re.l
To BE Sold Mt Auction,
St. Louis, June 5.-The master IL
chancery of Madison county, ILL.,, will
sell on Saturday, June II, to the highes
bidder the enormous plant of the Mad
,, ison Car company. The sale will b,