The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-06

columbus, ". June "a SpeCidi ~
the Dispatch from Urbana says the city
has resumed its normal condition
Nothing is known of the Whereabouts
of Sheriff McLain and Captain Leon
ard. It is the general understanding
that the sheriff drove to Springfield,
but nobody outside of the captains i'm
mediate circle of friends know where
he went. 1t was reported last evening
that a mob of $50 was organized to go
to Springfield after the sheriff. Such
word was sent TO Springfield. having
the effect, il is said of driving the sher-
if off TO Dayton. He is universally
condemned by the people. and held re
sponsible for the shooting of citizens
by the militia The citizens insist that
he was altogether too officlous and
should have refrained from ordering
out the TROOPS
The captain is condemned for order
ing the soldiers 10 fire and the boys of
the company for firing into a crowd of
their fellow citizens. After their eS-
cape from the Jail the members OF the
company have not dared 10 show their
faces upon the street. and many of
them have Jeff the city. a livery man
took a timid squad OF them to Spring
field.
Their troubles are not over with yet.
Some of the wounded claim to know
who shot them. and several thrashings
are id up. 1t is reported that Smith
Bell the father Of Harry Bell, who was
killed, threatens to kill Captain Leon
ard on sight. The son was an unmar-
ried man. aged about 20 years, and a
broom maker by occupation. Baker,
the other man killed, was about 81
years old and married He was a ten
ant on a farm north of the city. he
leaves a widow and five children
The body of Click Mitchell. the rap
ist, who was the cause Of all the
trouble, is an elephant on the hands of
.he city. The body was secreted to.
geance on the remains. Threats of
getting the body and burning it were
freely made.
Relic hunters had nearly cut the coat
off the dead man. Every button was
gone and even his shoes and stockings
were taken off and carried away.
Mayor G. H. GanSOn states that the
tragedy of night before last and the
lynching were entirely uncalled for. He
urged the sheriff to get the prisoner out
of town when he was first taken TO Jail,
but the sheriff neglected to do So The
mayor says there would have been no
trouble then Concerning the militia,
he saws:
L do not understand that the gov
ernor refused troops. as several COM
panies were held in reserve. The
Springfield militia, after a consulta-
ton with the sheriff. were moved two
blocks away from the Jail to he in
readiness if needed. There was no ex-
pectation of the lynching taking place
at the time. The crowd, at my request.
partially dispersed as soon as the
crf1ald militia tied march
away.
AT the time of the Iynching, the
sheriff and his deputies, together with
90 of our county militia were in the
Jail on guard. | left the jail some
time before the lynching. The sheriff
had full charge of the military as well
as the prisoner ANY part l took in
the matter was to keep innocent blood
from being shed. and also to prevent
lynching if possible. No blame can be
attached to the governor"
1t is said there is court-martial in
store over the participation of the
Springfield company OF the o. y. G.
They were in the city, accom9anied
by Colonel Anthony. of their regiment,
and instead of participating in the
guarding of the Jail, marched away
under the advice of MAYOR GansOn.
The cCTnaan;r is said TO have been at
the depot awaiting a train home. While
the lFncIlnS was SblHS on 0DiOnei
Anthony Will no doubt have to eX-
plain.
The Springfield company was ordered
TO report 10 the sheriff. They marched
to the Jail. but had no consultation
with the sheriff as he did not ac9ear
and there is a question whether the
mayor was authorized TO speak for him
IN telling them TO retire.
Captain Leonard and the local COM !
pany viii no doubt have 10 explain why /
hey ceased 10 resist after firing into
the mob and somebody viii have to ex-
plain how the keys happened to be /
dropped down en- the hall floor from {
Up airs after the mob had broken in /
the outside door The sheriff and mill !
tia were all up there at the time.
The sheriff plainly stated before leav- /
ing the city that he and the troops (
retired to the upstairs portion of the /
jail and quit without oIering any re- !
sistance. simply because ne was I'M !
willing to shoot down any more cisi- /
zens There viii no doubt be a military
as to whether the can
tain acted under the mayors orders in
the matter. II is supposed The local (
boys. who cried over the shooting of |
their fellow citizens the previous night.
absolutely refused 10 shoot again.
The sheriff denies responsibility for /
the shooting. and so does the caDtain. !,
On the other hand. the citizens asser.
that the sheriff himself fired the first
shot. He asserts that at least five shots
were fired into the jail from the outside
before shot was fired out from the
inside.