Evening star., 1897-06-05
Whereabouts of She,iff McLain and
Capt. Leonard of Urbana Unknown.
SENTIMENT STRONG AGAINST THEM
Father OF Young Bell Threatens to
Shoot Leonard on Sight.
MILITIA BOYS ALSO DECAMP

r.
oana this morning is a very different place
from the Urbana of yesterday The city
has resumed its normal condition, and the
scene has changed entirely. Instead of a
negro dangling from a tree in the most
prominent street corner, the excited popu-
lace thronSing the streets, the military
and snerif hiding in the county Jail, the
spectacle is presented Of a peaceable COM
munlty, a fleeing sheriff, a missing captain
and a military company making them
selves scarce.
Nothing is known of the whereabouts OF
Sheriff McLain and Captain Leonard IL
is the general understanding that the sheriff
drove to Springfield. and nobody outside
the captains circle of immediate friends
know where he went. 1t was reported
last evening that a mob of 15o was organ
lzihg TO go to Springfield after the sheriff,
and such word went to Springfield, having
the effect ii is said, of driving the sherir
off to Dayton. He is universally condemn
ed by the people and held responsible for
the shooting of citizens by the militia The
citizens insist that he was altogether too
ofhcious In this matter and should have re-
Trained from ordering out the troops.
Captain Blamed for Giving Order 10
Fire.
As for the captain, he is condemned for
ordering the soldiers to fire. and the boys
VI tuc COTHpdIs LOT UTlnS INTO crOV0 OF
their fellow-citizens. After their escape
from the Jail the members of the company
have not dared show their faces up-straet,
and many of them have left the city. A
livery man took a timid squad of them to
Springfield.
Their troubles are not over with yet.
Some of the wounded claim to know who
shot them, and several thrashings are laid
up. II is reported that Mr.. Bell, the father
of Harry Bell. who was killed, threatens
to Kill Captain Leonard on sight.
The son was an unmarried man, aged
about twenty years, and a broom maker
by occupation. Baker, the other man
killed, was about thirty-seven years old
and married. He was farmer, being a
tenant on a farm north of the city. He
leaves wife and five small children.
Trouble Over Mitchelrs Body.
The body of Click Mitchell. the rapist,
who was the cause of all the trouble. is
an elephant on the hands of the city. Nit
chelfs body being unclaimed by relatives
was dumped into Undertaken Humphreys
wagon late in the afternoon and driven
hurriedly. amid the jeers of the crowd, TO
kis establishment under the suppesition
that Dr. Myers, who proved to be from
Springfield, would take it. But upon
rival and consultation he decided not to.
1t developed that he cid not represent
one of the Columbus medical colleges.
supposed, but an enbalming school, and
he wanted the body for demonstration rur-
poses. Accordingly. the body was secreted
for the night, and further efforts made to
find somebody to accept il. 1t became
necessary for the authorities to maintain
great secrecy as to the place of conceal
ment In order to prevent the members
from wreaking vengeance on the remains.
Threats Of getting the body and burning ii
were freely made.
Before being removed from the court
house yard relic hunters cut the coat off
of the dead man. Every button was gone,
a
taken off and carried away.
The mayor of the city, Mr.. c. II. Ganson.
the stockman. is well known in Columbus
from his former connection with the state
fair and board of agriculture. He has Off
ciated as starter for the state fsir races
and as judge several seasons. He states
that the tragedy of night before last and
the lynching were entirely uncalled for.
Gov. Bushnell's Statement.
Governor Bushnell was asked by the AS
ISOLATED Press what If anything he de-
sired to say about the lynching of a negro
at the Urbsna Jail He said in effect that
a sheriff by the laws of Ohio has power to
call on state troops in his county to pro-
tect persons and property. The law OF
Ohio is peculiar in this respect he said.
THE sheriff at Urbana called the local
company into service. l was at Wooster,
word came to me at IL :15 pm. Thursday
of the pending trouble. / was at BAN
quet of the Sens of Veterans. 1t took the
messenger twenty minutes 10 ma me- Ie
word was from Captain Leonard, in COM
mand of the Urbana company of state
troops at the jail in which the negro was
Imprisoned and whose life was threatened ,
Captain Leonard said the sheriff wanted
help. l did not look upon the message
OF Captain Leonard as being from the
proper source. The telephone people at
Wooster were in bed. They were secured !
by IL :46 pm. / got Sheriff McLain at Ur-
bana by telephone. He told me he had
forty mer, told him he ought to be able i
to protec. the prisoner and property Ta San
fifty-five men. He said he would do the .
best he could. but public sentiment was
dead against him. 1 said he had nothing to
do with public sentiment. His duty was to
obey the law. He did not ask for help.
left the telephone office at midnight.
1.-The shooting CT the Urbana company oc-
CURED after that conversation
"At am. a message came from Sheriff
McL-ain saying his force was inadequate
and for me to send help. Immediately tel
ephoned Capt. Bradbury. Company B. Sd
his company to Sheriff McLain at Urbana-
At the same time telephoned Sheriff Nc
Lain that Capt. Bradbury would report to
him.
Arrival of Capt. Bradbury.
Capt. Bradbury arrived at Urbana at
or before z am. Col Anthony Of the Sd
Ohio Infantry, to which are attached the
Springfield and Urbana companies. says
Sheriff McLain told him that Capt Brad
bury of Springfield reported to and talked
with him 0he sheriD and was directed by
him to return to the train. or to Spring
field, and the Springfield troops did return
to the train
The lynching occurred not more than
thirty minutes later. according to the best
information at the governors Office. Capt.
Bradbury said by telephone to the adjufant
generals office here that when he was or
6ered by the sheriff to return to the train
he sat in the presence of the sheriff as
long as he could consistently and then re-
tired.
The governor said the sheriff did not In
form him Of the existing trouole until Il
had reached its climax, although the thing
had been brewing several days. He has
been assured by all classes Of people in
Urbana that he did all that could have
been done under the circumstances.
Adjlitant General Axiine who was pres
ent at the interview today. said the mayor
of Urbana telephoned him: Governor end
troops were In no way to blame: they did
al they could. IL there h any one to
blame Il 10 myself and the sheriff, and, 20
far ~ am concerned. aE perfectly Will
Ing 10 take my share OF the blame.