The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-05


10 the iron fence and Mitchell was lett
hanging there IN full vlcw ot several
thousand people. tn die the death he had
brought upon himrelt.
All this was done In shorter sine than
Il actually takes 10 tell the story. The
lynchlng t1ok place at about 7:20 this
morning. The men taking part In II
made no attempt TO disguise themselves
but " L. not known whu did the work,
and the person who attempts 10 find ou,
viii get himself into serious trouble.
Il is doubtful II Mitchell died from the
effects of the hanging. His miserable
life had been almost Kicked out OF him
when he fell down. II any life remained
In his carcass It was stranEled nut. II Is
the general opinion that he was uncon-
Ecloun when strung up. HIS body was
left hanging for an hour or more. and the
people OF the city nocked to see Il. All
classes OF people came 10 witness tho
spectacle. II was finally cut down and
placed In an undertakcr's box and left
lying In the court house yard open 70
public gaze.
The Early MarnInE HIot.
Never was there such a calamity in
this city as that which was enacted ut
2:3O this morning. Four men were killed
and ten more seriously wpunded, with
one more that may die When the shoot
ing by the soldiers occurred an attempt
was being made to lynch the negro
Click" Mitchell. by n mob who were
entering the mil from the rear. The mill
Tia was In the hall on the second floor
and standing az the window. Higgins. OF
West Liberty. and another man. had
Rledge hammers IN their hands and had
broken the glass in the door leading 20
the hall from which the jail is entered.
Suddenly the militia opened fire without
warning and Higgins fell back with the
exclamation, my God. am shot" Then
followed the scene OF death and desola-
ton that brought others down. One OF
the panic stricken citIzers exclaimed,
mo one Is safe here except Mitchell"
This city OF 5000 inhabitants is an un-
usually orderly one. With It's colleges
It has always had the hlghcs; reputation,
but pandemonium relgned last night.
CaHSs OF the Affair.
Recently Mrs. Eliza Gaumer. the
widow of the late publisher of the Ur-
bana Democrat, was criminally ASSAULT
ed BY Charles. aHas "ClIck' Mitchell. a
notorious negro. He was arraigned last
Wednesday, but his victim was TOO III 20
appear In court. The man was taken to
her home fur Identification. As he en-
tered the door shc raised herself on her
elbow and exclaimed: 1.-THE bTutel Hang
him! How dare you face me. you
brute"
In default OF $1,000 bail Mitchell was
locked UP In the city prison, but on ac-
count OF the feeling, was removed to thc
cuunty Jail the same night for safe keep
Ing. That night the jail was surrounded
by a threatening mob that was held
back by the sherlff's posse and the local
company OF Ohio National Guard. Last
night the situation was more threaten
ing than ever. and Governor BuChnell
was called on for assistance. but he re.
fused to order the militia frun any other
place here. This city Is only twenty
miles from Springfield and forty miles
from Columbus. from which places
troops could soon have been transported
but It was thought that Mitchell could
grand Jury was lnpanelled yesterday
and Mitchell was Indicted for criminal
assault Then the crowd was thrown on
the trall by bringing Mitchell into cour.
In soldiers uniform. Mitchell was
scared. pleading guilty and was SEN
fenced TO the limit OF twenty years. The
trial lasted only ! few minutes and
Mitchell wanted TO get 10 the penlten-
tlary at Columbus quick. but when tho
carriage drove up 20 the jail tu get him,
the crowd rushed In and tried TO get the
prisoner. Another crowd surrounded
the depot The sheriff remained fortl-
fed In jail with his prisoner. while the
militia pltrolled the ground. The crowd
would not dIspcrse and at 2:30 a. m. they
bnpkc through the lines OF soldiers and
were about entering the jail when the
soldiers opened fire, Hon. Daniel N.
Gaumer. publisher OF the GAINESVILLE Sig
nal. and Hor. Charles ". Gaumer. for
merly publisher OF the Mansfield Shield,
are brothGrs-ln-law OF the victim. They
are here with Mrs, Gaumer, who Is still
In n critical condition.
The two previous nights and yesterday
morning portended the grlvest danger,
but no such results were anticipated rs
those within the FIVE hours from 2;3O 20
T:aO a. m. to-day Including the brutal
Mitchell, there are Ave dead and ten
wounded. All OF the victims were inno-
cent citizens, who were spectators on the
scene Of the excitement except Mitchell.
In addition to this list IL IL feared that
Mrs. Eliza Gaumer, who was criminally
assaulted by the negro. will not recover,
and several OF the Injured are In O serl-
Gus condition.
Resides the list OF casualties there Is
euch intense feeling against some of the
officials that II win not be wiped out in
the present generation and further COM
pllcatIons are npprehcnded In the future.
while the past two nights and the past
two days witnessed scenes OF 1wlessnesS
and bl0odshcd. yet the feeling at no time
has been as intense as Il Is here tonight
The body Of Mitchell was exposed all
day IN rough coffin and It intensified
the feeling among the masses who wit
messed H. The bodies Of the citizens VINO
were killed were tcnderly cared tor and
their funerals on Sunday will tend 90
keep alive the bitter feeling. While the
wounded arc being tcnderly cared for at
their home. yet several OF them are Grip
pied for life and will be living reminders
OF the trouble
Another Story oGths AsSauIL
One week ago to-day Mrs. Gaumer
was crlmlnaily assaulted In daylight at
her home In this city. near the court
house. The brute accomplished his
flendlsh purpose, and Mrs. Gaumer was
prustrated She felt that Il was a dix
grace and Tequcst-d her son 10 announce
that Rhc was assaulted FOR robbery. II
was given out that Mitchell attempted
20 force her to sign a check for $500, But
as Mrs. Gaumcr's condition became more
serious. the facts became known and
also that the negro was afflicted with the
worst disease. The negro was iirHt held
FOR robbery. but IN last "wednesday he
was nrragncd for criminal assault. MI.
Gaumer was unable to appear IN the
court and the hearing was held Ut her
home. AZ Mitchell entered hnr room,
she raised up aud made the exclamation
quoted above. Mitchell was nung to-
day In full View OF Mrs. Gaumer's resi-
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