The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-06-11
LYNCH LAW In OHIO.
A NEGRO ASSAULTER DEALT
WITH BY A MOB.
Night OF Rage and Terror In Quiet
Ohio Town - Victim of the Mob
Kicked TO Death Before Being
Hanged - Intense Feeling
Against the Militia.
Hung by a Mob.

guilty to, and was sentenced to twenty
years in the state penitentiary for a
criminal assault Oh Mrs. Eliza Gau.
mer. the widow of the late publisher
of the Urbana Democrat. The town
people were greatly incensed at the
sentence, which they declared to be
too light.
At 2:3O o'clock this morning a mob
of citizens attacked the Jail to take
and hang Mitchell, and was fred upon
by the militia. Two of the mob, Har-
gins, were killed and eight others
wounded.
AT 1870 o'clock this morning the fur
ther enraged mob broke into the Jail ,
took Mitchell out and hanged him to n
tree in the court house yard in the
presence of hundreds of women and
thousands of men and boys.
Mrs Gaumer was too ill to be in
court yesterday. and the man was,
therefore taken to her home for iden-
tification. AS he entered the door she
raised herself on her elbow and ex.
claimed:
1.-The brute! Hang him! How dare
you face me, you brute?'
In default of 200 bail Mitchell
was locked up in the city prison, but
on account of the feeling was removed
to the county jail for safe keeping
Last night a mob gathered and de-
manded Mitchell. Governor Bushnell
was called on for assistance by the
sheriff, but he refused to order the
militia from any other place.
The crowds would not disperse. The
excitement grew more and more in
tense. Night infiamed the excitement
and the streets were thronged. iells
were heard all around the Jail.
Finally, at 2:3O o'clock this morning,
the mob attacked the Jail. The militia
fired on the attacking party and struck
more innocent spectators than active
law breakers. After the firing of the
militia into the crowd Governor Bush
ordered Company of the Third in
fantry, at Springfield, to proceed at
once to Urbana. At 7:1O o'clock the
dTEIscu, Unity SIX
strong and were marched to the jail.
Angry citizens, incensed over the
killing of their townsmen by the mill
tia at 2:30 o'clock a. m. were further
irritated by the appearance of more
troops. Crowds gathered along the
streets and greeted the soldiers with
hootings and all sorts of insulting re-
marks.
The excitement was grow ing SO fast
that another clash between troops and
citizens seemed inevitable. Mavor
Ganson thereupon took the RESPONSE
bility of urging the Springfield com
pany to return to the depot. The or
der was obeyed.
No sooner did the crowd perceive
this apparent retreat by the soldiers
than their fierce demand for the blood
of Mitchell grew stronger.
The local military company had pre-
viously refused to s. Ie longer and
went to the second story of the sher-
ifs residence and tried to sleep.
THE NEGRO LYNCHED.
With no resistance offered, the crowd
at once made rush for the side door
of the Jail. Two strong and deter
mined men kicked it down in short
order and gained admission to the cor
ridor, the crowd following. There
were plenty of sledge hammers.
chisels and other tools in the crowd
and the men went to work.
The crowd got into the jail quickly.
1t did not wait to unlock the door to
Mitchell's cell. but burst the lock with
a sledge hammer and the door soon
an,,- oran NIifrhall 81 in
his cell and offered no resistance and
did not utter word. Some one in
the crowd had a rope and it was
placed over the brute's neck and the
crowd made for the door, Mitchell fol-
lowing at the end
In going down the steps on the out
side of the Jail Mitchell fell down and
the rope slipped off his neck. The
crowd surrounded him and jumped on
him like thousand hungry dogs after
one bone.
The negro was kicked. beaten and
almost killed. The rope was again
slipped over his head and a rush made
for tree in the southeastern corner
of the courtyard in front of the court
house. The end was thrown over a
good strong limb and willing hands
pulIeu Ine wretch up IL Le emu "dS
tied to the iron fence and Mitchell
was left hanging there in full view of
several thousand people.
The men who took part in the lynch
ing made no attempt to disguise them
selves. but it Is not known who did
thtework. The person who attempts
to find out. it is freely stated, will get
into serious trouble.
1t is doubtful if Mitchell died from
the effects of the hanging. His life
had been almost kicked out of him
when he fell down. 1t is the general
opinion that he was unconscious when
strung up. His body was left hang
ing for an hour or more, and the peo-
pie of the city focked to see it.
The feeling i'll Urbana against the
militia is intense. Public opinion is to
the effect that there was no occasion
for the general shooting into the
crowd. and that little firmness on the
part of the sheriff and other officers
was only necessary in order to arrest
the rinpleaderS and pacify the mob