The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-05
NORFOLK vIRGINIAN: SATURDAY JUNE g. 1897.
and the condemned man was hurried in

~
to the yard. t
The rope was thrown over one OF the
limbs OF tree. Mitchell was jerked UP
until his head struck the limb. His neck
was broken and his body dropped to
the ground. The crowd repeated the
Jerking several times until they were
sure he was dead. There Is some doubt
as to what occurred inside the jail from
midnight until the time OF the lynch
ing. The facts, as near as can be ar
rived at. ara rs follows:
When the firtlt attack was made on
the jail at l:30 q. m., q dozen men
mounted the rear step and two Of them
used sledge hammers on the doors The
local militia company was under arms
on he inside With Sheriff McI.ain and
mis- deputies. Captain George w. Leon
ara stepped outside and said: "I Will
give you three minutes 10 disperse. If
you do not do SO must fire"
me crowd generally believed that
Sneflf McLain had already ordered tho
troops TO fire and they Dispersed But
When the attack was renewed on the rear
door OF the Jail with sledgc hammers
the firing took place and the crowd dis.
persed, leaving their dead and wounded.
It was after O'Clock when Sheriff
Nici.aln telegraphcd Governor BushuclI
at w Wooster, Ohio, that d mob had ot
tacked the jail, that he had opeaed fire.
that his force was inadeouatc. ana that
assistance was needed at once.
me coloreu people are greatly ex
cited over The affair They had pro
tiously met and adopted resolutions for
the punishent Of Mitchell, but many or
r,re ,,ieiii taiked about him not being guilty.
w omen and children, as well Is n multi
t,. Ludc or men, Witnessed the lynchinr
Inefe was no attempt at Disguise or
secrecy An hour or more after tho
iyhching, Alitchcll's body was picked IN
h.t inft ] nlaceo IN IN q rough coffin. but still
ielt under The tree, where Hundreds of
people continued TO view It. Tnto,. ~
the day the body was removed nv The
coroner and other traces Of the violence
We're removed as fast as possible. Mean
tiilie. CROWDS OF people poured into the
city from all surrounding towns ana
viewed the blood stained steps or tho inil
and the marks OF the bullets on thc sl,r-
rounding houses. Among the sights
shown visitors was q tree in The came
courthouse yard where Il man named
uliery was lynched, twenty three years
ago, for similar crime upon tho =
year-old daughter OF j. b. nj organ. Thcn
inc Jail door was burst open with a. log
ana the Sheriff surrendered the KEYS
and no lives were lost, except that of
the culprt. The tree is still standing,
put the limb OH which Ullery was hung
Governor Bushnell arrived here to-
night TO investigate the trouble, and
especially the action of the troops.
While the Urbana company is over
Wheilned with local sentiment against
their section, they are also liable for
abandoning their post OF duty. Captain
Leonard withdrew tho Guards about a.
m. and the Springfield company took
orders from the Mayor instead OF the
Sheri1t. when they turned back from the
Courthouse.
Governor bushnell was attending an
encampment at Wooster last night and
was met by delegation from here on
his return to Columbus this afternoon
These citizens asked for protection by
troops Of Sheriff McLain, against whose
life threats had been freely made dur
ing the afternoon, and if he was here
Tonight 1T Is believed there would be
trou bic again. Sheriff McLain left here
at 2 p. III. and arrived at Springfield at
8 p. m., ell route to Dayton. He escaped
by the back door Of the jail and claims
tnat dynamite was being prepared to
blow him up. In the excitement and bit
terness that prevails tonight it Is al
most impossible to get at the facts as
TO the responsibility for the loss Of life,
but 1t is generally claimed that Sheriff
N1cLain ordered the troops to fire 1t Is
believed there will ,jc 4 thorough inves-
tigation into the action Of the Mayor,
as we'll MS into the action Of the Sheriff
and military officers.
Mrs Gaumer is the widow Of a well
known newspaper publisher. Her broth
of the GAINESVILLE Signal, and an ex-
State Senator, and G. n. Gaumer for
merly publisher OF the Mansfield Shield,
and an cX-State Representatives Mitch
ell was % years Of age and Il hotel por-
ter. lie bought milk a the dairy Of Mrs
Gaumer and knew she was alone while
her children We're at school. He uelibe-
ratcly studied his opportunity for as
saulting her
1t is learned tonight that Sheriff Nc
Lain and Captain Leonard left this af.
ternoOn at the request of citizens. who
feared they We're in danger Of violence
tonight. They took supper at Spring
field and left at 7:30 on the Big -Four
cxprcss for Cincinnati. but would not
tell where they We're going After the
fatalities OF the night 1t IS known that
Sheriff McIain ana Captain Leonard de-
cided before daylight that there would
be no more shooting. The guards were
removed, and the militia Were taken from
the jail to their homes in citizens
clothes. Before this evacuation the keys
Of the jail We're thrown from q window
The jail TO their homes in citizens
Mitchclrs body removed Immediately
after the lynching. but SO strong was, the
feeling that the crowd would not allow
the police to touch the coffin till after
dark tonight. when the body was re-
moved to some unknown place
Youth Hanged For Murder.
.