The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-05
URBANA LYNCHING.
Governor Bushnel Makes State
ment Relative to the Affair.
Trouble Not Yet Over - Threats
Against Life OF the Sheriff

Columbus, o., June 5.-Gov. Bushnell
was asked by the Associated Press re-
porter today If he desired to say anything
about the Urbana lynching. He said in
effect that sheriff by the laws Of Ohio
has the power TO call on state trops in his
county to protect prisoners and property.
The law of Ohio is peculiar in this re-
spsct. The governor said: The sheriff at
Orbana called the local company into ser
vice. l was at Worcester when word
came TO me at l:l5 Thursday OF tho
pending trouble. 1t took the messenger
20 minutes Co find me- Tie word was
from Captain Leonard, In command of
the Urbana company of state troops at
the jail i'm which the negro was impris-
oned, whose life was threatened. Capt
Leonard said the sheriff said he wanted
help. 1 did not look upon the message as
being from the proper source. The tele-
phone people at Worcester were in bed.
They were secured by IL "a p. IN. i got
Sheriff McLain at Urbana by telepho ne.
He told ne he had forty men. i told
him he ought Co be able Co protect the
prisoner and property with forty men Il
have since learned he had 50 mem. He
said lie would do the best he could, but
public sentiment was dead against him.
| said he had nothing 10 do with public
sentiment, his duty was to obey the law.
He did not ask for help. left the tele-
phone Office at midnight
1.-The shooting by the Urbana company
occurred after that conversation. AT
"A. m. "a message came from Sheriff Nc
Lain saying his force was inadequate,
and for me TO send him help. l imme
diately telpehoncd Capt Bradbury, Com
pany Il, Third Ohio Infantry, Spring
field, TO report with MS company at
Urbana At the same time l telephoned
sheriff Mcl4ain that Captain bradbury
would report To him. Capt Bradbury
arrived at Urbana at a. IN. Col.
Anthony of the Third Ohio Infantry 10
which is attached the Springfield and
Urbana Companies says Sheriff McI.ain
told him that Captain Bradbury of
Springfield reported to him (the sheriff.
and was directed by the sheriff TO return
Il the train or to Springfield, and tho
Springfield troops did return TO the
tram. \
THE lynching occurred not more than
30 minutes later, according To the best
lnformation,at the governors ofiico. Cap
tain Bradbury said by telephone TO the
adjutnbt generals Office here that when
no was ordefssl by the sheriff to return TO
the traip he sat In the presence of the
sheriff qs long as he could consistency do
SO, and'then retired. The governor said
the sheriff did Ifsti Inform him of the ex-
isting trouble until it bad reached its
climax. although the thing had been
brewing seyeraI days. Ee has been as
surod by all classes Of people In Urbaua
that he did all that he could have done
under these circumstances.
Trouble Not Ended.
A special from Urbana says that Urbana
has resumed its normal condition and that
nothing is known of tho whereabouts OF
sheriff MoLGin and Captain Leonard
The dispatch continues: Ii is the general
understanding, that the sheriff drove to
Springfield and nobody outside Captain
Leonard's s circle Of immediate friends
knows where he went. Ii was reported
last evening that mob of $50 was organ
izing tn go To Springfield aftor the sheriff,
and such word went to Springfield, having
the effect IL is said Of driving the sheriff
off to DAYTON. He is held rssponsibletfOr
the shooting OF citizens by the militia
The citizens insist that he was ovGr-zes'-
aus in the matter and should have re-
Trained from ordering out tho troops.
= Captain Leonard Is condemned for order
irc tho soldiers 20 fire and the company
for firing into u crowd of their fellOw-citi-
zens. After their escape from the Jail the
members of the company have not dared
show themselves upon the streets and
many of them have left the city. a
livaryman took n timid squad Of them to
Springfield. The troubles are not over
with yet. Some of tho wounded claim
to know who shot them and several
thrashings are laid up. lt is reported
that Theodore Boil, the father Of Harry
Bell, who was killed threatens 20 Kill Cap
tain Leonard ON sight. The son was an
unmarried man about 90 years old.
Baller the other man killed was about 81
years Of age and married. He was far
Nor and leaves wife and five children.