The record-union., 1897-06-05
Take the Prisoner and Hang Him to a
Tree in the Courtyard.
The Men Taking Part in the Lynci1ing
Make No Attempt to Conceal
Themselves - The Wretch VINO
CrininaIly Assaulted IRIS. Gaumer
Nearly Beaten to Death Before he
Was Swung Up.

URBANA. June 4.-''Click" Mitchell.
the negro brute, has paid the penalty OIL
his foul crime with his life.
An outraged people have taken the
law into their own hands and meted
out to Mitchell the punishment he so
richly deserved and have obeyed the
command and wish of his prostrate
and, as announced, dying victim.
The sensational and unfortunate
events of the night intensified the feel
ing against Mitchell, if that were posi-
BILE, and the determination became gen
eral that the brute should never leave
the town alive.
After the firing of the militia on the
crowd of spectators during the early
morning hours Governor Bushnell or
dered Company E, Third Infantry Of
Springfield, 70 some here at once.
The Springfield militia arrived here at
7:10 this morning, and left their special
train on the outskirts of the city or
near the water works. The company
thirty-six strong, under Captain Brad
bury, marched UP town to the jail,
where they found 1000 people.
The company marched into the jail
yard and were met by NJ. Lewis, who
said to Captain Bradbury: I'VE don't
want YOU now
who are your
81 am the Deputy Sheriff." replied
Lewis. There is the Sheriff over
there" pointing to Mayor Ganson, who
at that particular moment came from
the crowd on the Courthouse steps and
proceeded TO address the militia and
the crowd.
The Mayor assured the militia their
services We're not wanted; that the peo-
pie were lava biding and would assist
him in preserving order; that the COM
pany could leave the Courthouse yard;
when tneir services We're needed he
would send for them.
The Springfield company, without
waiting for further orders, marched
down the street to the depot without
the Sheriff seeing them.
The local military company had pre-
viously refused TO serve longer, and
went to the second story of the Sheriff's
residence and tried to sleep.
With no resistance offered the crowd
at once made a rush for the side door.
Two strong and determined men kicked
it down in short order and gained adj
mission to the Jail. the crowd following.
There were plenty of sledge-hammers
and other tools and the men went to
work
Part of the crowd had previously
forced themselves upstairs into the
private apartments of the Sheriff, and
found a bunch of keys, which had been
hidden away and which proved to be
the keys of the Jail.
The crowd got into the jail in short
order They did not wait to unlock the
door to Mitchell's cell, but burst the
lock with a sledge- hammer and the
door soon flew open.
Mitchell was standing in his cell and
Offered no resistance and did not utter
a 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 following 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 a thousand hungry dogs after one
bone.
The brute was kicked beaten and al
most killed. The rope was quickly slip
ped over his head again and a rush
made for a tree in the southeastern cor
ner of the courtyard, in front of the
Courthouse.
The end was then thrown over a
strong limb and d thousand willing
hands pulled the wretch up. The end
was tied to the iron fence and Mitchell
was left hanging there, in full view of
several thousand people, to die.
All this was done in a shorter time
than it actually takes to tell the story.
The lynching took place at about 1880
this morning. The men taking part in
it made no attempt to disguise them
selves. 1t is not known who did the
work, and the person who attempts TO
find out viii get himself into serious
trouble.
It is doubtful if Mitchell died from
the effects Of the hanging. His miserable
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 hanging for an hour or more
and the people of the city flocked to see
it.
It was finally cut down and placed in
an undertaker's box and left lying in
the courthouse yard and open to public
gaze.
Mrs Gaumer, upon whom the negro
committed the assault, is lying at home
in woful condition. It is said that she
is afflicted with the most dreadful form
of yenereal disease in consequence of
the assault. Criminal assault was the
sole object; there was no attempt at
robbery, that story having been circulat-
ed to spare Mrs. Gaumer's feelings. She
is Frustrated and is in an hysterical
condition, but it is thought she will re-
cover. 1t is rumored she was in the
mans power for over a half hour. and
was prevented from crying out by 4
shawl which he wrapped around her
head. He tore her clothing off and in
the struggle scratched and bruised her
badly. He also bit her about the neck
and breast. She is about 40 years old.
small and handsome, and is a lady of
culture. Her son Charles, about 20,
states that his mother received the
news Of the lynehing with every mani
festation of satisfaction, but she ex-
pressed regret for the killing of limo