The Portland daily press., 1900-08-28
AN ILLINOIS RIOT.
Lying In Hospital Attacked by Mob
and Several Shot.

Gilman, Ills, August 27.-Two men
killed, three wounded, two Of them per-
haps fatally, one woman wounded, and
her residence burned, are the results Of
an all-night battle between a mob and
Mrs DR.. C. w. Wright, who is accused
of the murder of Bessie Salter, the TO-
year-old daughter of citizen OF Gilman.
The dead: John Myers, laborer, en-
ployed by Mrs DIR. Wright, Michael
Ryan. serving as a deputy constable.
Fatally wounded Lawrence Ryan,
brother OF the dead man, wounded in the
abdomen.
George Winoughby, citizen, shot
through left lung.
Mr. DIR. c. W. Wright, shot through
right shoulder, bullet taking downward
course.
Seriously wounded: Peter Lauer,
member of the citizens attacking party,
shot through the stomach.
About ten O'Clock in the evening the
first act OF the tragedy was enacted. 1t
was precipitated by the investigation of
the ooroner's jury into the death OF Bes-
sic Salter, a 16-year-old girl, Of Leonard,
Ill H., who died in Mrs Wright lying-in
hospital Friday night and was taken to
her home in Leonard under cover Of darkss
ness early Saturday morning.
No coffin was procured. The girl was
wrapped up in an old blanket and a piece
of carpet and buried
q A posse sent to arrest Mrs. Wright found
the doors barricaded. They broke the
outer door and entered the darkened
rooms. Michael Ryan felt his way across
the first room and was about to enter the
door of the inner apartment when a shot
rang ont and he fell dead. The constables
made hurried exit and formed picket
line around the building. AT regular IN
tervaIs they fired into the building in the
hope that the occupants would surrender
but without success. An attempt to fire
the building failed because the recent
rains had so dampened the timbers.
Finally the crowd which had gathered
fired with frenzy at the grief of the Ryan
family seized dozens of bundles OF straw,
saturated them with petroleum, piled
them up against the front and sides OF
the sO-caIled hospital ana applied the
torch. In a moment the place was q
mass of flames. Shot after shot rang from
the upper windows and George Willough-
by, a local representative Of the Standard
OH company, fell with bullet in the
left side. The next victim was Peter
Hauer, "a member Of the attacking party.
The casualties so angered the crowd that
they volleyed the house so fast as they
could load their fire arms.
Contrary to expectations, no screams
followed the progress of the flames and the
mob began to think that the inmates oil
the burning house had been cremated. r.
Suddenly from a bunch of timber in
the rear, several shots came in the direc
ton OF the mob. They were answered g
hundred to one and the fire was quickly
silenced.
Members of the mob rushed to the tim
Der and in the dim light OF the coming
dawn, found the body OF John Myers,
blacksmith, who had been employed by
Mrs. Wright, stretched in the death
agony. He was shot in a dozen places
about the head and shoulders, showing
that he had been lying on his face, firing
at his enemies when he met death.
Nearby lay Mrs. Wright, with a ragged
hole in her right shoulder. She had beer
wounded while lying down in the same
position as Myers. The mob carried hel
down town jeering as they went.
The house was destroyed with it's con
tents.
Mrs. DIR. Wright was 60 years old.
The corOner's inquest over Myers anc
Ryan resulted in verdict of death by
bullet wound from parties unknown. ."
Mrs. Wright was held to the grand
jury.