Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-29
FOUGHT TO THE DEATH
Man and Woman Barricade
Themselves and Resist
Being Arrested.
THEY KILL DEPUTY CONSTABLE
Mob Then Forms and Sets Fire to the
House-When Inmates Come Out
They Arc Shot.

Gilman, Ills. Aug. 27.-Two men
killed, three wounded-two of them
perhaps fatally-one woman wounded,
and her residence burned, are the re-
suits of an all-night battle between a
mob and Mrs. DIR. 9. w. Wright, who
was accused of the murder of Bessie
Salter, the 1G-year-old daughter of u
citizen of Gilman.
The dead: John Myers, laborer, en-
ployed by Mrs. DR.. Wright; Michael
Ryan, citizen, serving us deputy con
stable. Fatally woumdcd: Lawrence
Ryan, brother of the dead man, wound
ed in abdomen; George Willoughby.
citizen, shot through left lung; Mrs.
DIR. G. w. Wright shot through right
shoulder. bullet taking downward
course. Seriously wounded: Peter
Lauer. member of the citizens at
lacking party, shot through stomach.
First Act of the Tragedy.
EARLY in the evening the first act of
the tragedy was enncted, when Con-
stable Nilstcad Went To the house OH
the outskirts OF the town, occupied
by Mrs. Wright, to serve on the occu-
liuil d WHEIiilll SWOIu Jul UlltI Ille
coroner's jury had declared her guilty
of murder. y number of deputies
gathered up on the street, accompa-
MED Constable Nilstead. Mrs. Wright
barred the door and In forcing an en-
trance the constablcs encountered I'M
expected opposition. They broke the
outer door open and entered the dark
cned rooms. Michael Ryan felt his
no Hrs nd 10
about to enter the door of the inner
he fell dead. The constnblcs made n
hurried exit and formed picket line
around the building.
Dead Mans Family Arrives.
About } o'clock the family of Mich
acl Ryan arrived. The dead man had
been carried to the bushes near the
house where he met his death. A mob
of probably $50 people had gathered.
Most of them We're armed. The scene
of grief which followed the arrival Of
Ryan's wife and children fired the
crowd with frenzy. They seized doz-
ems of bunales of straw. saturated
them with petroleum. piled them
against the front and sides of the So
called hospital. and applied the torch.
In a moment the place was mass of
| flames. Shot after shot rang from
the upper windows aud George WI
loughby. local representative of the
Standard Oil company, fell with bull
let in the left side. The next victim
was Peter IIauer, member of the at
| lacking party. These casualties so
angered the crowd that they volleyed
the house as fast as they could load
| their firearms.
| Shooting of Mrs. Wright.
Suddenly, from bunch of timber in
| the rear, several shots came In the d.
rection Of the mob. They We're an
swered. n hundred to one, and the fire
was quickly silenced. Members Of
the mob rushed to the timber, and in
the dim light of the coming dawn,
found the body of John Myers, a black
smith, 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
I, he had been lying on his face, firing
| at his enemies, when he met death.
Nearby lay Mrs. Wright. a ragged hole
! in her right shoulder. She had been
| wounded while lying down in the
same position as Myers. The mob
carried her down town, jeoring as they
Went She was taken to the council
chamber and physicians set to work in
an endeavor to bring her to conscious
ness.
4 Three Women Missing,
The mob Immediately dispersed. 1t
had been reported that there were
three women III the house besides Mrs.
| Wright, but no signs of them have
been found. The house was destroyed
with Its contents.
Mrs. DR.. Wright was about SO years
old. 1t Is stated that She was former
| ly an actress. For some time she has
been conducting a lying-in hospital on
the outskirts Of Gilman. The death
of Bessie Salter in the house last Fri
day, and the later verdict of the cor
oner's jury Saturday. caused the is
suance of u warrant for her arrest,
which resulted in the wholesale shoot
ing and probable death of the princi-
4 ~