The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-31
A WOMAN FIGHTS A MOB
SHE AND ONE MAN KEEP THE CROWD
AT BAY ALL NIGHT
NOT UNTIL MORTALLY WOUNDED
And Her House I'm Flames Does the
Crowd Bring Her to subiection-Her
Killed and Several Others Wounded.
Charged With Murder. She Re~ists
Service OF the warrant-The Mob
Disperses.

Gilman. Ill, August 27.-Txo men
killed, three wounded. TWO Of them
perhaps fatally. and her residence
burned are the results OF an ill-usght
battle between a moi and Mrs. DR..
C W. Wright, VINO was US OF the
murder Of Bessie Salter. the 1e-year-
old daughter Of a citizen OF Gilman.
The dead are: John Meyers. a labor
er employed by Mrs. Wright. and
Michael Ryan. citizen, serving as dep
uty constable.
The fatally wounded are: Lawrence
Ryan, brother OF the dead man, wound
ed in the abdomen; George Willoughby.
citizen. shot through left lung: Mrs.
DR.. c. W. Wright, shot through right
course.
The seriously wounded is: Peter
Lauer. member of the citizens attack
ing party, shot through stomach.
A coroner's jury found Bessie Salter
had died Friday night in Mrs. Wright's
lying in hospital and a warrant for
Mrs. Wrights arrest was placed in the
hands of Constable Millstead. who
went to Mrs. Wright's place on the
outksirts of town TO serve il.
A number of deputies. gathered upon
the street, accompanied Constable
Millstead. Mrs. Wright barred the
door The constables broke the outer
door open and entered the room.
Michael Ryan felt his way across the
first room and vas about TO enter the
door OF the inner apartment when a
shot rang out and he fell dead. M
c~onstables made a hurried exit and
formed a picket line around the build
ing.
AT regular intervals they fired into
the building in the hope that the oc-
cupants would surrender, but without
success. About 3 o'clock the family
of Michae Ryan arrived and the scene
Of grief which followed h arrival of
Ryan's wife and children fired the
crowd with frenzy. They seized dozens
of bundles of straw, saturated them
with petroleum, piled them against
h front and sides of the so-called
hospital and applied the torch. In a
mOment the place was a mass of
flames. Shot after shot rang from the
upper windows and George Willougby,
a local representative of the Standard
Oil Company, fell with a bullet in his
left side. The next victim was Peter
Lauer, a member of the attacking par
ty. These casualties so angered the
crowd that they vOlleyed the hous as
fast as they could O their firearms.
Contrary to expectations, no scream
followed the progress Of the flames,
and the mob began to think that the
inmate of the burning house had been
cremated. Suddenly from a bunch of
timber in the rear, several shots came
in the direction of the mob, they ans
wered, a 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 blacksmith,
who a 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, a ragged
hole in her right shoulder. She was
wounded while lying DOWN in the same
position as Myers. The moi carried
her down town jeering as they went.
She was taken TO the council cham
Der and, later, to the Watseka Jail.
The mob Immediately dispersed.
The Wright house was destroyed
with it's contents.
Mrs. DR.. Wright is about so years
old. 1t is stated that she was formerly
| al actress.