The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-28
She Receives a Mortal Wound, but the
Mob Is Not Satisfied, and At
tempts to Lynch Her.
TWO MEN ARE SHOT TO DEATH
TWO ARE FATALLY WOUNDED AND
ANOTHER DANGEROUSLY,
While the Residence of the Woman,
Who Is Accused Of the Murder
of a Girl, Is in Ashes.

GILMAN ILL.,, Aug. 27.-Two men killed,
three wounded-two of them perhaps fatal
ly, one woman wounded, and her residence
burned are the results of an all-night fight
between a mob and Mrs. DR.. c. w. Wright,
who was accused of the murder of Bessie
salter the sixteen-year-old daughter of
citizen of Gilman.
The Dead
JOHN MYERS. laborer, employed by
MICHAEL RYAN, citizen, serving as
deputy constable.
Fatally Wounded
LAWRENCE RYAN. brother of the dead
man. wounded in the abdomen.
GEORGE WILLOUGHBY. citizen, shot
MRS. DIR. c. w. WRIGHT, shot through
right shoulder, bullet taking downward
course.
Seriously Wounded
PETER LAUER, member of the citizens
attacking party; shot through stomach.
About 10 o'clock in the evening the first
act of the tragedy was enacted. 1t was
precipitated by the investigation of the
coroner's jury into the death of Bessie
Salter, sixteen-year-old girl, of Leonard,
ILL.,, who died in the hospital Friday night
and was then taken to her home in Leon
ard under cover of darkness early Sunday
morning. No coffin was procured and she
was wrapped up in an old blanket and
piece of carpet and buried After the jury
had heard the evidence of Clarence Salter,
father of the girl, the coroner came to the
conclusion that it was injudicious to wait
longer for Mrs. Wright's arrest, and
warrant was sworn out by the police
magistrate for her arrest. Constable Mil
stead went to the house to serve the war
rant about 10 o'clock last night. A number
of deputies accompanied Constable Mil
stead
Mrs. Wright barred the door and in fore
ing an entrance. the constables encountered
unexpected opposition. They broke the
outer door open 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 out and he fell dead. The constables
made a hurried exit, and formed a picket
line around the building. At regular in
tervals they fired into the building in the
hope that the occupants would surrender.
but without success. Finally. il was deter
mined to set fire to the building The re-
cent rains had so dampened its timbers
that the fire would not catch and after
burning some outbuildings. the posse gave
up the attempt and fell back to their
original plan OF driving out Mrs. Wright.
About o'clock the family of Michael
Ryan arrived. The dead man had been
carried TO the bushes near the house where
he met his death. a mob OF probably 80
people had gathered. Most of them were
armed. The scenes of grief which followed
the arrival of Ryans wife and children
fired the crowd with frenzy. They seized
dozens OF bundles 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. and
George Willoughby. a local representative
OF the Standard OH Company fell with a
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