Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-08-30
AN AII.NlGHT BATTLE.
Two Mem Killed, Three wounded,Two
OF Them Perhaps FatalIywounded
The Woman Charged with the
Murder OF Young Gfrl-Her
House Burned to the Ground and
While Attempting to Escape.

Gilman, ILL.,, August 27.-Two men
killed. three wounded, two OF them
perhaps fatally wounded, and her resi-
idence burned are the results Of an all
night battle between q mob and Mrs
DR.. c. w. Wright. who was accused Of
the murder of Bessie Salter, the six
teen-year-old daughter Of a citizen OF
Gilman.
The dead: John Myers, a lahorer,
employed by Mrs. Wright; Michael
Ryan. citizen. serving as deputy con.
stable.
Fatally wounded: Lawrence Ryan.
brother Of the dead man, wounded In
the abdomen; George Willoughby, cit
tzen, shot through left lung; Mrs. DR..
G. w. Wright. shot through right
shoulder. bullet taking downward
course.
Seriously wounded: Peter Laurer a
member Of the citizens attacking party,
shot through stomach.
A Coroner's jury found Bessie Salter
had died Friday night in Mrs. Wright @
lying-in hospital. and a warrant for
Mrs. Wright's arrest was placed In the
hands OF Constable Milstead, who went
to Mrs. Wrights place. on the out
skirts of town, to serve 1t.
A number Of deputies. gathered up in
the street, accompanied Constable MIL
stead. Mrs. Wright barred the door
The constables broke the outer door
open and entered the 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 constable madc
hurried exit and formed a picket line
around the building.
At regular intervals they fired into
the building in the hope that the occu-
pants would surrender. but without
success. About o'clock the family Of
Michael Ryan arrived, and the scenes
Of grief which followed the 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 the
front and sides of the so-called hospital
and applied the torch. In moment
the place was a mass of flames Shot
after shot rang from the upper win
doWs and George Willoughby. a 10, i
representative of the Standard Oil
Company, fell with a bullet in the left
side. The next victim was Peter Lau-
rer, a member of the attacking party.
These casualties SO angered the CROW Il
that they volleyed the house as fast IS
they could load their firearms.
Contrary to expectations no screams
followed the progress of the flames ard
the mob began to think that the in
mates Of the burning house had been
cTemated.
Suddenly. from a bunch Of timber in
the rear. several shots came in the iii
rection Of the mob. They answered, &
hundred to one, and the fire was qui, kly
silenced. Members of the mob rushed
TO the timber. and In the dim light Of
the coming dawn found the bod 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, a ragged
hole in her right shoulder. She had
been wounded while lying down in the
same position as Myers. The mob car
ried her down town, jeering as they
went. She was taken to the Council
chamber and later to the Watseka Jail
The mob Immediately dispersed.
it's contents. Mrs. DR.. Wright is about
fifty years old. 1t is stated that she
was formerly an actress
Gilman, ILL.,. August 27.-The coro-
ner's inquest over Myers and Ryan re-
suited in a verdict OF death by bullet
wounds from parties unknown" Mrs
Wright was held to the grand jury
without bail. The removal Of Mrs
Wright to the Watseka Jail seems to
have annulled all mob talk.