Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-28
Citizens of Gilman, ILL.,, Attack
a Reputed Hospital"
DEATHS ARE THE RESULT
Woman Who Conducts the "Hospitap
Is Charged with Murder of Sixteen
Year-Oid Girl-Building Destroyed
by Mob and Woman Wounded.

killed and three wounded, two of them
probably fatally, and a woman was
wounded and her residence burned as
the result of an all-night battle be-
tween mob and Mrs. Dr.C. w. Wright
who is accused of the murder of Des-
sic Salter, the 16-year-old daughter of
a citizen of Gilman. The dead are:
John Myers, laborer, employed by
Mrs. DR.. Wright
| Michael Ryan, citizen, serving as
deputy constable.
The fatally wounded are:
| Lawrence Ryan and George Will
| loughy, citizens.
| Mrs. DR.. Wright.
The seriously wounded are:
Peter Lauer, member of the citizens
attacking party.
Early in the evening Constable Mil
stead, with number of deputies, went
to the house on the outskirts Of the
| town occupied by Mrs Wright, to
serve on the occupants warrant
sworn out after the coroners jury had
declared her guilty of murder. Mrs.
Wright barred the door and in forcing
an entrance, the constables encounter
ed unexpected opposition. They broke
! the outer door open and entered the
darkened rooms. Michael Ryan was
about to enter the door of an inner
i apartment when a shot rang out and
\ lie fell dead. The constables made ex-
| it, and formed a picket line around
hryflI n
they fired into the building in the hope
hthat the occupants would surrender
but without success.
About 8 o'clock the family of Mich
ael 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 gathered.
Most of them were armed. The scenes
of grief which followed the arrival of
hyans wife and children, fired the
crowd with frenzy and they set fire to
the so-called hospital Shot after shot
rang from the upper windows, and
George Willoughby, local representa-
tive of the Standard Oil company, and
Peter Lauer, member of the attack
ing party, were shot. These casual
ties angered the crowd and they vol
could load their firearms. Suddenly
from a bunch of timber in the rear
several shots came in the direction of
the mob. They were answered 100
: toll Members of the mob rushed
to the timber and found the body of
John Myers, blacksmith employed
by Mrs Wright, dead. Near by lay
Mrs Wright, with ragged hole in
: her right shoulder. She is probably
fatally wounded and will not recover
The mob Immediately dispersed. The
house was destroyed with its con
tents. Mrs. Wright is about so years
old. For some time she has been con
Quoting a lying-in hospital on the out
, skirts of Gilman
; Mob Was About City Hall.
! Mrs. Wright was brought to the cit.
: hall this morning, and strong guart
J. placed over her. The crowds abou
+ the building are very noisy, an,
. threats of lynching are very strong
/ The authorities used every means q
n valuable to quiet the mob, but st 9:3
!. o'clock they began smashing the win
n dows and throwing brickbats AM
Y clubs at the woman, eliminating il
T. someone firing shot at Mrs. Wrign
e winch mlSSeu neI.
+ The officers finally got the mo
l. quieted down, but it is liable to brea
out at any moment. Last nights trot
BILE was precipitated by the invest
CATION of the coroner's jury into III
death of bessie Salter, 16-year-cl
girl of Leonard, H., who died in Mrs
u Wright's hospital Friday night, an
who was taken to her home in Leor
m ard under cover Of darkness earl
N Saturday morning. No coffin wa
# procured and she was wrapped up /
,f an old blanket and a piece of carpn
" and buried in her underclothing. Th
q. parents of the girl assisted in keepin
ID the matter quiet. After the jury ha
I'd heard the evidence of Clarence Salta
,e the father of the girl, the corore
in came to the conclusion that it was il
XII iudicious to wait longer for Mt
TO Wrights arrest, and warrant We
in sworn out by police magistrate Ir
Id land for her arrest. The verdict
the coroners jury is expected this a
ternoon.
Mrs. Wright Removed.
Mrs Wright was taken by Sheri
re Martin to Paxton at noon and wi
then be taken to Watseka Jail by wa
:, of Hoopeston The mob has becom
9. more quiet and no further demonstr;
=, tion is feared in Gilman, altho it is III
y. derstood mob will be organized t
:. make an assault on the Watseka jai
v, Iowa County Democrats.
le Williamsburg, Aug. 27.-(Special.)
re The democrats of Iowa county he
l.,