The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-28
WOMAN IS AODBED
Mrs. DR." Wright Besieged
in Her Own House.
CAPTUREDWHEN WOUNDED
Accused of Performing {
Criminal Operation.

three wounded-two of them perhaps
fatally-one woman wounded and her res
idence burned, are the results Of an all
night battle between mob and Mrs DR..
C. w. Wright. who was accused of the
murder of Bessie Salter, the 16-year- old
daughter of a citizen of Gilman. The
dead are:
John Myers, laborer.
uty constable.
Fatally wc7nded:
Lawrence Ryan, brother of the dead
man, wounded in abdomen.
George Willoughby, citizen, shot
through left lung.
Mrs. DR.. c. w. Wright, shot through
right shoulder, bullet taking downward
course.
Seriously wounded:
Peter Lauer member Of citizens at
tacking 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
DCSS1C OdAlCIy d -O4o SAAA VI 4%COlA-
ard, H., who died in the hospital Friday
night and was taken to her hame in
Leonard under cover of darkness early
Saturday morning. No coffin was provid-
ed and the body was wrapped up in an
old blanket and buried. After the jury
had heard the evidence of Clarence Sal
ter, father of the girl, the coroner came
to the conclusion that it was injudicious
to wait longer for Mrs. Wright's arrest,
and a warrant was sworn out by the po-
lice magistrate for her arrest Consta-
BILE Nilstead went to the house to serve
the warrant about 10 o'clock last night.
a number of deputies gathered upon
the street accompanied Constable Nil
stead. Mrs. Wright barred the door and
in forcing an entrance the constables en-
countered unexpected opposition They
broke the outer door open and entered
the darkened rooms. Michael Ryan felt
his way acrossthe first room, and was
about to enter the door Of the inner
apartment, when shot rang out and
he fell dead. The constables made a hur-
ried exit and formed picket line around
the building. At regular intervals they
fired into the building in the hope that
the occupants would surrender, but with
out success. Finally it was determined
to set fire to the building The recent
rains had 50 dampened its timbers that
the fire would not catch and, after burn
ing some outbuildings, the posse gave up
the attack 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 prob
ably go people had gathered. Most Of
them were armed. 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-calIed hospital, and applied the
torch. In moment the place was a
mass of flames. Shot after shot rang
from the upper window, and George
Willoughby, a local representative Of the
Standard Oil company, fell with a bullet
in the left side The next victim was
Peter Lauer, member Of the attacking
party. These casualties so angered the
crowd that they volleyed the house as
fast as they could load their firearms.
Contrary to expectations, no screams
followed the progress of the flames and
the mob began to think that the inmates
of the burning house had been cremated.
Suddenly, from a bunch of timber in the
rear came several shots in the direction
of the mob. They were returned a hun
L y.
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 had been muir
dered by Mrs, Wright, stretched in the
death agony. He was shot in a dozen
places about the head and shoulders.
showing that ne had b4en lying on his
face, firing at his enemies. when he met
death. Near by lay Mrs. Wright, rag
ged hole in her shoulder.
Madame Wright was brought to the
city han and a strong guard placed over
her A crowd soon assembled at the city
hall and threats of Iynching were utter
ed Every effort was made TO quiet the
mob, but at $50 o'clock this morning the
mob made another demonstration smash
ing IN the WINDOWS WIN CiHDS ana
stones. This eliminated in a shot being
fred through the window by one Of the
mob, barely missing the woman. The
officers finally restored order butt seem
ed probable that there would be further
trouble. The coroner's jury adjourned
until l O'Clock.
Mrs Wright was taken by Sheriff Mar
tin 10 Paxton at noon by ra'l. ana VIII
be taken to the watseka Jail The mob 4
becrne more uuiet this Afternoon TIE .
jury Immediately took ~ tn
case Of John Myers.
Gilman. IL, Aug 27.-At the coro1ers
inquest today in the case Of John Myers
he jury brought IN verdict OF 'isath
" bullet wounds from parties unknown .
T the case e Michael RYAN tire veTlict
( the jury was death By leaden bullets
red from Mrs Wright's house by par
les unknown" The inquest ever fhs
,ody OF Bessie Salter was completed this 1
veniag The Jury he'd Airs Wright % I.
he grand jury without bail Mrs WriEht I.
vas taken to watseka this noon a. a
MEASURE % safety from possible mob v'o- /
ence During the morning. Nhsn she /
eenad II great danger from the crowd. 4
he uaor ordered the saloons closed The +
own IS quiet tonight