The Monticellonian., 1903-07-30
TROOPS fl DANV|uE, u.
The City Practically Under Martial Law and the Mob Spirit
 Apparently Broken.
WOMEN POSED AS LEADERS OF THE MOB.
They Would Like to Lynch the >herin Because lie Did His Duty The Latter Assumes the Respon- sibiIity for All the Shooting Done From the Jail.


 sibiIity for All the Shooting Done
 From the Jail.
 Danyille, LII. July 2s.-With the city practically under martial law and POO militiamen guarding the streets. or der reigns. and there is no indication that there will be a revival of the riotous scenes of Saturday night and Sunday morning.
 Companies A. l, E and H of the Sev- enth Illinois infantry were rushed to this city from Springfield, where they were attending the state eneamp- ment,
 They proceeded to the jail, where Wilson, the negro charged with as saulting Mrs. Burgess, of Alvan. is confined The troops surrounded the prison. Their guns were loaded with cartridges, and they were under in- struetions 10 shoot at the first effort to attack them.
 The mob dispersed about two o'clock Sunday morning, but many of its members were still on the street when the soldiers arrived.
 They regarded the presence of the miltiamen with displeasure. and many threats to drive them out of the city were uttered. Rumors that the soldiers were to be attacked were frequent, but nothing came of any of them.
 Throughout the day farmers resid- ing in the neighborhood in which tie assault was committed came to the city i'll the hope of assisting in lynch ing Wilson.
 Troops Help Crush Mob Spirit
 They helped to spread the senti- ment against the troops until 1t be- came so strong that the commssary department had great difficulty in getting food for the men.
 The mob spirit appears to be dying out slowly, though the situation is still very tense.
 The feeling against negroes is very strong and it would not be wise to call the militia away for the present. The mob is simply oyerawed by the soldiers.
 So far, no effort has been made to arrest any of the rioters, though the leaders, both women and men, are well known. It is openly declared on the street that the participants will never be punished.
 This was the first mob in Illinois in which women figured as leaders. They were as insistent as the men for ven geance on Wilson and seemed to De delighted when Metcalf was hanged and burned.
 Several women were greatly dis pleased because they could not lynch the sheriff for defending his prisoner. Leaders Wives of Respectable Men.
 These women were wives of respec- table men, who were also in the mob.
 1fe old saying that no mob will stand in a rain of bullets was fully ex- emplifed in this case.
 As soon as Sheriff Whitlock fired into 1t, it began to scatter, though no more determined men and women were ever brought together.
 Two men were killed and 22 were wounded in the nights roting; of the wounded, two may die. Sheriff Whitloek takes all the responsibility for the shooting, saying he did all of it. He says:
 After saw from the jail that the mob was determined to attack l went to the yeranda and attempted to talk to the maddened men. As stepped into view of the crowd two bullets were fred one striking the wall back of me.
 Il fired two shots in the air. Some one shouted that l was only b'utfing and that was shooting blank cart ridges. warned the mob that l would resist an attack on the jail with pow der and lead.
 ..There was another shot from the mob and it surged forward. then fired shot from my shotgun into their legs. This drove them back, but they returned a moment later to the attack of the front door. l was alarmed for the safety of my wife and children,
 My wife took a gun and said she would stand by me. got her and the children out of the way and then as the leaders came with the rail to batter down the walls 1 shot along the rail to make them drop it. This accounts for so many being shot in the hands and arms. l fired eight or ten shots in all.
 Sheriff Whitiock had four deputies and three constables with him in the jail guarding the prisoners. He says no one fred into the mob but himself.
 REDUCING MILITARY FORCE.