The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-08


 . persed.
 Springfield, O., March 7.-Richard Dix on, a desperate negro, who fatally shot Policeman Charles Collis Sunday morning was taken from the county jail tonight by an infurated mob and shot to death In the jail yard, and a few moments later the body was taken to the corner of Main street and Fountain avenue where the mob spent half an hour riddling the body with bullets from several hundred revolvers.
 Dixon shot Policeman collis Sunday morning in the formers room in the Jones hotel, and Collis died at noon to- day. collis had served for twelve years on the force and was regarded as one of the most reliable and efficient men in the police department He had gone to Dix ons room on the negrp's request. Dixon said lis mistress f7sef ,ais clothes in her nossesson and had got the consent of Jones. the colored proprieor to keep Dixon away from the house.
 Engaged In Quarrel.
 rol1is accompanied Dixon to the room and in a short time the man and woman engaged in a quarrel which resulted In Dixon shooting the woman, who IS var iously known as Anna or Mamie Coroin, in the breast just over the heart. She fell unconscious at the first shot, and Collis jumped toward the negro to pre- vent his escaping from the room. Dixon then fired four balls into Collis, the last of which penetrated his abdomen.
 Dixon then fled, and as he started to go down the stairs the dying policeman sent two bullets through the glass door, neith- CT of which struck the mark Collis then staggered down the stairs and on reach ing the street empited the remaining chambers of his gun at the fleeing negro. He was not hit, however, and immedi- ately went to police headquarters and gave himself up. Collis and the wounded negress were taken to the hospital.
 Sole Topic of Conversation.
 The killing of Collis was the sole topic of conversation, and both Police Judge Miller and Common Pleas Judge Mower are freely censured. They both sentenced him at various times to the jail and to the workhouse for from two to six months hut he was always released before the expiration of his sentence. It was the general feeling that Dixon would have no good ending and there were many ways suggested of getting rid of the negro by violence.
 Nothing was thought of 1t until the crime of today, and when a mob of boys gatered in front of the jail. These were added to by men who augmented the now swelling numbers. It was known that only a leader was wanted to start the assault but no one assumed the responsibility.
 Door Was Partly Opened.
 At one time the iron bar at the east entrance was removed and the door partly opened The policemen in the inside nromptly opened the door and pulled the two nearest men inside. This ended all active attempts to break the door in until nearly Il o'clock
 The mob forced an entrance to the iail by putting in the east door with railroad iron.
 At 1O:3O the mob melted rapidly and it was the general opinion that no more at- tempts would be made to force an en- trance. Small groups of men, however could be seen in the shadows of the court house. two adjacent livery staples anu several dwelling houses, At 10:45 the po- lice were satisfied that there was nothing more to fear and they with other officials and newspaper men passed freely in ana out of the jail.
 Mob Makes Diversion.
 Shortly before Il o'clock a diversion was made by a small crowd moving from the east doors around to the street en- trance The police followed and plun was made at jostling them off the steps leading up to the street entrance. The crowd at this point kept growing, while wells of hold the police, smash the doors.'' lynch the nigger," were heard everywhere, interspersed with revolver shots. All this time the party with the heavy railroad iron was beating at the east door which after some time yielded to the battering ram, as did the inner lat tice doors.
 The mob then surged through the east door, overpowered the sheriff, turnkey and handful of deputies and began the assault on the iron turnstile leading to the cells. The police from the south door were caled inside to help keep the mob from the cells. and in five minutes the south door had shared the fate of the east one
 Filled By Mad Mob.
 In an incredibly short time. the jail was filled by mad mob of 250 men with all the entrances and yard gates blocked by fully 1900 men. making it utterly i'm possible for the military to have pre- vented access to the negro had they been pressed to the scene. A heavy partition leading to the cells resisted the mob until cold chisels and sledge hammers were brought into play, <but they too, yielded