Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-03-22
ALYNCHINC PARTY
DOUGLAS COUNTY JAIL ASSAULT
ED BY A MOB.
PRISONERS FOUND TO Sc GONE

Police and Deputy sheriHs Easily
Masters of the situaton-crcwd
Batters Down Door 70 Jail But is
Driven Back.
OMAHA-Incensed at the news that
Edward FURY was dead. crowd of
about 1000 people, without leader,
made dosultory attempt Thursday
night at taking from the county Jail
and lynching the three negroes held
for the murder of the street car con
ductor the night Of Wednesday, March
z, at the Albright end of the Walnut
Hill street car line, The mob swore
vengeance also on the four youths
held for the murder Of Nels Lausten,
the Cunning street saloon keeper Two
or three hundred men mounted the jail
and courthouse terrace from Harvey
street and with the aid of a pole
broke down two doors forcing its way
into the Jail on the east side.
Sheriff Mcdonald invited a commit
tee to enter and inspect the jail to
prove his word the prisoners were not
there. The committee was headed by
Joseph FURY, 3431 North Thirtieth
street, brother of the murdered man.
Ut was in the jail about an hour and
when it emerged FURY made speech
to the crowd, declaring every cell had
been searched in vain; the prisoners
were gone That speech and the pres
ence OF thirty-iive policemen had the
effect of dispensing the crowd
The night was cold. The ground
was hidden under q deep coat OF
snow The crowd was disorganized.
It was quite apparent that had the ele
ments been milder and the crowd
headed by one or two determined
leaders there may have been different
consequences. provided however, the
coveted victims were in the Jail.
Sheriff Mcdonald declared they were
not and the committee failed to find
them
The strongest, at least the most
realistic suggestion OF summary dis
position of the prisoners, aside from
the presence of the bowling mob, was
q long grass seed rope. A big man
who had nothing to say carried it. He
stayed well in the center OF the active
crowd and when the jail door was
broken in was on hand.
Clarence Gathright, Cal Vain or
Warren and Harry Clark, the three
negroes held for the Fury murder
were, primarily, the objects of the
mobs wrath. Jay OHearn, on trial
for the Lausten murder, and his pals,
Raymond Nelson, Leo Angus and Joe
Warren, were also wanted.
The excitement attracted many to
the scene who came only as specta-
tors. Among those were many women
with their escorts. 1t was just about
~ o'clock when the crowd mounted
the jail grounds from Harvey street,
but it had been mobilizing since early
In the night, One crowd was gathered
In Omaha, another in South Omaha
and from $3.50 on little groups of men
kept gathering around the courthouse
square.
1t was stated that the men wanted
were removed from the Jail as early
as $3.50. Mr. Fleharty, attorney for
O'Hearn, confirmed this statement.
He said four carriages were used for
the purpose. Officials refused to say
where they were taken, but said 1t
was out of the city and was not to
Lincoln.
1t was thrilling experience for the
other prisoners in the Jail, especially
those who happened to be colored.
They were frightened and nervous
and could be discerned through the
windows pacing back and forth,
clutching the steel bars and peering
through the windows out upon the
mob.