The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-27
LAWRENCE QUIET

tContinned from Page onel
they were going to Lansing Messages
from there this morning said none has
appeared and it is presumed they too
that Warden J. K. Codding had sta
toned armed guards about the prison
with orders to prevent any one from
entering the state grounds.
The mob at no time assumed threat
ening proportions. Most of the mem
bers were content to remain outside
the Jail, governing their actions by the
announcement of the four men VIII
were selected to look for BisseH among
the 81 prisoners.
Went in Big Buses.
Most of them came to Lawrence in
Jitney motor cars that charged 81 a
passenger for the round trip. Two
motor buses brought about 20 persons
each and it was estimated by Sheriff
Cummings and his deputies that the
total reached about 200. The mob, if
it intended actually to carry out its
threats, defeated its own purpose.
Kiene Heard of 1t.
Sheriff Kiene of Shawnee county,
who brought the prisoner here, had
reports of their coming from Topeka
more than three hours before they
reached Lawrence. Newspaper men
were brought along from Topeka and
no attempt was made to conceal the
identity of any of the members.
Outfit of Tools.
Among them were several railroad
machinists who carried complete out
fits of tools, including saws. Others
were business men.
BisselI Wasn't Worried
Bissell, the alleged slayer, seemed
little concerned over the mob before
he was taken from here. He spent
most of the day playing cards with
other prisoners and seemed overjoyed
because he had won IS cents from
them. He talked freely to visitors
during the day, each time emphaticai-
ly denying any connection with the
crime. When Sheriff Kiene left the
Jail with him for Lansing about $50
o'clock he said:
''They Know Met"
"Oh, H, L don't care. They know
me at Topeka"
The mob's nearest approach to ac-
ton came about 1 o'clock when a To-
peka physician who had performed
an autopsy on the body of the little
girl recounted it to about 40 members
of the mob in front of the Jail here
Mutterings were heard but the crowd
soon melted away.
Reports from Topeka were that
several women had left there. None
appeared before the county Jail here
although at one time a few girl stu
OIL the university OF Kansas, &C
cording to residents here, were seen
on tho outskirts of the crowd. Farm
ers, having learned of the mob's in
tention, stationed themselves along the
road from Topeka and directed the
cars.
TOpekans Carried Guns.
Sheriff Cummings locked the outer
doors of the Jail early in the night and
stationed three armed deputies there
to prevent any entering. When the
mob finally came-more than an hour
later than they were expected-they
found the Jail closed to them and saw
a deputy with revolver prominently
displayed in a holster ready to meet
them. The sheriff announced in a few
words that Bissell had been taken
away, asked the mob to be quiet and
offered to let four investigators enter.
Are any of you armed? '' he asked.
mot one of u.s. the first replied
and others assented.
81 expect we'd better look" the
sheriff commented.
A search revealed that the first man
carried a revolver of heavy caIiber.
The others were unarmed. The four
intentions.
Back to Topeka to KILL
eff we can get him. we are going to
take him back to Topeka and kill him
in the house in which he assaulted the
little girl" one of them said.
Outside of the Jail, several men
were speaking of similar intentions