The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-12-30 00:00:00

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JUDGE LYNCH DISAPPOINTED!

The friends id Mr. Id'Donald Cheek, at preisint of Brook-
ville, Indiana, recently raid him a nocturnal visit in Ills
prison MI with rather unsatisfactory results—says the New
Fork Times—and thus proceeds sith the story:—
Mr. Cheek had committed the trifling impropriety
of killing lois father-in-law, and it woo feared that he
might not be hung sufficiently soon or well by the
constituted authorities, 89 75 of his neighbours con-
cluded to make sure of Mr. Cheek at once. They
came in the regular conventional style -masks, long
VOias, dark lanterns. awl VI on, in.t forgetting the in-
diopensable rope. Tliey Lad sledges and crowbars,
boo, to break down the prison doors, which they did
with much dexterity awl a great deal of noise.
Brookville, however, on making out the cause of Oda
unwonted clamour on the quiet Sunday night, only
rolled itself op in its blankets and west too sleep again.
It was only another "lynching." The doors down,
there seemed to be no obstacle in goingin ; but the
leader of the party, who seems to have been a person
of method, and with a fine feeling for dramatic effect,
insisted on repeating as he went in, and on his Coin-
',anions repeating after him, the mysterious shibbo-
leth, " One, two, three, in goes he !" This impressive
formality duly complied with, the maskers betook
themselves to Mr. Cheek's apartment. If things had
gone in the usual way that mild malefactor would
cheerfully have Armed out and suffered his hands
to be tied with entire resignation, and then been carried
if to the woods and hung quietly and decorously.
But Cheek olid nothing of the kind; on the contrary,
he armed himself with a bedpost awl stood grimly on
the defensive behind his open door. Mere WM
complication entirely unexpected, unprecedented, Nan-
dabous. The bold seventy-live consulted on further
steps. Finally it was agreed that one should thrust a
revolver behind the door and shoot this preposterous
felon who declined to be lynched. The attempt was
made by Mr. Snyder, but issued disastro wily;o Mr.
Snyder, in fact, had his small stock lof brain:s nearly
lovaten out by the bedpost, and Cheek, possessing
himself of his revolver, was more obdurate than ever.
Clearly this was an inianoons innovation on all esta-
',fished preeeolents of lynching. The seventy-five con-
sulted again, and arrived at the just conclusion that,
as cheek would not come out, awl they were dearly
afraid to go in, they load better, perhaps, forego their
little frolic anol go home, which they did. Whether
or not they paused at the olow to tepeat their pass-
word, altered to fit their circumstances, is not relateol.
We trust we shall not be suspected of any sympathy
with murderers if we express our entire matisfaction
with the result of this adventure. A few more recep-
tions like this would make the businefte of lynching
rather unpopular. In that respect Mr. Cheek may
almost be regard.' in the light of a public benefftetor.
At least, if -he escapes hanging in the legal way, the
people of Brookville would do well too make Ililll their
gaoler. He Ims shown himself far better qualified for
that responsible post than its present holder.